Two hours sail away from the main harbour in Nieafu is Kapa Island where we dropped anchor yesterday. Jib and jigger with the sound track to Blade Runner in the back ground is how we made it around the corner. Dad said that the crusability of Tonga reminds him of the Virgin Islands.

We went on a dingy mission to what is known as Swallows Cave. It is named such because it contains no Swallows whatsoever, but is chock full of Starlings, which are little cutie-patootie birds that hang upside down all bat-like on the top of the stalactite laden ceiling. We were there around 3:30 when the sun was shining its rays thorough the opening and turning the walls mysterious shades of turquoise caused by the reflection of the super clear water. There was an adjoining cave that in the early 1900=C2's was used as used as a dining room for royalty and such in witch great Tongan feasts, piggies and all, were lowered through an opening four stories above the cave=C2's floor. One could explore this old school VIP lounge, if he didn=C2't want to get wet and didn=C2't mind climbing up slippery rock formations. We read that we should wear shoes in Swallows cave because the bat guano covered floor was pretty spongy tending to be between-the-toe squishy at times. Dad said he didn=C2't really like the idea of walking on =C2"bat ganga=C2", so after mom and I wiped our tears of laughter away we decided to forgo the spelunking.

I want snorkeling later in the afternoon and saw many little fishies, some bright purple starfish, and several sea cucumbers. These babies had diameters upwards of 6-8=C2" and were over two feet long with the same coloring of a divorcee=C2's purple faux leopard handbag. I=C2'm no marine biologist, but I gather that they eat sand for the algae on it and get rid of the non-nutritional bits by excreting what looks like a whole tube of underwater toothpaste.

This morning the rents are planning on dragging a line behind the dingy and checking out some more misnamed caves while I am going to rock it solo on my kayak. Pack a lunch and make a day of it!

Cheers to good weather Cass