"A beachfront lodging where the author spent the night prior to setting off; the previous evening included shots of lime punch and spiced rum shared with the hotel’s owner, and the author notes, “It may have been the shots of lime punch and spiced rum we drank with the hotel’s owner the previous evening, but my first few moments of paddling felt incredibly strenuous,” leading to a cautious, shoreline-hugging start to the day." - Elspeth Velten Elspeth Velten Elspeth is the Senior Vice President & Group General Manager of Dotdash Meredith's Travel Group. Her writing has appeared in the New York Times, Architectural Digest, Vogue, Playboy, and International and Australian Traveller. Travel + Leisure Editorial Guidelines