Snorkeling in the Bahamas

[GP44]

It’s been many years ago now when our Son flew us over from Florida to Freeport in the Bahamas.
We landed on Freeport and drove out to Deadman’s Reef.
I think it was called Paradise Cove.
Wife and I were resting while hanging on to the swim buoy while snorkeling.
Deep water ocean on one side- reef on the side towards shore.
Our Son had taken our waterproof video camera and was exploring the rest of the reef.
I looked down and excitedly told the wife to look down.
She said “ Yeah Right” thinking that I was going to scare her by telling her that I saw a shark or something.
“No No Look Down” and she did in time to see three big black, with white spotted eagle rays glide through the sandy bowl under us and out the other side and then they were gone just that quickly.
They were in perfect formation with the center one just slightly ahead of his two wingmen.
We didn’t get a picture but 30-40 years later I can ask the wife if she can still picture those rays and she says that she can too.
The pictures we see in our minds are worth more than any we have ever taken.

 

[Born_To_Lose]

The only place I ever snorkeled was in Kealakekua Bay on the island of Hawaii. It was kind of crowded when we first got there, but we stayed for hours loving it every hour we were there. I wanted to move to Hawaii, but my wife at that time didn't.

 

[GP44]

We snorkeled Hanauma Bay on Oahu on one of the first days we were there.
We decided to try to get a tan by holding off on the sun screen for about twenty minutes. We burnt beet red and stayed that way for at least a week. After that we could tell who were new arrivals by how red they were.
You can bump into a lot of people while snorkeling those swimming areas.

 

[VaughanJB]

I used to visit St Thomas, and snorkled there. However, in truth, I'm not a sea person. My wife is, but not me.

 

[GP44]

One place on Maui little kids were belly surfing the waves coming into the beach.
I had a boogie board so I used it.
Wade or swim out and catch a wave as it goes past and belly ride it on your boogie board all the way to the beach.
Wife would laugh because I always got a face full of sand when I reached shore because the wave would roil up the sand.
Can’t think of a lot of things that were nearly as much fun as riding that boogie board over there.

 

[jujube]

While snorkeling in Hanauma Bay the first time, I cut my finger on some coral. As I didn't want to get an infection, I was letting the cut bleed freely.

People were trying to attract fish with tiny bread balls and peas, but I'll tell you, nothing beats human blood. I was completely mobbed by fish to the point that I couldn't see through the "scrum". I was getting a little panicky as I wondered what else was heading my way.

Back there a few years later and then again several years after that, I was disappointed by the lack of fish. There were very few there. Sad.

My most eye-opening snorkeling experience came shortly after we moved to Florida. I was snorkeling along the jetty at St. Andrew's State Park and WOW! there were so many pretty little shells. I was collecting them and, as I had no pockets or dive bag with me, I was dropping them down the front of my swimsuit.

Now, I had never heard about hermit crabs, which happen to live in seashells. See where this is going?

After a short spell, those little crabs took offense at their new surroundings and proceeded to make an escape.....from the inside of my suit.

I'm having the Tiny Crab Olympic Scuffle going on in there and i.don't.know.what.is.going.on.

I have no choice but to pull my suit down and start brushing off hermit crabs, much to the amusement of fellow snorkelers.

I didn't make THAT mistake again.

 

[Born_To_Lose]

We snorkeled Hanauma Bay on Oahu on one of the first days we were there.
We decided to try to get a tan by holding off on the sun screen for about twenty minutes. We burnt beet red and stayed that way for at least a week. After that we could tell who were new arrivals by how red they were.
You can bump into a lot of people while snorkeling those swimming areas.

I snorkeled there also, but again, a lot of people. What I really enjoyed was the crystal clear water.

 

[Lavinia]

I used to snorkel in the Mediteranean, but I think all seas are too polluted now.

 

[GP44]

I snorkeled there also, but again, a lot of people. What I really enjoyed was the crystal clear water.

I had my head down in the water watching fish almost all of the time.
Some woman kept bumping into me about every where I swam to and when I stood up to see why someone bumped into me she was always standing there smiling at me.
She was Asian, maybe Chinese looking.
Won’t try to guess what she wanted me or my waterproof case.