Neptune’s Playground by Susan Campbell
Chicken of the sea faces evils of the deep… Underwater sightseeing always looks so magical on television. But I’ve always wondered if they have off-camera people keeping dangerous sea creatures away from the actors. Now, as I’m about to embark on my first snorkeling adventure, I’m suddenly terrified by the potential evils of the deep. I quickly realize I’m the only first-time snorkeler aboard as everyone else starts casually spitting into their masks to prevent fogging. Yech! We can put a man on the moon, but we can’t invent masks that don’t fog up without saliva?
With help from the crew I don the prerequisite gear. Thanks to the flippers, I stumble around the deck like a demented penguin. The others are already submerged so I say a quick prayer and belly flop right in. After all, I didn’t come all the way from frozen Canada in February to wimp out on my first tropical adventure! Clenching the snorkel in my mouth, I attempt breathing underwater. The instant my face is immersed beneath the waves, a rainbow of fish swirls up to greet me in a whirling tornado of color. Not a scary looking one in the lot! nights 47
I see another snorkeler feeding her fish little bits of bread. I wish someone had told me about that! But my marine buddies don’t seem to mind my empty-handedness and lead me to an amazing discovery. Sitting on the ocean floor is a tiny sunken tugboat covered in vibrant corals and sponges serving as a kind of underwater condo for a variety of ocean tenants. The scene is so Disneyesque I half expect the fish to break into song and dance. I am spellbound by the mass of life down here and would love to explore for hours. But a tap on my shoulder brings me back to reality – I should be heading back to the boat. But I’m not ready to become a landlubber again so soon! Back on board, I am told that this is one of the most perfect spots in the Caribbean for snorkeling novices. I chose well for my first underwater experience. Would I repeat the adventure? You bet! If my newfound fishy friends will pardon the pun, I am definitely hooked on snorkeling.
The Tugboat The tugboat wreck is accessible from shore via Caracas Baai. It sunk over 30 years ago when its captain inadvertently dropped the anchor on the deck, causing a rupture and instant submersion. Today, the tugboat sits upright in about 17 feet of water. Many hotels offer first-time snorkeling lessons in their pool. Beginners who would like to practice before heading out to the open sea should check at their hotel’s activities desk. 48 nights
Photos by Michael DeFreitas