Captin Marvin's - Snorkeling August 27, 2010

We took Captain Marvin's half day boat tour since there were not enough people interested in the full day tour. Laura and Anja had been on the full day tour 10 years before, and at the lunch stop Anja climbed a tree to get a coconut (Captain Marvin had said "I've never seen a tourist do that before!"). Our half day trip consisted of three stops, two snorkel stops at Coral Gardens and Barrier Reef, and Stingray City (see next post).

Mangroves
The boat ride out to the first stop, snorkeling in the Coral Gardens

Everyone off the boat. Tons of fish show up hoping to be fed.

Ian putting the gas in the fins
Laura diving down to look at a shell

Tubes
Our second stop at Barrier Reef
Angle fish
Anja diving down after a conch. The are protected in this area now. The boat captain could be fined about $1 million US for taking a conch.

Trumpet fish

A huge conch
Great reef!!!

SCUBA - Afternoon August 26, 2010

We went to Divetech at Cobalt Coast for a instructional shore dive. It started with a little flip chart classroom session about skills and hand signals. Then we moved into the pool to practice the skills and hand signals.
Practicing with the regulator.
Extreme closeup of Laura's weirbear
Practicing ear equalization


OK
Anja practicing the getting the regulator.
Our photographer
Anja practicing clearing her mask
Working on neutral buoyancy.
Playing games in the pool
Ken hamming it up.

Dolphin Adventures and the Turtle Farm - Morning August 26, 2010

Laura was dreaming of dolphins since she saw the add in the Cayman magazine so in the morning she went to the Dolphin Adventure and the Turtle Farm. Laura ended up getting the full package, her dolphin's name was Newton. Newton pushed her around and swam with her and gave her a kiss.
Turtle Farm


Laura getting pushed. Look how high the kick board is. Newton is STRONG!
KISSES!!


NEWTON

Snorkling North from the condo Island August 25, 2010

We did some more shopping in the morning and then went for an afternoon snorkel. We headed out from the condo, we swam out to the buoyies and then swam North for a ways. The reef wasn't as good to the North but we found a few cool spots. Snorkeling pictures below:






An eel under a rock.

Cow fishAnja modeling the conch she found.
Conch eyes!
Lion fish but what is the spider looking thing on the side? We didn't even notice that thing when we got the picture because it was hidden under a rock ledge.



Parrot fish. It eats coral and you can hear it chomp underwater. Wait for the video.

Ian and Laura looking too cute.