Monday, August 25, 2008

SHARKS! Honeymoon: Day 12

LAST DAY.

The last day was mixed feelings.  On the one hand I was ready to be in my own house on the other hand I LOVE Fiji.  I want to go back.  At the same time Aaron and I area already listing off the other places we want to go.  I decide that traveling in the style of Koro Sun quite suits me.  Aaron calculates that all I need to do is work 70 hours a week and we can do it again next year.  Where's my time sheet...

SHARKS!

We started our day like always: snorkeling.  This time Paul took us to an outer reef.  There were only 3 of us.  It was really choppy.  I don't think he would have brought new people there but we had all been snorkeling all week.  He tells us we might see "big fish" (aka - sharks) "but they just want to say Bula and swim away - don't be afraid".  

I haven't seen sharks since Roi.  It made me hopeful that we were in better snorkeling water.  It was completely different.  Colder water, choppy waves, more current -- frankly, a little more fun.  It was way deeper and there was a big drop off.  The drop off is where I usually migrate too because that's the best snorkeling.  That's where the big fish hang out.  Again we saw the HUGE star fish.  We saw BIG schools of BIG fish.  We saw different coral.  Paul boated behind us watching the three of us.  Aaron and I agreed we were a little chilly but it was too awesome to stop.  We keep swimming.  We agreed "a few more minutes".  We dipped our heads back into the ocean and just then, the real 'big fish'.  About 10 feet below us in crystal clear water a shark!  A white tip!  Aaron had never seen one before.  He didn't say Bula.  It just swam off into the drop off.  We both looked for the rest of the shark family, but no luck.  They are amazing creatures and we both loved seeing the real thing right out there in nature.  

Now for the hard part....there's no sandbar to dock the boat on and just walk into the boat. We're more or less in open waters.  I was not sure how I was going to get back into the boat since it doesn't have a ladder.  Paul took my mask and then told me to turn around.  And in the choppy, windy waves "on three" little Paul hoisted me out of the ocean by my arm pits!  WOW!! Talk about strong!!!  I got a charlie-horse on the way but was just fine.  Aaron managed to pull himself into the boat -- excellent upper body strength right there.  We were so lucky to get to go on that trip.  It was the best of of the entire honeymoon!  Thank you Patch and thank you Paul!!

For lunch I had a milk shake!!  We stopped by and talked to Lollie who best we could tell hadn't started our fish.  We were a little skeptical that it would be done by the time we leave the next day but what are you going to do. We were just nice and hoped for the best.  We spent the afternoon hanging out on the beach.




For dinner we went back to Dicks for our final meal.  I had the earth's best Pina Colada.  It was made with FRESH pineapple juice, FRESH coconut milk, and then the usual assortment of rum. It was divine.  It was everything I could do to not just slurp it right down and order a couple more!  For dinner I had something that could best be called a Fiji Pot Pie.  It was a half coconut filled with fish, cream, and butter and then covered with pie crust and baked. Gotta say --- it was delicious!  

By Bed time we realized we were both beat.  Aaron had a sore foot, backache and a bellyache.  I had a headache, sunburn, and cut foot. These are all signs that it was time to start heading home.

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