April 5: Big Island Snorkeling Trip…with sharks!

Time for breakfast!  Ah!  This time they have the waffle machine back up and running.  Yay!

We're going on the 10:00 am snorkeling trip that will hit several spots on the big island (that's the one we're staying on).  

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Let's suit up, get Ava a life jacket, slather on sunscreen, grab a water bottle and waterproof camera and GO!

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First location had amazing variation in depths- lots of corals, large triggerfish (don't mess with those- they might nip at your feet if you get to close to them), sting ray and lots of other beautiful fish.  This place is called Turtle Beach because sea turtles will lay their eggs on this beach at the right time of year.  I wonder when the right time is???

Second location was very close to the bay where we saw the giant sea turtles.  It's also very close to where the boats go speeding by so it's noisy and the waves, along with the strong current, try to push you around (so glad the girls stayed in the boat).  Ooo!!!  Cool honey-comb moray eel!  Apparently they're pretty rare.  More triggerfish, corals, "Nemo" fish, barrel sponges, and Mark found a beautiful shell with a living critter living in.  We've always wonder what sort of animal lives in these gorgeous shells!

Here's the critter living in it:

Cool & unusual honeycomb moray eel:

Parrot fish in different colors (some were green, some were dark purple and some were rainbow colored):

Third location- one word….

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Hahahaha… 

No, seriously. Sharks.

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It's not actually what it sounds like.  

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The third location is called Shark Point (on the southern tip of the island).  Apparently they always see sharks here.  These sharks are quite small (about an arm-span's length) and very shy.  They're called black-tipped reef sharks.  

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I'll admit to you that I've been extremely nervous of going swimming with sharks but they're are SEVERAL DOZEN people here in the water- all looking for these poor creatures.  Apparently they're THE thing to see.  

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WOW!  

I just saw one!  Did you catch a glimpse of it?  They're kind of hard to spot.

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It was pretty far away and it swam away quickly but that was definitely a shark.  

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We're swimming in VERY shallow water- it's quite difficult not to touch the corals (touching the coral will kill them).  I've noticed too many people- including the guides- touching the coral with their feet or fins.  Don't want to step in the sandy parts as you can't ever tell if there is something lying under the sand (like a sting ray!).

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It's probably for the best that the girls didn't come with us (they're staying on the boat).  

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Whoa!  Look behind us!  There's another shark!  They're definitely keeping their distance.  

I hope our underwater photos turn out.  

We're still following our guide but I'm getting a little fatigued (of swimming in too shallow water and with so many other people & my mask is starting to bug me).  I'm heading back to the boat (which is about one of eight boats lined up here).  Want to join me?

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Can you believe it???

We saw a SHARK! While swimming!  And I didn't even freak out.  Amazing, I know!

Okay, time to head back to the resort….

Check out the colorful fishing boats:

Let's do some more swimming because I know you haven't done enough of it today, right???

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Lunch time!  Pineapple lassis, sweet & sour chicken and some sort of Asian noodle dish for us all to share. Dig in!  Yummy!

 

Mark just went to enquire about going on one more scuba dive.  Since he isn't certified YET he needs to go with a certified instructor.  

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Okay, he says he's going out early tomorrow morning.  I'm glad he seems to really enjoy going diving.

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Time for a nap!!!!  (aka reading time)

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Time to jump back in to the ocean.  

Ahhhhhhhh…….. so very lovely!  

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Ava is keeping me good company in the water while Mark and Annika are reading their books on the beach.

Ava and I playing with our underwater camera:

and one more:

One of the British ladies that went on our snorkeling trip yesterday (to Rawa Islands) is very friendly & fun to talk to.  Apparently this is her ninth time to the Perhentian Islands.  She explained that Tuna Bay Resort is short-staffed (down by three people) which is why service is terrible and why they don't have the bar open (not enough people to man the restaurant, let alone the bar).  It's just our lucky week! LOL!  

Also there is something stinging us in the water- the British lady (wish I got her name!) said she thinks it's sort of like plankton and they're concentrated over the corals.  Ouch.  I just noticed that I've got red bumps on my arms.  She said she's had a nasty allergic reaction to them.  Owwwww!

Hooray!  

Ava convinced Annika to join us in the water.  The girls are making up all sorts of silly water jumps and giving them fish names (like triggerfish and octopus).

Mark buried our girls… Ava got her turn first:

Eeek!  A giggling head:

Oy!  How are we ever going to get all of that sand off of Ava???

Now it's Annika's turn to be buried in the sand:

Here's lies Annika:

Eeep – check out how sandy Annika is now:

 

It's 6:30pm.  

Time to wash up and get ready for dinner!  

Tonight we're heading to the New Cocohut (Cozy Chalet) Restaurant for BBQ fish dinner.  

Gorgeous open-air dining.  Again there's a bit of lightning show on the mainland (not as much tonight).  

 

I think we may have ordered to many plates of fish!  Both Mark and I each got two prawns, I got a whole something fish, Mark got squid and Annika got king fish.  Ava got a tuna sandwich with fries.  "one of these is not like the others".  Cracks me up!  The girls ordered snicker shakes while Mark and I got chocolate banana shakes.  

You can pick out the fish you want to have grilled from the display.  They'll weigh it before cooking it and tell you how much the fish will cost (cost is based on weight).

My "I wish for fish" dish:

Mmmm!!!!!  This dinner was VERY good but tomorrow we can order HALF of what we ordered tonight. 😉

Heading back to our room, Annika managed to really stub her big toe (and peel back her skin).  Ouch!!!  Poor thing!  I bet that hurt!!!!

Time to get ready for bed.  

But first Ava said she wants to braid my hair.  So cute!  I love it when she brushes my hair and braids it.  Very sweet.

Computer time.  Reading time.  SLEEPING TIME!

Good night!  Tomorrow is our last full day here on the island.