Swimming with sharks

Another breathtaking blue sky day!  Today was Lagoonarium day!  I wasn't sure what to expect, but must say I loved it! 

Should have turned left from Robinson's Cove rather than right, but oh well.  Took 50 minutes instead of 30.  We found it, parked the car, and checked with the lady sitting in the hut by the parking lot.  She explained the boat guide would come over and take us there and then we would pay once there (2900 XPF - $35 CAD).  We crossed to the motu (island) where the Lagoonarium was and I was pleasantly surprised how nice it was.  We were shown to our private hut for the duration of the stay - nice and shaded and cool.  We then paid and were also shown where we could get water, coffee, or hot chocolate (kind of odd!). 

And then off we went to snorkel the Jardin de Coral (Coral Garden).  The wind was blowing hard to you really had to hang on to the ropes that guided you around - it was quite vast, taking you almost out to the reef's edge where it dropped off and the big waves were breaking - you could feel yourself being pushed by the surf.

It was amazing - so many fish and we saw a couple rays along the way.  Then J spotted a shark... she told me later that she beat a quick retreat to land after that.  I lost sight of here for a bit so headed back to shore to find her. Found her safe at the hut. We were both a bit cut up (her leg and my hand) and bleeding, but that didn't seem to stop us from climbing back in the water with sharks LOL

So we went to a sandy area where the guide had told us earlier they do the feedings at 11:30 a.m. and 2 p.m.  J hopped in and the rays came.  And the sharks came.  We were both spooked for a bit, but after I decided to catch some underwater shots and the rays came right up to me, we felt way more comfortable.   Just hung on the ropes and watched the rays swimming about.

More people had shown up by then (only maybe 8 other people) and the guy came to feed the fish.  HOLY.  Fish pandemonium!  And sharks (black tip sharks that we learned were more afraid of us than we were of them) and 4 rays (all female). The guy would throw the food out and it was fish madness.  The rays would try to climb up you like a dog... too cute!  They felt amazing - so soft and slippery! 

The guy then took us out on the ropes and did a feeding out in the coral - there were about 6 black tip sharks (like a foot from my face!!) and rays swimming around us... and a TON of fish!!!  Blue fish, yellow fish, big fish, little fish... oh and saw a huge eel slithering from rock to rock.  The coral here was more attractive and vivid than our beach reef at Robinson's Cove. 

After about 4 hours and feeling suitable burnt - sun and wind, and hungry (you can take food, but we didn't), we had our guide take us back to mainland. 

Very very cool - would do it again.  Definitely need better snorkel gear though.  With it being so windy, the chop is high and my mask kept fogging up, but it did alright :)