Another favorite shop is Del Sol, where everything they sell changes color! Gladys has on a pinkie ring and in the sun it turns a vivid orange!
After an ice cream break, we went to play at the beach.
I spotted a little jelly-like thing in the water. Then I noticed that there were several more of those same things!
A close up inspection revealed that it was a type of plant, not a jellyfish!
The beaches along Catalina were nice! Most had lifeguards and none of the beaches were crowded!
Also, there are several places to relax under the shade of a palm tree!
After relaxing at the beach for awhile, we decided to get a better look at the ocean fish by snorkeling.
We took a stroll to the other end of the island.
Admiring the architecture along the way.
Catalina has a history of big game fishing-- I can't wait to try that!!!
A leaping tuna would be an awesome catch!
We met our snorkeling instructor and geared up! Gearing up was easier said than done. The wet suits were heavily insulated and also acted as floatation devices.
We were briefed on the dangers of ocean fish. Our instructor told us we must keep our hands fisted so the fish don't bite off our fingers!!! For REAL!!! Most of the ocean fish we were about to see had nice sets of teeth!!!
Not to mention, sharks, eels, octopus, and other sea critters that can be dangerous. Surprisingly, even the cute little sea lions and seals are dangerous as they tend to nip at people!!!
We had an awesome time snorkeling and it was extremely thrilling, much more so than I had expected! First of all, the point where we entered the ocean, was 20 foot deep, and dropped off to over 100 foot in depth about 30 feet from shore! The water was clear, but there were sooo many fish, that no one could see very deep. The fish got so up close and personal that I had a panic attack!
It wasn't just the fish, but seeing so many big fish with all those teeth probably contributed to me not being able to get a good lung full of air. I had to swim back to the steps and get my breath. The water was choppy and it was difficult to get my flippers under me at first! I got used to it quickly though. Looking through the mask at the fish was still enough keep me on edge! I was not expecting to see sooo many fish right off the bat and sooo close!
Our instructor/sea creature protector, dived down and brought up a sea urchin for us all to hold!
Troy even held it in his hands. I wish I would have snapped some pics! She also gave us a close up look at a snail with teeth! Gladdie wanted to dive down, but she was told it was nearly impossible to do while wearing the wet suit. Gladdie was able to do it anyway!
Back on the ferry, to return to the mainland, I think I may have still been in shock from the snorkeling experience!
It wasn't raining, it's just the ocean water splashing our window. We seen schools of flying fish, that evening on our trip back! It was incredible!!! The flying fish could really fly for several feet, and at first, I thought they were birds!
Ocean life has a way of sparking awe and wonder that can strengthen a person's faith in the God!
No comments:
Post a Comment