The next Commonwealth Games – in October 2010 – is to be hosted by India. Traditionally, before the big event, the Queen’s Baton is taken around the participating countries by the host country.

On Sunday, 6 December, as part of the celebration of our Commonwealth heritage, I, and many other swimmers and three kayaks, were invited to ‘escort’ a yacht carrying the Indian flag and the Queen’s baton, by swimming alongside it from the Excelsior Hotel in Valletta to the Fortina Hotel in Sliema and back.

Just before the swim, the Indian Press photographed us around the baton, with the Indian flag-carrying yacht as background. Apparent to me by its absence was the Maltese flag which, as a matter of courtesy I understand, is usually flown by any craft (let alone a diplomatic one) entering a local port.

Initially it was fun participating in the swim but when some of us experienced difficulties such as the cold, jelly fish stings and cramp at the tip of Manoel Island, our lead kayak went to have a word with our Indian friends on the yacht and back came with the information “getting on the boat is not an option.”

In this otherwise very happy event, that statement felt much colder to me than the water I was in, especially so because a swimmer alongside me was shivering, teeth chattering, and struggling with cramp. At that point we all decided to give up the rest of the swim and return to the Excelsior Hotel. Happily we all returned safely to the comfort of warm coffee laced with whisky, offered by waiting friends and family.

Although the real commonwealth of all mankind is our basic human nature, frequently this ‘nature’ needs some attention and pruning.

Oscar Zerafa Gregory