Thursday, April 1st

Today we were up early, and zipped over to the Indians to snorkel here. This is a set of 4 rock formations that just spear up out of the sea, near Pelican and Norman Islands. The story goes that the Spanish, sailing up the channel one dark night mistook the rocks for a British warship and fired upon her. She didn't return fire, but held her position and so they turned and ran. We resolve to look for cannon balls on the sea floor. Neither Jim nor I have ever been here before - so it's a first for us. We took one of the 8 cans here and dipped into the water around 8. What a place! Fan Coral, and fern like plants swaying in the surf, rocks that go straight down, and some that bulge up from the sea floor. A tunnel thru the rock you could free dive or scuba dive thru, hundreds of fish of all different variety and size, trumpet fish and tangs and angelfish, even schools of harmless jellyfish. (Yes we know they are harmless, because someone asked a tour guide that came with a snorkel tour group.) We were about ½ way thru with our perusal of the reef when a tour boat pulled up. 35 people all jumped off the boat...swam with their guide up and back one side of the Indians, then they all jumped back on the boat and were gone inside of an hour. WOW. Who is invading our private national park?! (one of our party was labeled a boat snob for not welcoming them.)
This is some of the best snorkeling we have done, and we discussed coming back again later when the sun is one the other side of the formation.

Nearly 11am, so we cast off and pop over to see if we can get a spot at the Caves. There is one mooring ball here...but it looks VERY close to the cave walls..what the heck, we pick it up anyway and then ask a few people snorkeling by how deep the water they are in is...if we swing that way. It looks pretty shallow to us, as you can see the formations below, but it is still 20 feet - plenty deep enough.

Off we go again...The caves are actually the foundation for Robert Louis Stevenson's, Treasure Island. I am sure that some of it is still here and if I look sharp I will find it today. There are 3 caves here, one is open on two sides so some light shines thru. Inside the caves the walls are covered with different colors of rock, and exposed minerals. There is purple and orange and pink and green, on some of the rocks it looks like Nickelodeon green slime. Amazing colors - so vibrant. Each cave has its own feel, and the sea surging in and out has a power that will stop you in your fins...no matter how you kick...then it releases you and spits you in or out, depending on your intended direction.

One cave had a dozen crabs sitting on the rocks, climbing the walls, one even fell in the water nearby. Motivation to vacate the cave now.
Another note to the crew; bring along a waterproof flashlight next time to penetrate the dark. As we cruise along the cliff outside the cave our good friend Barry, the smiling fish cruises by looking for a meal. This one is 4 ft and looks menacing...so we give him a wide berth.

As we head back and past the boat to the rock beach, my diligence pays off and I spy sparkling treasure...it's shiny, it's big... a bracelet, closer, no...probably a large pirate earring...closer, no...umm actually a silver filigree ring, lying right there on top of the rocks. I gather my prize, then follow along to see what the boys have spotted. Amazingly, it's a turtle, feeding on the sea floor about 20 feet below. Now that's a first. I have never been in the water and seen a turtle, only from the deck. Very cool.

As we head back to the boat, we see a murky discoloration, kind of moving and spreading. Those of you who understand the functioning of a head at sea will understand what I THOUGHT it was, but is in under the boat, between the hulls, not on the outer hulls where the seacock is.. Now it's dissipating, but neither of us want to get too close to it... after a few moments, it becomes clear that Barry or his brother found a snack and it is the leftover chum in the water. We wait til it clears completely before we board.

Back now to the Bight, to pick up a can and spend a peaceful evening. But it's only 2pm! Ok, so after watching the tiny fish dance on the water and the sea turtles surface all around the boat, we go for our THIRD snorkel of the day. Unfortunately we took different routes, and the other route paid off with our friends being able to see 3 sea turtles at different places, one spectacularly surfacing very close to them, and then diving again. An amazing day in the water for all of us.

We had a contest tonight. Since the moon is rising later the sky is dark and thick with stars. So we all picked our prize and the first person to spot a satellite wins. The prizes...1/2 a snickers bar. A brownie, a beer, and the other ½ snickers bar. Yes we are a wild crowd! The girls spotted the first one, however do to a gender solidarity the boys refused to verify the spotting, so we waited for more to come by! They did, and we all enjoyed our prize of choice. We were able to see the milky way clearly tonight which I haven't seen since I was a kid in Chicago, and Cris had never seen.

All in all a special day.