After being fitted with full snorkel gear including a wetsuit, snorkeling mask and flippers, we were ready to set foot in the water. Getting the wetsuit on for the first time was difficult to say the least, but I'm sure that will get easier as I become more acquainted with it. We walked down to beach for a pre-sunset snorkel. The trick is to come into the water, slip on your fins and then walk backwards until you're in a little more than knee-high water. Then turn around and do a graceful face plant into the water. Relax. Breath through your mouth. Enjoy the view. I was immediately amazed with the world hidden under the water's surface. I had seen reef systems around Hawaii when I had been there, but it would appear that time had dampened my memory of the experience. There was a whole world around us living life, feeding, swimming, sleeping, existing. Now for a moment I was able to be a part of that world. I'm sure I stuck out like a sore thumb, but if I don't mind the fish I'm sure they won't mind me much either. We danced in and out of schools of parrot fish, damselfish, rabbitfish and the like. Coral showcased its polyps if only for a second before returning to the safety of their skeletal structure. The sheer number of different organisms I witnessed was astounding. There were so many different colors, shapes, sizes and speeds. Sea cucumbers were littered all over the place and even a few sea stars were spotted. I struggled to identify many of them, knowing I had seen them in my manual but realizing that I hadn't studied quite as much as I should have. The group of us continued to spread and thin, eager to see as much as we could. As the snorkel progressed I became used to my gear and more confident with my swimming abilities. We were called back to shore a bit too soon, but I was granted the opportunity to swim with a majestic green turtle on the way out. I was so excited to witness it glide through the water. It held such grace, making not a ripple or sound with every stroke. Much different than the splashing mess of sound all of us were making throughout the lagoon. I wished I could follow it forever, learn its life, learn its way. Oh, the things it must see. The places it gets to meet.
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About MeAn educated outdoor enthusiast with a passion for the planet and all its inhabitants, I wish to be a liaison between the scientific world and the public. I believe that knowledge and compassion are the keys to understanding and bettering our complex existence on this beautiful Earth. Archives |