Day 4 Pacific Sojourn, 20 April, swimming with Turtles
Today was a most amazing day! A last minute booking for the Turtle kayak tour saw Gordon and I join guide Jessie for a day in the kayaks. We started out by picking up the client group of three at a local resort before driving across to Vai Villas and the start of the kayak. Jessie did a briefing and we headed off down a stunning mangrove river out to the lagoon. Gordon and I were in a double, Jessie in a single and the clients in a double and a single. The mangrove river was spectacular and probably two kilometers or so in length. The mangroves were huge and green and quite close together in places creating a shaded tunnel that was cool and inviting. Quite unlike New Zealand's mangrove swamps.
We exited the river into the lagoon, stopping for a swim on a sandy beach to cool off. Then it was off to find the turtles. It didn't take long and we found ourselves surrounded by these massive creatures who would pop their heads up to check out things, realize there were some dodgy looking kayaks there and immediately speed off in the opposite direction with their flippers paddling at a hundred miles an hour! And boy were they quick! Almost impossible to photograph, they would dart away as soon as they were disturbed but so stunning to see.
After a good half an hour watching the turtles, we headed onto another sandy beach where Jessie climbed a coconut tree and proceeded to shake down our lunchtime snack. Fresh coconut accompanied by banana crisps and chocolate crackers. Another swim out in the bay where we rafted the kayaks up and watched the turtles around us before a casual paddle back toward the mangrove River. The turtles are impossible to photograph! The tide was out so a short portage was required to get us back upstream. We finished the paddle with a swim in a fresh water pond and a late lunch served on the deck at Vai Villas. More fresh coconut, pawpaw, guava, chicken, rice, bread, salad and more. A delicious feast to finish an incredible day.
Jessie drove us back to base where we arrived just on 5pm so a full day out. We are both pretty tired and neither of us needed any dinner but it was a very special day.
Tomorrow Gordon is off to Apia and I am going snorkeling with a group who are booked in to see the giant clams.
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