[Bay]
Stafford felt the azure waves wash over him, and when their salt water caress disappeared he felt his tensions flow away with it.
He floated upon his back with the endless music of the bay in his ears. The sun beat down on him ceaselessly but he did not feel any discomfort, just a lulling tranquility that threatened to overtake him completely.
For the first time in god knows how long, he felt relaxed.
There came a sound not of the water or the surf, but a more rapid and less natural splitting of the bay. Reluctantly, Stafford opened his eyes, blinking rapidly.
A small boat was cutting its way through the waves. A proud and upright vessel despite it's age, the crew on the deck was busy rushing about with steaming containers. Anyone with a free hand was waving merrily at the swimmers.
Its the seafood restaurant I heard about at the hotel. Stafford realized belatedly.
In an instant, it seemed everyone else who had been moments before floating or splashing peacefully also came to the same conclusion. Stafford felt himself being brushed aside as voices took up and everyone made a mad dash for the boat.
Food. The sun, the salt in the air, the swimming. It all had taken a lot out of him, more than he'd realized, and soon Stafford was one of the many doggy paddling rapidly towards the smell of fresh seafood coming from the boat.
He dodged a blue suited Andorian, who he hadn't seen until the last minute. Clever, he camouflaged himself. Stafford elbowed him aside, and got to the boat just in time
Stafford and a dozen others were helped aboard by the crew. There was nowhere to sit, just an open air kitchen that people were already yelling orders to.
"Sea bass, pan seared!" The XO yelled at a nearby chef. "Whatever vegetables you have, and wine."
As he watched and smelled the scent of fish being cooked, the happy laughs and jokes of the people around him, Stafford cast a quick glance around, wondering if any other Athena crewmember was grabbing a bite.