Today the group of us went out on the sailship the 'Danger's Prize' for a full day of snorkeling, kayaking, and sailing.
We began with a gorgeous sail (some wind bit a bit of motor assist due to low winds) out to "The Lakes." It is a tranquil area of newer island formations with fantastic live coral reefs and great visibility. We slid into our wetsuits, donned our goggles, and grabbed a noodle before jumping feet first into the ocean for a peek.
After bopping around in the water for about 45 minutes, we climbed back aboard for a trip into the new mangrove islands. As we neared, the sailboat crew pulled out the kayaks to set us off for our next adventure. We quickly learned the art of kayaking (a somewhat amusing scene for Tom and me) and took off into the channels. I was amazed to learn that all of the keys originally formed from mangrove trees taking root and forming a mass where dirt, fresh water and seeds eventually formed new land. Even today, our guide explained they watch for the first palm tree to grow on the islands as a sign that a new key may someday coming into being.
We kayaked out into the sand flats and enjoyed sea cucumbers, nurse sharks and string rays in the shallow clear waters. The sky was so blue and the water so clear it made for storybook pictures as we went along.
After all that work, we pulled back up onto the boat and were treated to lunch and some fabulous wines.
It was a fantastic sail and such fun to see the reefs and mangrove islands. Sunshine and ocean are such an appealing combination!
We began with a gorgeous sail (some wind bit a bit of motor assist due to low winds) out to "The Lakes." It is a tranquil area of newer island formations with fantastic live coral reefs and great visibility. We slid into our wetsuits, donned our goggles, and grabbed a noodle before jumping feet first into the ocean for a peek.
After bopping around in the water for about 45 minutes, we climbed back aboard for a trip into the new mangrove islands. As we neared, the sailboat crew pulled out the kayaks to set us off for our next adventure. We quickly learned the art of kayaking (a somewhat amusing scene for Tom and me) and took off into the channels. I was amazed to learn that all of the keys originally formed from mangrove trees taking root and forming a mass where dirt, fresh water and seeds eventually formed new land. Even today, our guide explained they watch for the first palm tree to grow on the islands as a sign that a new key may someday coming into being.
We kayaked out into the sand flats and enjoyed sea cucumbers, nurse sharks and string rays in the shallow clear waters. The sky was so blue and the water so clear it made for storybook pictures as we went along.
After all that work, we pulled back up onto the boat and were treated to lunch and some fabulous wines.
It was a fantastic sail and such fun to see the reefs and mangrove islands. Sunshine and ocean are such an appealing combination!
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