Feeding the Rays
Saturday morning we moved away form the town anchorage to the other side of Motu Toopua to try and find a quieter anchorage. We ended up in about 10 meters of water on a sand/clay bottom so nice and secure. We spent the afternoon snorkelling and generally relaxing.
Sunday started with chores, laundry, engine service, scrub the hull, you know the standard Sunday jobs. Mid morning we got a call on the VHF that the tour boats were arriving on the reef close to where we were anchored to feed the Manta Rays. Along with Toketie and Cats Paw IV, we a headed over to get a look. We anchored our dinghies a respectable distance away and after a warning from the guide not to swim with fins but to walk over only, we made our way closer to his group. The six of us stood off to the side and stayed in a group so we didn't interfere with the tour and watched as the guide fed the rays. They were swimming all around us, it was unbelievable. A 4-5 foot black tipped reef shark swam lazily by which was pretty amazing. We've seen smaller sharks around the boat but this one was a respectable size and we were in the water. We all stood there spellbound as the rays gently swam around us and tour group. After the guide had finished with his group, he came over to me and handed me a fish to feed the rays. I was blown away. Here we were taking advantage of his tour that he got paid for, and he is offering me the same thing that he gives his tour group. Anyhow, I held this small fish down in the water and this big ray, swam up and ate it out of my hand, quite gently really. After that they rays were all over us, swimming right up and rubbing against us looking for more fish. The experience was fantastic, and the generosity of the guide was amazing. Part of it, I believe, was due to the fact that as a group, we were careful to stay separate from his tour and were content to watch and not interfere. Feeding the rays, an awesome experience.
Sunday started with chores, laundry, engine service, scrub the hull, you know the standard Sunday jobs. Mid morning we got a call on the VHF that the tour boats were arriving on the reef close to where we were anchored to feed the Manta Rays. Along with Toketie and Cats Paw IV, we a headed over to get a look. We anchored our dinghies a respectable distance away and after a warning from the guide not to swim with fins but to walk over only, we made our way closer to his group. The six of us stood off to the side and stayed in a group so we didn't interfere with the tour and watched as the guide fed the rays. They were swimming all around us, it was unbelievable. A 4-5 foot black tipped reef shark swam lazily by which was pretty amazing. We've seen smaller sharks around the boat but this one was a respectable size and we were in the water. We all stood there spellbound as the rays gently swam around us and tour group. After the guide had finished with his group, he came over to me and handed me a fish to feed the rays. I was blown away. Here we were taking advantage of his tour that he got paid for, and he is offering me the same thing that he gives his tour group. Anyhow, I held this small fish down in the water and this big ray, swam up and ate it out of my hand, quite gently really. After that they rays were all over us, swimming right up and rubbing against us looking for more fish. The experience was fantastic, and the generosity of the guide was amazing. Part of it, I believe, was due to the fact that as a group, we were careful to stay separate from his tour and were content to watch and not interfere. Feeding the rays, an awesome experience.
----------
radio email processed by SailMail
for information see:
posted by Brian Ackles - S/V Cygnet at
10:27
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
Subscribe to Post Comments [Atom]
<< Home