Day 2 - lost love

Today I rekindled my love to the ocean. To the love of feeling the ocean wrap around you. That feeling that makes you feel small yet part of something big and meaninful. That part of Earth that made me become a biologist at first. A marine biologist later. And what a lovely feeling it was.

We left on Rodrigo's boat around 10 am. I was in charge of packing a picnic for a few hours out in the open for four people. And I was reponsible to take a hat, a rash guard and sun block for myself. And more sunblock just in case. I have no interest of winning the Miss Hawaiian Tropic tan contest. Tanning is no longer cool. Back in 1995, when I was becoming a marine biologist, it would be often that Rodrigo would just pull us out, at the end of the day, to go for a boat ride. Sometimes we will fish along the way and then sushi afterwards. Sometimes it was just a unwinding trip around the bay. Today we unwinded in Moreton Bay. The sea was blue. The blue you see in those photos advertising Australia. The ones you think are photoshopped. They are not. The sea is actually that blue. No filters needed. But a good camera is.

Photo taken with zoom on a shitty phone 

We stopped in Moreton Island and went snorkeling. "Oh what a feeling" Irene Cara would say. Seagrasses meadows. Sand banks. Sea cucumbers. Tons of them. At least four different species. My original love interest as a marine biologist. You know, those very glamorous and sexy marine creatures that everyone loves. I got to personally meet some of the species I had only seen in photos despite having worked on them for few years. And I remembered those good old years. Those wonderful people that I got to meet and call them friends and colleagues. Good memories, definitely.

The couple of hours outing became a full day adventure where my picnic of fruits and water was overlooked. Chips and Twisties were yummier. On the way back we stopped in a sandbank that had a big colony of (flying) cormorants all facing the sun. Maybe they were keen on winning the tanning competition. Pablo (the 9 year old brother to the 21 year old son that I told you about yesterday) decided that sand should actually be called 'sands' as it is not a single sand. But lots of them. We decided we were going to suggest that to the Oxford Dictionary.

And the to finish off a fantastic day, we had dinner with friends that also go a long way ago. 1998 to be exact. Jenni and Ale moved back to Australia in 2001 but I saw them one year ago just before they moved to Vanuatu. Now they are back and are next suburb down neighbours with Rodrigo and Sol. After they left I marveled myself watching "House of the Flying Daggers". One of the most aestheticly pleasant movies I have seen in a while. You eyes dance trying to grasp all the details and colours. The attention to detail in the lighting, the composition and the scenery. And if you are not caught in that, you can always wonder about the martial arts, the aerial fights and the beautiful characters.

Two amazing days down. Lots of first times, lots of fun. Life is good...