Full moon day!  

“Once in a very blue moon ..”. Today is that day.  High tides … beautiful blue sky, warm breezes, green turquoise warm sea …. Sailing on the Indian Ocean.  Wow!

Breakfast on the roof top includes herbal local hibiscus tea, rich and red … soothing and lovely as a breakfast delight. We have seen the flower and plant on our walk about in the area. 

The GAdventures guide (Francois) from South Africa continues to be awesome, even from a distance.  He suggested and connected me with Eliza through WhatsApp for transfers and other tour arrangements as we wish …. 4 days in Zanzibar and she has made excellent suggestions and arrangements for us.  We are five women travelling in this foreign country.  Eliza has been excellent.  

Today we were ready at 830 am for pick up at or Horizon Palace hotel (not fancy, affordable, and adequate for our stay.  Old building with heavy doors, dark wood stairs, no elevator… breakfast and view included off the 6th floor).  

The traffic / parking congestion is quite unbelievable this morning in this very old town … no place to park, not really paved roads, people in Tuk tuks, scooters, bicycles, cars, vans, trucks and tourist vehicles trying to turn around in very small spaces …. We watch in amazement.  

We are driven to Fumba … maybe 12 to 15 kms … allowing us to really see the way people live here … and drive!  Haha

Locally constructed sailing dhows await, fitted with large sailed, outboard motors, marine radios, life jackets, snorkeling equipment, fresh local fruits, soda pop and water keep cold on ice. 

The dhow is anchored and we have to step into the warm sea to board a little shuttle boat to then get on board the dhow.  It is an experience already!!

We are moving through the sea .. gorgeous light green turquoise color … we are provided quality snorkeling gear according to our size.  The skipper cuts the tops off fresh coconut and we all have our own, then chops up the coconut meat for tasting.  Yum. It’s a calm beautiful morning. The sun is hot and high, the breeze is warm and inviting.  

We are invited to jump overboard at the first anchor spot.  Striped fishes, remind me of early life experience with tropical fish in aquarium (zebra black and white, yellow fish … coral of a variety of shapes and textures, finger coral, Cauliflower and broccoli shaped also.  Starfish, urchins …. as if reaching up for us … wow!).  The water was so warm … I was in several times maybe up to two hours in full?  Maybe more.  

At least a half hour to swim around and float in this amazing first experience…. Then back on board and on to the next stop.  More snorkeling…. More floating …. Then a stop at the uninhabited sand bar beach.  It looked pretty big to me as we arrived.  Huge actually.  Lots of other dhow boats anchored and people walking and swimming.  

Then the tide continued to rise … the girls I was with, who were sitting on the beach, had to move up the sand hill as the water was reaching their toes and belongings.  I continued to float around in green clear glorious salty bliss.  When we sailed by the sandbar later in the day it was completely covered in sea … no evidence we had ever been there.  Fascinating.  

The guide advises no jellyfish, no sharks … he is right.  Safe beautifully clear warm water.  Wow. Light turquoise green as far as I can see.  

Another snorkel stop, the guide presented us with two starfish from the bottom and encouraged us to do more snorkeling.  We are anchored again, floating in this warm salty soup water.. everyone taking pictures and swimming in the coral and fish.

We can sail to the green lagoon now, the tide is high enough and rising fast.  Amazing sights, light green water, we can see the bottom.  Dark rugged rock topped with cactus and trees … the shapes are magical and like a fantasy place.

Our destination, more uninhabited island …. Headed for lunch!  We park, we are seated, we have fluffy white rice, vegetarian curry, lobster, shrimp, and other options … ha ha … you can tell which caught my attention!  There are bathroom facilities in a rustic kind of way … drummers and dancers with cultural music … walks along the sandy beach.  Vendors with local items for sale (local from Zanzibar), like a market with a few booths.  

After eating we walk to see the fallen, but still alive, 500 year old baobab tree and taste the fruit that grows from it.  People are invited to climb on the tree.  It’s pretty special!

Back to the dhow boats to begin our sail home.  Large sails are hoisted and the sea winds have picked up so we move along quickly.  Huge splashes over the sides, warm winds, people are tired and dozing.  It’s a beautiful sail back to the main island.  Due to very high tide we are unable to disembark at the same place … so we are anchored In a little cove.  Shuttled on motor boats and helped to walk through the shallow water to some rocky steps and climb out.  We walk a path and meet up with our driver from this morning.  It is about 5 pm when we return to the hotel.

It has been a big day!  We shower and start to relax, we need to pack up tonight and tomorrow fly off to Nairobi.

Good night wonderful loving family and friends …. Till the next post on this Africa adventure …. Stay well!  Wish you were here.

Hugs 

Pamela