Hotel Mai Tai, Still
19 May 2010 | Fakarava, Tuomotu
Alison
Two fabulous dives today in Fabulous Fakarava. Allan bandaged up his toe and wrapped it with duct tape to the second toe for stability and said he was a lot more comfortable swimming than walking. I'm telling you, this guy is a fish. The fact that he looks like a land creature is misleading.
A very interesting combination of critters today. On the first dive, we saw a lot of gray sharks and white tip sharks, this time much closer than on our dive in the south pass, and a bit more curious. They are such beautiful swimmers, and we found a few who were sleeping on the bottom under rock ledges. Sharks can't breath unless water is flowing over their gills, one of the reasons they look so business-like -- they have to keep moving to breathe. But when there's a current, they can take a break, a little nap under a tree, and the water will still flow over their gills.
The reef was splashed with brilliant blue fish, like little clouds. At one point a flat off-white flounder swam under us, hugging the ground like a flying saucer contouring the terrain. Allan and I grabbed hold of a few rocks to stabilize ourselves in the current and watched while a gorgeous trigger fish worked at digging a hole, moving big chunks of coral and blowing water to move sand, like blowing the dust off an old table in the attic.
After the first dive, we went back to our boat, a luxurious way to rest between dives. The boat is anchored just off the pier, we can easily swim to shore. We lunched on tomato soup and cheese on baguette, Allan and I took little micro-naps, and Greg and Tiff researched dive certification costs between here and Australia. In the end, Greg agreed that getting certified here, through Top Dive, was his best option. Top Dive has dive centers throughout Polynesia, so he can get his certification dives as we move along. What a fabulous way to get certified -- Fakarava, Rangiroa, Tahiti, Moorea, Bora Bora. I did it in a pool in Denver, Colorado in the winter. He's doing his first lesson now, with a spectacular South Pacific sunset presiding over the western sky.
Our second dive was a bit more challenging, as the current was coming into the atoll and was a bit stiffer. WHen we first backrolled into the water we were greeted by a lone dolphin, the closest we've come so far, despite previous efforts. The variety was non-stop, and at the end, we got to ride the swift current back to the boat, loads of fun..
I love it here. The winds have died down and the water is like glass. It's so quiet outside, and the air is perfect. The mosquitos are present but not too much of a bother. A few more days and then, probably, we'll head for Rangiroa.