After another gecko breakfast, we leave shortly after 8:15 for our morning excursion. Tseky will not be joining us this morning. We have a new skipper Joe1, and a new guide Guide Joe 2
Joe 2 and Joe 1
There is a high overcast and chop on bay as we depart. It takes about 15 minutes to jet over to Tanakely Island and Marine Reserve. The island is small with a now-unused light house at the top. We climb to to the top of the island up to the Light house. A well constructed concrete path and steps leads up to the interpretative center and overview.
On our way up, Joe 2 spies a couple of lemurs in the backlit forest. These lemurs are shy and we can only see their silhouette. After our look about on top, we head back down.
We are in a marine reserve where the there is beautiful clear water for snorkeling.
Coral here is in much better condition than at Mamoko, but still suffering from warming temperatures. We see three sea turtles, clams, wrasse, parrot fish, angel fish, butter fish, damsels, bonita and many more. I wore my deep purple rash guard shirt. A purple parrot fish, was attracted to me. I may have looked like big purple playmate. He/she was 2 meters down nibbling on coral when he/she spotted me.
I was a little freaked out as one of these fish had nipped my leg in Samoa when I was wading in the sea and had gotten too close to his territory. This fish swam straight up from the bottom and right up to my scuba mask and touched it with his mouth, looked me straight in the eye before losing interest and swimming away. Guess I wasn't that interesting after all. Curious behavior from a curious fish.
We snorkeled for over an hour, had a snack, and returned to the lodge by noon. It was a great morning. We returned for a super lunch of grilled zebu, quinoa salad, grilled zucchini and baby corn, creme brulee. The chef at Tsoara Komba is wonderful.
Russ and I spent another lazy afternoon, on the double chaise, taking photos of the flora,
reading and watching the clouds form and turn dark grey over the bay. We hear a rumble of thunder and think about postponing a canoe paddle. Instead we check out the art work in the lodge.
After dinner, the sky and clouds decide to entertain us with lightning, thunder, and a torrential downpour in the middle of the night until the wee hours of the morning.
The dry river bed next to our lodge becomes a raging river and the roar awakens me. My right foot is wet from a leak in the ceiling. My cameras are in a dry bag on the desk, thankfully, as the desk is covered with moisture from the open windows and the blowing wind. We get up and shutter the window over the desk. The last time we saw a downpour like this was in American Samoa. Friends came to visit us on the boat wearing their swim suits, diving masks and snorkels, and we could fill up our water tanks with rain water in a matter of minutes.
I wonder when we finally go back to bed if all of the tropical blossoms will be on the ground in the morning.
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| Joe 2 and Joe 1 |
There is a high overcast and chop on bay as we depart. It takes about 15 minutes to jet over to Tanakely Island and Marine Reserve. The island is small with a now-unused light house at the top. We climb to to the top of the island up to the Light house. A well constructed concrete path and steps leads up to the interpretative center and overview.
On our way up, Joe 2 spies a couple of lemurs in the backlit forest. These lemurs are shy and we can only see their silhouette. After our look about on top, we head back down.
Coral here is in much better condition than at Mamoko, but still suffering from warming temperatures. We see three sea turtles, clams, wrasse, parrot fish, angel fish, butter fish, damsels, bonita and many more. I wore my deep purple rash guard shirt. A purple parrot fish, was attracted to me. I may have looked like big purple playmate. He/she was 2 meters down nibbling on coral when he/she spotted me.
reading and watching the clouds form and turn dark grey over the bay. We hear a rumble of thunder and think about postponing a canoe paddle. Instead we check out the art work in the lodge.
The dry river bed next to our lodge becomes a raging river and the roar awakens me. My right foot is wet from a leak in the ceiling. My cameras are in a dry bag on the desk, thankfully, as the desk is covered with moisture from the open windows and the blowing wind. We get up and shutter the window over the desk. The last time we saw a downpour like this was in American Samoa. Friends came to visit us on the boat wearing their swim suits, diving masks and snorkels, and we could fill up our water tanks with rain water in a matter of minutes.
I wonder when we finally go back to bed if all of the tropical blossoms will be on the ground in the morning.
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