take me to the ocean....

 

We did shore excursions every single day of the cruise that we possibly could, and we loved them all - but today... today was the day we were most excited about in advance.  We got to go snorkeling. In the ocean.  In Thailand.

Basically: paradise.

So our cap'n pulled the boat up to Phuket, and apparently they were out of parking stalls for cruise ships, cuz we anchored off shore. Then we got to "tender" (aka try not to get sea sick in mid-size, enclosed, stuffy, ferry boats) to land.

Don't forget your lifejacket!! And don't lose your tour group!  That beach was packed with milling people and guides holding numbered signs up into the air and slapping stickers on to tourists once they'd found the right tour guide....

We enjoyed getting a little sand in our sandals while we waited, and then we got in a bus, drove over to the other side of the hills to another sandy beach, and a lot more boats. Double size speed boats, I believe.  Climbed on one of those puppies and headed out to the open ocean.

First stop, Phi Phi Island -- which apparently is quite a tourist trap. It's a skinny, sandy beach nestled in a cove, and they filmed a movie there once.  You wouldn't have space to now - it was packed.  Everyone climbed off the boat and wandered a few minutes. Bea went for a swim (she could hardly wait) and then we climbed back on the boat, and did a bit of a drive around of the islands. 

Neat looking things! Big rounded rocks bursting up out of the ocean's surface in unexpected places. Lots of birds and a few bits of greenery - but mostly just rock.

 

 If you wanted, and had time, there were smaller boats that would take you around the islands. They looked a bit like I'd be getting very wet and rather more seasick though.  Colourful, lovely boats. I'm just not used to ocean waves....

And then - we pulled into a cove and anchored in deep water. They gave us a snorkel and mask and sternly told us not to lose them, and we jumped in.

To  make sure we saw lots of fish, they tossed bread into the water to lure the fish right up close and personal.

Once we'd swam our fill, we climbed back in the boat, gave back our carefully preserved snorkels and masks, and they took us to a larger island for lunch.  After lunch we got to spend an hour or so lounging on a sandy beach and wading out into the ocean, and then it was back to Phuket, back in the bus, back across the hills, back on the dock, back onto the ferry, and back to the cruise ship.  Bea stayed to wander the shore line for a while, but I was sunburnt, windburnt, sore and hungry by then and I figured if I wanted to enjoy the next week I should probably seek shelter from the sun.

It was a lovely day.