Leslie W. is the author of The Hammock Society and a professional conference and event manager based in the New York Metro area. She is also a beach vacation aficionado.

Hi There, I'm Leslie! I am a child of the Caribbean Sea. My mother was the typical West Indian mother of the time, consumed with housework and childcare, she saw the beach not as recreation, but as a place where children drowned. As a result, we only went to the beach when our church had an outing, and church outings were few.

My first recollection of being at the beach was of being terrified because I couldn’t swim. The sand moved under my feet, and the waves crashed into me. "Man cannot explore new oceans unless he is brave enough to lose sight of the shore," a friend teased. So I went a little further in and soon found myself submerged, but instead of panicking, I felt at peace as I floated weightlessly to the surface. It’s the thing I enjoy most about the sea today - the absence of weight.

My beach trips are more frequent now and like my childhood church outings, full of anticipation and planning. Apart from the logistics, who I am at the beach. To that end, I enjoy shopping for my trips as much as I do the actual trip.

I founded The Hammock Society to curate and connect with like-minded people. I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I enjoy writing it, and I look forward to your comments.