Fiji

I got an ear infection and had to put the diving on hold. We are hoping it clears up before PNG (Papua New Guinea) since there will be little else to do but dive there. Instead we sailed the Hobe Cat yesterday and took a sea kayak out today. I think the sea kayak may be one of the more enjoyable things we have done. Instead of staying withing the little cove by the resort, we ventured out and paddled to a nearby island (the water was calm and rarely more than a couple feet deep).

There is something different that happens when you paddle a boat than when you ride by aid of a motor. Animals seem to ignore you somewhat and come out to play. We saw some fish jump out of the water next to our boat and skim along the top of the surface for 15 feet. At one point we stopped paddling over some coral and saw fish darting in and out of the colored patches below us. Before us 25 small minnows jumped out of the water an inch and dived back in. I felt part of things in a different way than we we dive, but it was still special.

I just wish we didn't have to work for an hour and a half to get to that point. I was hoping that we would manage to skirt the island next to us, but we got tired too fast and had to turn back. The end result was that I was hungry for dinner that night and roast pig had never tasted so good.