Snorkelling Virgin

My days here have been filled with difficult choices--should I lie on the beach or in the hammock? And if it gets too hot, or too quiet, then there is a garden of soft corals right off the beach. In fact yestereday I was so busy lying on the beach and snorkelling that I didn't even have time to lie in a hammock!

The first time I went out snorkelling I was a bit overwhelmed. It took me a few minutes to get used to breathing through my mouth without hyperventilating, but then I got going and it was fine. I did scrape my knee on some of the bleached coral in the shallows, so I may end up with a snorkelling scar. I don't like going out at low tide, and thanks to my overactive imagination I got a bit spooked if I was separated from my friends, but overall I love being in the water.

Upon arrival here one of the guys from the dive shop said that this is some of the best snorkelling right off any beach in Fiji. I have nothing to compare it too, but I was amazed at this whole other world right under the surface of the water.

I feel like a bit of an imposter in this new world, but the colours of the fish and the corals are too extraordinary to keep me away. It was surreal, and beautiful, and I loved it. I loved seeing the schools of fish. I laughed at the clown fish wriggling in their 'nest.' There were heaps of blue starfish on the bottom and on the corals. Just below the surface of the water were long silvery fish that skipped across the surface of the water like stones.

This afternoon I was lying in a hammock, when I heard the beat of the lali (traditional Fijian drum) and the call of "Manta ray! Manta ray!" My new friends and I grabbed our snorkelling gear and ray over to the boats to get our names on the list for the snorkelling trip to the bay where a manta ray had been spotted. I say we ran to the boats because time slows down in Fiji and it felt like running, but it probably wasn't anywhere near a run!

About twenty people from the resort headed out in two boats to the bay. Once there, the boats split up and the boys from the resort kept watch for the manta ray. They even tried calling it. The water was dark blue, because of the depth, but it was still very clear. I was nervous about rolling backwards off the boat and snorkelling in deep water, but it was exciting too. The manta rays hadn't been spotted for about four days now, and it's nearing the end of their season in these waters. But last night the winds changed, and the currents changed, and that brought them in for a feed.

Finally, a manta ray was spotted, and we rolled off the boat. I always forget how much easier it is to swim in saltwater than in freshwater. It was easy. The manta ray was skimming the floor of the bay, but wel all swam after it. A few people tried free diving down to touch it, but it was too deep. It was so graceful, and I was imaging the sound of large wings as it propelled itself along. It was definitely one of those "I CAN'T BELIEVE I'M HERE!" moments.

At some point, it turned into a mêlée of people fighting to get the best spot. People forgot how to snorkel and just started thrashing in the water to stay above the manta ray. As amazing as following a manta ray through the water is, after two swims with it, I was tired of being pushed and kicked. I have a massive bruise on my calf, just below my right knee, from someone's flippers. The third time everyone flipped out of the boat, my friends and I stayed behind to avoid the frenzy.

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