For those of you that follow my sailing journey you probably already know one of my hobbies. I love to snorkel! I love the simplicity of snorkelling. I can go alone with minimal equipment, no preparation and lose myself in the underwater world.
Equipment wise, just a mask and snorkel is all you need. I've added a pair of fins which is a new addition for me. It means I can swim further and faster than without them. I've also added a gopro to video and photograph all the wonders I see. I can spend hours in the water enjoying the sights and sounds of the underwater world.
Sounds? you ask. The sound of my breathing is the loudest sound that fills my ears, but if you follow the parrot fish and watch them feed on coral, you will actually hear them crunch the coral. It's really quite amazing. The sound is amplified, and if you've seen parrotfish teeth then you know they are certainly made for chomping.
The sights are plentiful too. I get so much joy from watching the brightly coloured tropical fish darting around, feeding, and moving with the currents.
The cleaner fish are fascinating. A larger fish will allow the cleaner fish into their mouths, gills and their underbody and eat the dead skin, parasites and infected skin. It's a win win situation. One fish gets clean, the other gets fed.
Schools of fish are another wonder to behold. They move in a synchronised fashion, as if they have practised the routine. The schools are fluid in their movements through the water, over or around coral. And around me, when I try to part the school.
Coral fascinates me. There are so many different kinds of hard and soft coral. There are so many different colours and so many shades of colours, like soft pink through to hot pink, creamy yellow through to neon yellow and so on. You get the picture. The soft corals moves in such a way that it mesmerises me. The way it flows with the currents, waving gently back and forth is so beautiful to watch.
Then there's the turtles. That's when the fins really come into play. I have a better chance of following the turtles with the extra speed the fins give me. Most of the time turtles are swimming and I have to kick hard to keep up. Occasionally I'll come across them feeding so then they are in go-slow mode. I can just float on the surface and feast my eyes on these awesome creatures of the sea.
my very first turtle i captured with my gopro
Until next time, Watusi Woman - water baby, out.