After our dip in the pool, we looked at the waterborne activities
the resort offered. A boat tour of the deserted island visible on 23.4.13’s
post with an option for snorkelling sounded like a suitably relaxing way to
pass a few hours.
Beach resort. Island boat tour. Snorkelling. One imagines a
small sailing boat, a deck, places to sunbathe, a cabin and pootling around
this island as the occasional passenger plops off the side to snorkel.
That’s not how it went.
A jeep drove us 5 minutes to a tiny shallow bay, populated
by a serious-faced man with Bond-villain glasses and a very small boat. He
insisted that our startled group, weighed down with bags and towels, don life
jackets (life jackets?!), and hoisted
us into this stripped-down boat.
While we and a Japanese couple were trying to get
comfortable, Villain cranked up the engine and we lurched immediately into
speed-boat style motion. Wind and spray began whipping over the boat, which
jumped at each small wave, threatening to whisk everyone’s possessions
overboard.
I missed out on a bench seat, and so spent the journey lying
flat on the front of the boat, clinging to everyone’s bags, shrieking in an
undignified way and getting knocked about at each jolt.
The island, when we staggered onto it traumatised and
nervously laughing, was beautiful (see Claire's facebook profile). We spent a leisurely hour spotting sea beasts
(including a green serpentine fish lurking in seaweed, which Claire christened
Dave). Or our group did. Hilariously and awkwardly, the Japanese couple –
immaculately dressed, girl sporting a fashionable-looking red hat – were so
unimpressed, they mutely stood with folded arms and lifejackets on for the whole
hour waiting to be picked up…
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