The Wonders of the Deep ....

After so many days of gusting winds and choppy seas, today was a (lazy) paddler's dream outing.  The ocean was like glass:  small bloppy waves at the shore and then soft, gentle... swells is too big of a word, implies too much up and down.... we were in the soft, undulating bosom of the sea.  The sun was out and visibility down to the ocean floor was, well, I'm pretty sure we could have seen all the way down to the sampans bobbing in the South China Sea.  I know I'm being a little overly dramatic here.  Everyone knows its nighttime there and you wouldn't be able to see much looking up through a moonlit sea.....

What we could see in these perfect conditions was the most amazing coral bed.  I wish you could see - the colors, the textures - a huge field of knotty, brain-like coral with sea anenomes tucked in here & there, and big (BIG) mushroom-like corals, and even some fish.  It was like we were in a glass bottom boat.  We were dry snorkeling.  It was breathtakingly beautiful.  What a treat.

And on we glided through this soothing and glorious morning.  And, lo, what splash through yonder ocean breaks?  It's two sleek, graceful Nai'a having a little morning frolic.


(Not my photo... thank Google images)

 [In looking for the photo, I found one that, for reasons unexplainable, I felt the need to also share ....



.... but I digress.]

We hung out with the dolphins for a while (alas, no cows).  Then turned around to paddle back across the stunning coral beds and awww, shucks - the breeze is kicking up and we paddle into the wind all the way back.  Oh well. 

You can't always have a lazy, lovely morning watching dolphins at play not 30 feet in front of you, now can you.