Published: Friday, January 16, 2004 at:11:17 PM




Another Hard Day at the Pool with Susan and Martin



It’s been one of those mornings. You had to decide between having an omelet, waffles, or pancakes for breakfast and then you are asked to do strenuous stuff like snorkeling or sailing. You’re on vacation, you think, so you decide to go to the pool for the rest of the day. You start walking to the pool, and a cart-taxi gives you a lift the rest of the way. Thank goodness because that was getting to be hard work.

You arrive at the pool— there it is shimmering in the sunlight with North Sound in the background, and palm trees gently swaying in the breeze. Oh no, the hard work starts again. Now you have to decide which sun lounge best suits you. To make life easy, you need one that has a side table so close you don’t have to move to pick up your drink, and then you must be able to roll into the water.

Now that you have found your spot for the day, you have to organize yourself with a towel and some food and drink. Is it never ending? Never fear, Susan and Martin are near.

Susan and Martin have both been working at the pool for a little over a year and have proven to be a popular team. Just when things start to get tough, they come to your rescue with towels, a happy smile, and lunch menus—and a few drink suggestions. All to ensure that the rest of the day floats gently by. If you are not sure what you want, they will be sure to put you on the right track.

From St. Vincent, Susan (also know as “Suzy”) Ryan joined the Bitter End Yacht Club 12 years ago as a cleaner in housekeeping, and then as a cleaner in the restaurant. As a cleaner she was great at keeping the restaurant in immaculate condition, but she kept finding ways to get behind the bar and serve guests. She was a natural, so we threw her in at the deep end and made her a bartender. After a while we put her down at the pool with Martin, and she has never looked back. She loves interacting with people and finding out where they come from, and what they do. She feels the pool is her domain these days and takes great pride, as does Martin, in looking after the facility and its guests. If you have time in your crazy schedule to stop by, she will try to get you to have one of “her” Painkillers and one of our famed lobster salad lunches.

Should you venture Martin’s way, give a try to one of “his” Lemon Crushes or Mudslides. Trust me, “his” Mudslides are the best. Martin Bubb from Grenada joined Bitter End in 1987 working in Grounds, maintaining the beaches and gardens. After a couple of years he joined the Food & Beverage “breakfast team.”

He also worked part time in the pub in the evenings. He seemed to be a jack-of-all-trade, so when the position of Pool Supervisor became available, he was the logical candidate. If you miss him at the pool, you can often catch him playing in the steel band at the Monday “Manager’s Cocktail party.”

So if you are dreading that hard workout at the pool, Martin and Susan will make it easy with drinks to tantalize your taste buds, and a lovely lunch served pool side in the glory of the Caribbean Sun. — Sarah Watts-Dowling