A Day With Capt. Tamas on the Lagoon

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Geo: -21.2318, -159.763

Today is a day Mom is going to enjoy. Her favorite thing is boats and we are going out in the lagoon on a glass bottom boat. A note left on our door last night by our Cruise Critic organizer indicates that there will be no snorkeling on this outing. That's odd. I have the website info and it specifically references swimming and snorkeling. We're wearing our swim suits anyway.

Rarotonga, located just inside the Tropic of Capricorn, is the vibrant capital of the Cook Islands in the South Pacific. The central mass of this island, often referred to as the jewel of the Pacific, is the eroded remains of a volcanic pyramid whose crags now form jungle-covered peaks and ridges ideal for hiking and caving. With our island time limited, we chose to spend our time in the lagoon. This sparkling lagoon is another focal point of interest for visitors to Raratonga, particularly around Muri, where the lagoon is at its widest and deepest.

We have time this morning since we don't need to be ashore until 10:15am so we sleep in an extra half hour until around 7. We have the same old breakfast except I splurge this morning and add two eggs over medium. We are also catching on to the tender number routine and pick up our numbers prior to going to breakfast, #19. Our plan is to eat breakfast while they're calling the numbers and then just get onto the boats going to shore but they are having problems with the swells at the tender dock shipside so we finish breakfast having had none of the numbers called. So we wait on deck 3 in a fancy sofa until we're finally called at around 9:45.

We make to the island by 10, a bit early and find the colorful Captain Tamas bus waiting. After boarding, we wait just a few minutes for a few more stragglers and, promptly at 10:15, it departs on a leisurely ride out of town and along the coast to the village of Muri. Here the beach fronts a beautiful lagoon with a reef 1/4 mile off shore, standing guard against the surf and creating almost a swimming pool experience for those within the lagoon. Small motels and bungalows sit along the beach making this a popular spot for tourists visiting the island. It also is host to our excursion departure point. Mom pays our $50pp fare and we board. Everyone tries to find a seat next to the glass bottom section in the middle which we find later a waste of time since you can't see through all the bubbles when the boat is in motion and when it's at rest, your probably in the the water. With a little repositioning to allow all 36 to board, we make way for our snorkeling spot, about a mile away. The weather is the usual, around 80F, but it feels much hotter when exposed directly to the sunlight.

Our crew, a motley bunch, confess that the fish are waiting for us already. They go here to the same location seven days a week and feed the fish which guarantees us a good photo op for those with cameras. Mom opts to remain topside while I don the provided mask & snorkel and, along with my GoPro, jump in with about half of our group. The balance either didn't want to go in or didn't bring their suits per the note left on their cabin doors. The author of that note was onboard and got an earful! The water was around 80F, swimming pool temperature, and I proceeded to take pictures and movies (I know, they're videos but I'm old). The fish are plentiful, aided by the bread crumbs provided by our crew, raining down from above. It was an enjoyable hour.

Next is a trip to the motu, Koromiri, for lunch. It's a sandy beach with the water even warmer than before due it's shallow depth. There are picnic tables, restroom and a palapa where cooks are putting the final touches on our meal; swordfish, fried bananas and onions, potato salad, papaya with coconut sprinkles and water or fruit punch. Most of the items are prepared beforehand and brought over in coolers with the exception of the fish, bananas and onions which are cut up and cooked right on the island over an open fire. Everybody raved about the swordfish. Delicious!

After lunch, one of our guides talks about all the uses of the coconut throughout Polynesia. It provides food, drink, clothing, rope and wood for construction and fire. During the war, coconut water was given in place of unavailable plasma to injured soldiers. He then demonstrated the method of climbing trees to access fruit in the tree and opening a coconut shell for liquid and meat. We put it on our arms to experience its skin softening effect. After his presentation, we were invited to swim for about an hour before returning to the office where we boarded the bus back to the tender dock. We exited the bus early in town for a little shopping and walked the last mile to the dock. Mom found a colorful tropical shirt and a t-shirt, all for me. We were back on board within 30 minutes. The salt water makes our skin so sticky that we need fresh water to feel better. Shower time.

It's almost 5pm so we shower and get dressed for our dinner. Tonight I had pot roast and Mom had tortellini. Did I mention the cheesecake? The show tonight featured the ship's singers and dancers and that was it for us. It's 9pm. Whoa, that's late!

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Comments

[Boomer]

But you can't wear a shirt you bought that day to dinner, I thought that wasn't allowed.