Last updated on May 6th, 2021
The captain welcomes us on board and then we are off.
(So, right from the start the scenery is good :-)It’s a still day, so not great for sailing, but Opunohu Bay would be lovely in any weather.
And I am happy to be on this small boat, rather than the Pacific Princess or even the sailing cruise ship anchored nearby. I am definitely more yachtie than cruiser – it feels good to be close to the water.
Opunohu Bay is relatively undeveloped, but there are a few resorts with over-the-water bungalows spilling into the lagoon.
Farther out from shore a few dolphins briefly join us.
(They are so hard to photograph!)
The mountains and development in Cook’s Bay is easier to photograph. (Despite the name, Cook apparently anchored in Opunohu Bay as well.)
We leave Cook’s Bay and cross back toward Opunohu to a spot near one of the resorts for snorkeling.
I’m eager to get into the water!
Unfortunately, once I’m in the water, I discover that the snorkel I have leaks. I’m not a very comfortable snorkeler to begin with (since I hate to have my face in water), so the need to continually clear my snorkel is frustrating. . . . a frustration compounded by the fact that all I can see around me is a sandy bottom with some mostly dead coral and a few scattered fish.
The chance to do some snorkeling is one of the things I’ve most looked forward to on this trip, so this is really disappointing.
Feeling defeated, I tell Lane I’m going to go in early, but, of course, I really can’t bear to do that. I mean, there are some really cool fish here. . .
Which means I stay out too long and end up being one of the last ones waiting to climb back on board. I end up just playing in the water awhile longer as I wait for others (who cut the line) to board before me. That’s ok. I love being in the water and it isn’t until I step up on the ladder and lose my balance as my foot slips– tossing me back into the water – that I realize that I am exhausted and dehydrated.
Of course. Despite the disappointing snorkeling, I have once again stayed out too long and, while I feel pretty good this time (I often end up really nauseous on these types of excursions), I suspect it may be several days before I can put on any pressure on the arch of my foot. I ought to have one heck of a bruise later tonight. Ouch.
Tasty fruit juice and snacks await me on board, but they are also a sign that our day on the water is quickly coming to an end.
Next time, I’m going to spend my time here on one of those sail boats.
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