snorkel haven

One of my favourite places to snorkel is Tobacco Bay. Known as one of the island's snorkel hotspots it's partly surrounded by rocks which attract all kinds of tropical fish. The rough waters are eliminated & allowing gentle waves that make it a snorkel haven. The fish that inhabit these crystal clear waters are not shy at all. They take no notice of the snorkellers who watch their every move & are delighted when the select few decide to share their grub with them. They flock to food like moths to a flame. That's the thing about fish - they never know when to stop eating.

Tobacco Bay is also where I learnt how to snorkel & I love the calm waters it has to offer for I am no swimmer. It would help if I were but to compensate for that here's my mantra from my past snorkel experiences in the water that's more than FIVE feet deep:

1. I will not panic.

2. I will snorkel as close to the rocks as possible (helps when you have something to grab on to when # 3 happens).

3. I will stay calm when water gets in my tube.

4. I will not have head on collisions with other snorkelers (it's happened with no concussions to report).

5. I will not panic when I find myself hovering over jellyfish (because really the tops of the jellyfish have no sting factor).

Don't let the list throw you off. Really, it's a piece of cake (see me do it?). Once you see the fish doing their thing, get captivated by their sheer numbers, size, species & blend of vibrant colours, you let go of all your inhibitions & actually start to enjoy yourself. You can even hear them eat or munch away at rocks. It sounds like snap, crackle & pop & no there's nothing wrong with your ears.

I always spend more time snorkelling than I intend to & end up with temporary snorkel mask impressions on my face & wrinkled finger tips when I'm done. But they disappear in a matter of minutes. Pretty soon I hope to be a strong swimmer so I can eliminate #s 1, 2 & 3 off my list.

p.s. That's me snorkelling in the pic, taken last Sat. Even with the mantra list, strike a pose, there's nothing to it!

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