I don’t know if Jerry Sandy plays pickleball. As I haven’t seen him at the courts, I doubt that he does. Jerry, as anyone who reads TWATL knows, is the publisher and editor of Skidaway Island’s revered weekly magazine. Although Jerry may not be a pickler, he does have an eye for a good story. About halfway through the long, hot, tedious summer, knowing I was struggling to find good stories, he sent an email with an alluring idea. Apparently seeing an opportunity to take advantage of the latest sports craze, large cruise ship companies like Disney are building courts on the decks of their ships.
That’s right. Now you can join five thousand or more of your closest friends on a floating petri dish for Legionnaires Disease, COVID, Flu and other mystery diseases and burn off a fraction of the calories you ingest while eating and drinking your way across the seven seas. It’s not my idea of a good time, but it might just be the dream vacation for the thousands of cruise enthusiasts in search of sea borne self-flagellation.
There are all kinds of theme-based cruises, including nudist and clothing optional. Apropos the Nude Pickleball article, which ran in January, nude pickleball is a real thing. If playing nude on the deck of a cruise ship, rolling gently in the current, with a not so gentle breeze is your thing, have at it. I’ll pass.
If the idea of being trapped in a floating small town in the middle of the Caribbean is not your thing, there is a more attractive alternative. Buy or build a yacht and install your own floating pickleball court. That’s exactly what Joe Lewis, a UK tycoon worth about $5 billion did. His 320-foot yacht Aviva was launched in 2017 and was the first to include a pickleball court. Unlike most yachts sporting pickleball courts, Lewis had his court built below decks. Not only does he avoid that pesky wind, it’s also a good bet he never has to queue up for court time. The super-rich are truly different from us mere mortals.
It’s also a good bet Joel Pritchard, Barney McCallum and Bill Bell, who invented pickleball one summer afternoon on Bainbridge Island in Washington State never imagined pickleball would become the phenomenon it’s become. They reportedly came up with the idea after tiring of their children complaining that there was nothing to do. But as reported in last week’s article, the demand for new courts on terra firma in this country alone exceeds 25,000, which might explain why major cruise ship lines and billionaires are jumping on the band wagon.
Back on dry land, the fall season draws near meaning the fall league kicks off on October 3rd. The league offers up some terrific pickleball at all levels. Stop at the Deck, pick up your favorite cocktail and wander over to the courts. The players appreciate any and all support. Speaking of competition, be sure to sign up for the club singles championships. Singles players are a special breed, so you won’t want to miss some very spirted and exhausting competition.