A LAST SNORKEL

The sand is not just sea sand. It’s a magical mix of crushed shells, rock, other organic matter and teeny weeny shells, recognisable as such – a condensed ecosystem. The sun was lower than on my usual snorkelling explorations at Pointe d’Esny. I was lying in the shallows with my mask on, after snorkelling for the last time before our departure. I was watching the sunlight catch the cloud of tiny air bubbles rising from the hands full of sand I was sifting through my fingers, it turned them into glistening splinters of diamonds. A perfect display of the magic of sunlight and surf.

The tide was high and still coming in, washing nutrient rich waves over the coral. Everyone was out for the banquet! As I easily glided over the fantastical diversity of large corals, I recognised fish that I did not know two weeks earlier when we started snorkelling here.  Taking the time to swim with them every day and making the effort to ensure that I identified them correctly paid off. They felt as familiar as old friends.

I started my swim out to a concrete pillar that was lying submerged on its side and had become part of a coral garden. In this area the corals formed, what I term “villages”, as they are separated by sandy areas demarcating visible boundaries and the villagers were very territorial and could be found in their homes daily, making it easy to get to know them. I found a white Geometric Moray Eel sharing this specific village with a small school of juvenile Blackstriped Cardinalfish. I’ve been returning to check on them several times. On my way there I was surprised to meet a Yellow-edged Moray Eel, popping out his head from a Staghorn coral to my right, showing enough of himself to easily identify him. He was patterned delicately in yellow on his dark brown body, his mouth characteristically open, while eyeing me. It surprised me to see how many little fish was sharing his coral home. They were clearly neighbours and not considered food.

I‘m starting at the climax of an eventful three month stay. Summer on a tropical island! Not only was my dive buddy visiting and shared many spectacular dives with me, but my husband also joined me for six weeks and we ended the stay pet sitting for a friend in Pt d’Esny. We stayed in a fabulous island style home, merely steps from the beach where I was snorkelling. Shortly after my arrival I was plagued by severe pain in my weaker left leg, so debilitating that I bought an electric scooter to get me around. That is just the tip of the iceberg (a story deserving of a full Blog or more).  But here we were – flying home two days later (on 6 January 2025) and I was having a late afternoon snorkel. I never knew there was so much air in sand. I was sifting hands full through my fingers while diamond bubbles sparkled to the surface.

 I didn’t want to leave the water. I never do. But that afternoon was different. No seriously, truly remarkable, it was as though they all came to say goodbye! On the furthest side of this patch of corals, which was now deeper than usual with the tide so high, a school of sixteen Batfish was hanging and allowing me to swim right up to them. I was out looking for the two Parrot fish that I saw there the previous day. They glisten in blues, purples and greens like baby mermaids. As I was hanging with the Batfish, the two Parrotfish appeared and a single Moorish Idol also arrived, to ensure my complete happiness. They are bringers of happiness according to the Moors!

I raised my eyes above the surface to check my position and noticed that the current had taken me further than I intended to go and that I had a long swim back to the shallows and the part of the beach where my husband was. I was comfortably making my way over a densely populated, extensive coral patch while adult Domino fish darted in front of my mask, defend their part of the garden aggressively. Schools of tiny black and silver striped Damsel fish were hanging in the branches of the Staghorn coral. In the shadow of a large Table coral, two juvenile Lion fish were hiding rather unsuccessfully and my single adult Yellow Boxfish friend made a quick appearance.  In this part of the garden I found dozens of perfectly round Mushroom corals, breaking the erratic patterns of the Staghorn, Pores, Brain, Sandpaper and Table corals. I even noticed a Fire coral, but kept a safe distance!

As I reached the shallower water and passed a large Pores coral I noticed that the bright orange Christmas Tree Worm, who tunnelled his way into the coral was still there, showing off his “feather dusters”, to my delight. A selection of Sea Cucumbers were scattered on the sandy sea bottom between Coral villages. The Butterfly fishes were now distinguishable into the three species that we were able to Identify. The perfectly patterned camouflage of the Honeycomb and White specked Groupers, previously a curious find, were now visible everywhere.

The Scroll algae in the shallower water were glistening in cloaks of sparkling bubbles. With a light touch of my hand they released their champagne fizz in a spectacular display of reflected rainbows. As I reached the shallows, I had to look more carefully to spot my Sixspot and Decorated Gobies, camouflaged to disappear against the sand. Even a Lizard fish perched on the sand, similar to the one that puzzled me, on my first snorkel here. Schools of tiny pearly Damsels darted out of my way as I beached myself, digging my hands into the sand.

 I didn’t want to leave.

By Lynette Gerber-Lochenkov