Five Go Mad

Day 2

Up with the light and with ablutions all planned out. It’s only an hour behind NZ time so no jetlaggy things going on.  After brekky plan to go snorkelling at Oro Bay where there is what appears to be a giant rock-pool.  Grab some gear and set off on the 25 min walk up the edge of the inlet to the much signposted ‘natural’ pool.  It’s partially sunny with a bit of a breeze so not overly warm.  Once we’ve overcome that initial gaspy period when you train your brain to breath with your face submerged, we snorkel over the sandy bottom.  Lots of reef fish and small school fish, a huge variety, all with tropical dangly fins or bright colours.  Some are familiar from Nemo and the like, many not.  Black sea urchins waving 250mm spines, clams like the plastic aquarium type with spongy scarlet lips (not giant). 

The edge of the pool had a handy rock outcrop for piling gear on. Reaching up to it I felt a thump and quite a pinch, and upon looking down spied a small black aquarium fish looking over its fish shoulder appearing to be quite self important .  A pain in my left nipple was telling me I had been told to back the hell off. A little blood and incredulous at the violation but no lasting injury.

We became a bit chilly after 20 minutes so followed the white sandy path past hermit crab tracks and many more of those pointy pines back to open beach and a 15 minute walk to the resort.  Picked up a couple of rough and tumble local puppies on the way who followed us all the way back and then caused havoc among the tourists by the pool as they invaded private spaces and sun loungers alike. They were quite small, being puppies still, but fairly solid. Reds short hair with yellow eyes and a bit nippy, with a mastiff kind of look about them, so can see how their boisterous nature might be a bit scary.  One of the staff gave them a flea in their ear and they ran all the way home.

Have spa will massage. Robyn got a facial, I got the massage.  The usual scented oils, floaty music and whispering but felt pretty good afterwards despite feeling decidedly awkward about such a tourist aligned activity. 

A suitable time was taken to reconnect with my inner tension, after being so relaxed, and I became bored so took a kayak out for some boating action. It had clouded over and word was that we had rain on the way. The lagoon is a shallow bay with a reef across the mouth to the Pacific, over which surf can be seen in continuous rage.  At low tide you could probably walk most of the way across. I paddled up one side of the smooth rocky edge. Reaching the headland I had moved out of the shelter so decided to turn back into the wind and waves.  This took me across the resort’s bay and with a hard paddle ended up in neighbouring bay and shelter again. Lots of rocky reefs and coral bits surround for fish but mostly white sandy bottom shaded bluey turquoise from the tint of the water.  A bit of a rest and a zippy paddle past the palm trees of the resort, into the inlet and up to the bridge for a drifting rest looking at the fishes. A float home for a quick dip in the pool to cool off then dress for drinks at the bar.

Pastis of course.  Robyn’s on Cocktail of the day; something frothy with a tiny umbrella in it I think. Met Laurent, the hotel manager who was pressing the flesh with the punters before dinner. Seemed nice.

Dinner: steak. Expensive but good. I never seem to get the medium/ medium rare thing quite right. Bed before nine to read about sailing the Pacific. Sleep not long after, probably still before nine!