The admission price got us a free continental breakfast (with coffee, thankfully!), all snorkel equipment, and lunch. We paid for drinks, but they kept lowering the price as the day went on because a new bartender was training.
Once we cruised out to our destination, there was a brief safety talk and people had the option to upgrade to scuba or power diving (kind of like snuba) for an extra fee. Dan chose the power dive, which we did later in the day.
I loved how easy it was to get in and out of the water - just plop right into water that is over your head! We snorkeled near a coral shelf, and saw many different kinds of fish. Dan got to see some cooler stuff when he did the power dive, like eel and a sea urchin that is like a suction cup.
Body Glove does an awesome job of creating a fun atmosphere, with music and a friendly staff. There were rules laid out, but nothing seemed overly rigid or scheduled. We would go in the water, come out, have something to eat, get back in, repeat. And, on the way back we saw dolphins. They swam right under the boat!
We got back to the boat around noon, stopping in at Huggo's for a drink and then later grubbing on some delicious pizza from Kona Brewing Company. Me stuffing my face, and look so unattractive.
It wasn't on purpose, but it worked out that our two water adventures would fall on the same day. That night we took another plunge - this time with Kona Honu Divers for the Manta Ray night snorkel and dive. We had to drive out of town to embark, and while we were waiting we saw a moray eel!
The first part of the experience was a nice sunset cruise out to our destination.
Once we reached our destination, near the shore by the airport, we put on our wet suits. It was my first time wearing one, and I was surprised by their comfort and effectiveness. I never got cold. We got to snorkel around a bit before the sun went down, but didn't see much. In fact, it was kind of spooky not really seeing much of anything below.
Once it was dark enough, a circle of LED lights was turned on. The lights attract plankton, which is what manta rays feast on. Amazing these gigantic animals can subsist on just plankton! We swam toward the circle of light, and the initial feeling of being in the ocean at night was a bit freaky. But once we hit the circle, it was spectacular. To be so close to these magnificent creatures is indescribable, really. We have had amazing experiences in our lives, and this is definitely in the top tier. Highly, highly recommended. The dive guide was super helpful, too, and he shoots video while he is diving.
Sorry, no pictures.
We were so jazzed up from the experience that we hung out a bit at the hotel bar after we got back that night. Just like two kids who had just been to Disneyland for the first time. But with alcohol.
No comments:
Post a Comment