Tuesday, July 10

Tuesday I was signed up for the snorkeling expedition. I'd used wet suits before but not like this. The neoprene was heavy and the suit was in two parts, so you had double layers from your neck to your knees. Boots, gloves and neoprene helmets were included and as we set out in the skiffs we looked like clones of Jacques Cousteau. We were not in Kansas anymore. 

In my Jacques Cousteau outfit- note the helmet in my left hand. We were well-prepared!

See- I wasn't the only crazy person on the cruise. This expedition was so popular there were 2 more boats going out after us.

We're off!

We took the skiff out to some small islands and began our exploration. It took me awhile to get used to the breathing patterns you need for using a snorkel, and the total inability to breathe through your nose. I got it, though, and soon learned to stay near the shoreline and the other snorkelers where there was more to see. Golden kelp fronds waved gracefully around me and if I stayed in one place long enough I'd find a tiny starfish or a crab, a few small fish, and jellyfish. The jellyfish were the most interesting to watch as they compressed and expanded. Being 90% covered with neoprene, I had no concerns about being stung. There were several types of seaweed, one a vibrant green. One thing I could never do, though, was ignore my awareness that I was cold and wet. It happens when you have 42-degree water flowing into your wet suit, which your body then tries to heat up. That worked to some extent, but by the time I got back on board almost an hour later, one leg muscle was trying to cramp up and I was ready for the hot chocolate the skiff crew provided. It took me about an hour (and several cups of hot herbal tea back on board ship) to really warm up. As I told Ron, I wouldn’t go back and do it again the next day, but it was definitely worth it that morning.

After lunch, we took a tour of the engine room and I went out for an hour of solo kayaking, where 4 or 5 times friendly river otters poked their heads up, looked at me, and then disappeared into the water again. At one point I came across what looked like a baby otter, which stayed in place and made pitiful noises. I thought it might be sick or injured but paddled gently away from it knowing there was nothing I could do. I was happy to find out later that the mothers sometimes tie a baby up in the kelp weeds while they go out hunting for food. That would have explained it, and the baby was probably back with its mother before I returned to the ship.