In Regards to Tuesday 5/25/10

We got up early (ish...10am) to snorkel. Silas provided the gear and took us down to a beach he knew of. I've snorkled before but only in a swimming pool. The ocean is a whole different story. It was surprising to find ocean life so close to human habitation. I don't know, I expected wildlife to be scared off by tourists and cruise ships and all that crap but they were prevalent. I saw a bunch of tropical fish swimming about. I'm sure the locals see them all the time and find them pretty blase (how to type accent marks? This should be pronounced "blah-zay") but I was stoked to see them. All my life seeing fish in aquariums I thought they were boring organisms but in their natural elements they were...magnificent! I think part of the fascination was being able to witness the tidal forces interacting with things below the waters surface and seeing motile creatures deal with such forces. It was a little bit like the time when you first realize that birds are not only masters of flight but at the mercy of the wind as well.

We swam out pretty far, passing along a shipping channel and over a shipwreck (an old cargo ship or something, no treasure chests down there.) I kept thinking I was seeing whale bones, but no, more like corroded steel beams. At one point Silas anchored his diving bouey and showed us a little cave formed by the sunken vessel. I had difficulty diving to such depths, the pressure buildup freaked me out, I worked up the fortitude to descend. In the depths of the wreck cave Silas pointed out a cornet fish (weird creature, long body, bulbous eyes on the side) and at the very back, a white nose shark, maybe 5ft long.

Again I was getting exhausted. I'm out of shape. I haven't really swam in over a year and I certainly don't have divers lungs. On the return swim I saw a large box shaped fish with googly eyes on the side of it's head. I wanted to dive down and bother it but I was feeling too tired. Just as well. It turned out top be a puffer fish and almost certainly would have skewered me. We came across a shallow spot half way to shore. I put my foot down to rest, pain lanced up my leg. Blast! I pulled a spiny thing out of my heel. Just stepped on an urchin. My foot throbbed all the way back to shore. Upon inspection there appeared to be a good six spines embedded in my heel. Damn it. This unfortunate development put a gimp in my stride. What a way to start the week. Silas assured me that the urchins spines were of calcium and would absorb into my body in the matter of a day. For now I hobble about.

Little of note for the rest of the day. I changed some money at the bank without a shirt on. Now that's freedom! We drank lightly through the night and turned in early. Silas was to head back to Madison for some weddings while Chris and I were to get a ride with friends to the north shore the next morning.