Exercise was the order of the day yesterday so we hired a tandem kayak, packed a picnic and took off up the river to Espirito Santo's largest 'blue hole' along with fellow cruisers from boats, Freezin' Rain (US), Blue Glass (Oz) and Rotomanu (NZ). To save any reader having to Google 'blue hole', we've searched it on your behalf ...

A blue hole is an inland vertical cave. They are roughly circular, steep-walled depressions, and so named for the dramatic contrast between the dark blue, deep waters of their depths and the lighter blue of the shallows around them. The deep blue color is caused by the high transparency of water and bright white carbonate sand. Blue light is the most enduring part of the spectrum; where other parts of the spectrum—red, yellow, and finally green—are absorbed during their path through water, blue light manages to reach the white sand and return back upon reflection.

So, there we have it! And here are a handful of pictures from our trip ...


Cows on the beach overlooking the anchorage


The Crew of OD in our tandem kayak


Reflections on route. We discovered oyster shells lying on the river bed.


The 'Blue hole'. Jackie climbed half-way up the banyan tree (not requiring much encouragement from the other cruisers) and swung from the rope into the water ... pulling every muscle in her body and gaining a rope burn in the meantime ... maybe not quite as young as she thinks anymore!