Snorkeling

Wednesday was a national holiday. It was the Spring Equinox -- a marvelous national holiday if there ever was one. The equinox always rekindles fond memories of Friends Ｍｉｄｄｌｅ School for me. Our Wild Writing teacher Henry used to give us each a cookie dipped in half vanilla, half chocolate. Clutching our cookies in one paw, we would dance around this pole outside and chant `equi-equi-equi-nox! Day and night! Half and half!` at the top of our lungs, until finally we were all danced out. And then we would eat our cookies. Anyhow. There was no dancing or cookies yesterday, though there was snorkeling and curry. We decided to head over to Sunabe beach in Chatan for the day.

Based on the exciting wetsuits that me and Yvonne are wearing in the above photo, you may get the impression that we are seasoned snorkelers who own our own equipment and glide without a care through the bottomless blue like fish in the sea.

Yeah, no. As was the case last time you saw me, big water is scary. I had to be given the safety snorkel with a special device to stop water from entering the top when a wave goes overhead, I tend to drift alongside close to the reassuring presence of my companions rather than swim about on my own, and when I do `glide` around it is hardly careless; its more of a graceless and feeble paddling frenzy that propels me along in a lop-sided circle intended as a straight line. Until I run out of steam, and then i just float without moving and stare at the coral. Alas, most of you will never get to witness me in flippers.

Ah, but snorkeling is glorious. It sure is another world down there. Okinawa has the second most diverse bio－marine life in the world, after the Great Barrier Reef in Australia. Once you stick your head in the water, there are dozens of types of coral covering the landscape. They are all different colors, shapes and sizes. Not to mention all the fishies. To the left here you see a picture of some soft coral (not my photo). The soft coral is my favorite, as it looks like its little feathery fingers are blowing in the breeze. According to my knowledgeable sea-faring island friends, a new species of coral has recently been discovered. Its walking coral. Yes! Coral that walks around. I imagine it with little footsies tottling back and forth, but in reality it probably looks nothing like that. Think about how many jillions of years coral has been working on evolving walking capabilities. I think we all owe coral a big round of applause.