At any rate, we didn't know just how low the water got at peak low tide. Our trip happened to coincide with peak low tide, and we walked more than we swam. The rocks closest to shore aren't too bad, because they are trampled on frequently by families and so there's not much in the way of corals, sponges, or delicate ocean life to worry about crushing. Further out was an entirely different story. Some of the corals are as large as me, if not bigger. In one area, half of one of these formations was out of the water, all folded in on itself, while the other half underwater was still green and supported.
The low tide made it easy to get a good look at some fish. The reefs in this area form long shelves that run perpendicular to the shore. From the air, I imagine they look like fingers running from the beach towards the ocean. Sometimes the fingertips meet, and sometimes they just slope off into much deeper water. Where the fingertips meet, the fish were more or less corralled by the proximity of the corals and reef tops to the water surface. Good for pictures!
For me, this was an especially fun snorkel because I got to get up close to these corals. The first time I saw them, they were a good 15-20 ft below the surface. I still struggle with equalizing my ears, which means I stay within 10 ft of the surface. On this day, there wasn't 10 ft between the surface and the bottom!
The trade-off is that the shallow waters meant we were VERY close to everything in the water. I didn't even notice this water snake until we were right over it, and I couldn't get far enough away fast enough. I think I might be guilty of grabbing Ryan's arm and pushing myself away, which meant I probably pushed him a bit closer.
Moreover, the proximity to the corals meant that we had to be extra mindful of kicking. We avoided large movements of any kind, so that we wouldn't inadvertently kick the corals behind us while admiring those in front of us. Even with our wetsuits, the water is still in the low 70s and I got quite cold after only 30 minutes and not much moving around. We took a leisurely swim back in. I was thankful for the movement and kept a steady pace, pausing only a couple of times to admire a giant clam. Ryan took his time, but I didn't mind.
We had to walk a bit over the worn rock again to reach the beach, but you never know what you're going to find! I wonder how much of a gamble it is for some of these organisms that live close to the shore. Did this clam choose poorly?
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