Thursday dawned with a wonderfully calm ocean, and perfect, beautiful blue skies. It’s going to be tough heading back to the normally cloudy Vancouver! We’ve been pretty lucky, weather wise this month away. Most days have been pretty darn good. Two or three were spoiled by rain, but overall, we really can’t complain about the warmth, the blue skies and the calm oceans. Pam took another great macro shot, this one features one of the locals, sunning himself on the rocks above the hot tub at La Cabana.

We took to the ocean around noon. And it was really great. Super clear water, and amazingly calm. Check out this self portrait! It’s how we’ve faced the world for basically three or four hours every day for the last month. Is it any wonder the fish are nervous when I peek under a rock at them?

We saw an amazingly huge barracuda today. Usually they don’t want to hang around snorkelers, and casually swim away when you try to approach. This one wandered off when we tried to get close, then came back a few minutes later. I swam after him to get a shot, and he slowed, turned and stopped. He remained stationary for a good ten minutes or more. We were taking pictures, filming him and a group of snorkelers from one of the ships started coming around. We said, “Hey, check out this big barracuda” – I’m always amazed how people miss seeing these fish that are so large! I said to one woman, “See the barracuda?” She looked at me, “Who me?” she says. I said, “Yes, look!” and pointed. Well, she looked, shrieked “HOLY SH**!!” and started swimming away as fast as she could move!

We saw quite a few turtles again, starting at the turtle grass just off of Boca Catalina. As we swam north to Arashi Beach, we spotted our friend the hawksbill. He’s a great looking turtle, and let me approach him closer than he has in the past. I guess he’s starting to recognize me! haha

I like this shot Pam took of a grouper next to some coral. They are a shy fish, usually trying to hide from the camera. Pam used to like to eat grouper, but she won’t anymore. She thinks they are too cute to eat!

Aruban waters have an awful lot of French Angels, and Pam is always distracted by them! They are larger than a lot of the fish, and are easily spotted. As you swim along, your eye is just naturally drawn to them. Here is a brief movie of three of them swimming along together.

Here’s a picture of another lionfish. They are such nice fish to look at, but such a pain! I wish there was some way we could do more as snorkelers to eliminate them when we find them. There has to be something we can do, other than take pictures of them! Some restaurants are starting to serve them, just not enough. With very few natural predators in Caribbean water , they are starting to decimate local fish populations.

One last day tomorrow in Aruba, then it’s the long flight home.