We started out the day with coffee and then dinghied over to talk with new friends we met last evening at the anchorage social hour. They are cruising on a venerable Kady Krogan 42’ and gave us a great tour of their boat. Paula brought biscuits in thanks for their hospitality in inviting us to come over. We had a great chat, talking about places we’ve been, helpful bits of travel information that each couple has discovered, and our boats. Theirs has gorgeous interior and exterior teak. The Captain is re-varnishing the latter, and we commiserated about the labor it entails.  The first mate passed on to Paula a bag of magazines that are being passed from boating friend to boating friend. They will be traveling north as well, so we are likely to see them quite a bit and further develop a friendship.

Next, snorkeling! The bit of snorkeling we did yesterday was wonderful for us, but we had no idea of the treat we would have today. There are multiple snorkeling spots around here. Two of special interest are a downed Piper Cub airplane, and a semi-enclosed area called “The Aquarium”. We were lucky enough to have another one of our mooring field neighbors invite us along to go with him. His wife doesn’t snorkel, and he’d rather not do it alone. He has tons of experience, in such far-flung places as Australia and Hawaii, and a much more robust dinghy for the 1.5 mile trip to the site. His dinghy has a glass bottom!

At the airplane, we tied the dinghy to a mooring ball, and off we went! Our companion gave helpful advice, and pointed out features of interest. After about 45 minutes, we all piled back in the dinghy and went to “The Aquarium.” Aptly named, there were striking and varied stands of healthy coral, yellow snapper, sergeant major fish, tiny blue, brown and yellow fish that Paula thinks were tetras, and some triggerfish in multiple hues. Our friend showed us some Christmas tree coral, and tube worms. Their filmy appendices would wave in the water until he snapped his fingers in front of the creature. Then they would withdraw in an instant in a startle reflex.

The sergeant major fish seemed to know exactly what arms were. They swam all around us, and when we kept our arms behind us, they would float very near our goggles and look at us. When we swam with arms forward, or held beside our heads, they kept out of arm’s length reach.

Paula did touch a little brown tetra-looking fish, by accident. It darted away and shot her a look over its “shoulder”.

Before we knew it, almost two hours had gone by, and we were starting to feel a little cold. The water is about 73 degrees, which is refreshing, but can feel cool after a while.

We dinghied back, after taking a detour to see a beach and lagoon, very shallow, with transparent water. A ray swam ahead of our little boat.

Once back, we rinsed off, and Paula started to prepare some pasta and vegetable sausage sauce to take to a potluck we’d been invited to on the sailboat of our snorkeling friend and his wife. Also attending were a couple from Norway who have sailed all over the globe. The dinner was incredible. We had taboule with mint, pork chops braised with sauerkraut, green beans almandine, fresh baked bread, dried mushrooms, mashed potatoes, the pasta, and peach cobbler for dessert. The conversation spanned a million topics, from boating, to conditions in Cuba, the minimalist vs. technologically-aided approach to sailing, trends in music, the Santa Claus figure in different cultures, grandchildren and children, eating at the Waffle House, and on and on. We left feeling we had made four new friends.

Tomorrow, we are being picked up at 7:45am to snorkel some caves. Can’t wait.