We slowly got organized and dressed and eventually made our way down to the breakfast buffet. The buffet had amazing fresh fruit and vegetables. There was an omelet station. Fresh pastries including apple turnovers and chocolate croissants. We all sampled the different choices, except for Gracie. She enjoyed a bowl of Cocco Krispies just like she might have at home. She knows what she likes and she doesn’t like a lot of change.
After breakfast the girls head back to the room and I went for a 40 minute paddleboard. It was pretty good exercise the only problem was with the wind at my back I could really cruise but heading into the wind was a different story so I didn’t really cover that much ground.
At 9:45 we headed to the dock to get our snorkel gear and meet the boat for our excursion. Ashley and Grace were particularly obedient and quiet at this stage. That should have been my first warning sign.
Towels, snorkels, google, fins and cameras are all locked and loaded let’s see what this South Pacific sandbar has to offer. We dropped anchor on the sandbar and were immediately greeted by several stingrays gliding peacefully along the bottom. Of to my left as I exit the boat we see several black top reef sharks cruising the edge of the sandbar. They are fast is my first assessment. There are other fish and people enjoying this location as well.
I hop in and encourage everyone to follow, next comes Katie, then Kari, a reluctant Ashley and that is it. Grace has her fingernails dug into the bench and her toenails dug into the deck. She is not going to come right now. No one was changing her mind.
Ashley makes it 12 steps in the water before she demands to go back. “These things are trying to sting me I know it, TAKE ME BACK!!!!” Kari manages to calm the situation for the moment. Katie and I are off, what is going to happen???
Well this happened. That is a black tip reef shark. It is fast and when it looks at you it seems like it is looking past or through you.
Stingray cruising along looking to sting Ashley.
Some more sharks cruising by
These guys asked when lunch was served.
Check out the stingray on the right side
This stingray was really big it ran into my legs and continued on about his business.
Fish.
We were starting to wrap up when I convinced Ashley and Katie to swim out with me for a little bit.
Katie got this picture which I thought was pretty cool.
Ashley got this picture. Which is also very cool.
We did eventually get Grace “in the water”. This means she came down the steps was in the water until she climbed up on my head and shoulders where she cried “Take me back for 7-10 minutes. I think everyone had a good time. Well maybe not Grace.
We did get this family photo.
From this dive spot we headed to a small island for lunch and more snorkeling. The lunch was barbecued marlin, pork sausages spicy and plain, Polynesian raw tuna with lime and coconut milk and some beers.
Beer, I think Grace might have needed one more then anybody else.
Tuna and Lime
In go the vegetables. Carrots and Cucumbers are a big part.
After lunch we learned about coconuts. With a simple plastic bucket and a wood stick you can get everything you want out of the 🥥. Hopefully when it falls it is using its 3 eyes to miss your head.
Taking off the outer layer of the coconut. A lot of people use this in the flower beds or around vanilla to hold in moisture.
One sharp blow with the stick will crack the coconut.
Katie enjoying the water
Gracie even tried it.
From there you can shave the white insides out of the coconut and into a piece of cloth.
The coconut shaving going into the cloth. Once you get it full of shavings, fold the cloth up to form a pouch and start twisting.
Coconut milk to enjoy!!!
Tropical beauties
I think the coconut milk may have gone bad.
From the island looking back at Moorea.
After lunch we snorkeled. Lost of fish to see pretty nice current coming from the reef so if you swam towards the reef then you could just drift back over the coral.
I think that is a zebra fish. Gracie say it is the old one in the dentist tank in Nemo
Lots of fish
This one is cool.
At the bottom of the coral.
Fish
A ray and 2 big fish
I think these are called Tang.
After snorkeling it was back to the resort for a shower and then dinner on the beach. Great food, Polynesian music, island dancing and some crazy acrobatics.
The band
The dancers.
The acrobats. Kari and I had to talk with them after the show. I don’t know where the get off stealing our signature move. 😆.
Bed. Instead of relaxing around the resort we have chosen a 6 hour tour of Moorea. Wonder how that will go!!!
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