Underwater

In Tahanea, we started calling him 'Jacques'.  As in the famous guy on the Calypso.

For months we had been wondering if Elias would be up for snorkelling once we reached the Tuamotus.  

The answer was a resounding 'yes'.  I had figured he would need to practice breathing through a snorkel on land for a while, and that there would be some tears and protests of 'I can't do it' when it came time to try breathing with his face underwater.

None of it.  He just put on the gear and went to town.

Flame angelfish. 

Saddled butterflyfish.

Alisa and I did get that greatest of treats, a snorkel together, thanks to the babysitting services of our good mates on Pacific Bliss.  This is us heading out - don't we look like parents about to leave all thoughts of the kiddos behind for an hour or so?

Fourspot butterflyfish.

But a lot of our snorkelling in Tahanea was done at the pace of a four-year-old.  So we didn't get nearly the tour of tropical reef biodiversity that we got in our visit three years ago, we missed out on our endless snorkels of spotting new species and slowly getting a feel for the biology of the reef.

But I figure we've got a new buddy for that sort of outing well on the way.