September 19 – 23, 2013
In an area like this, it’s impossible to pick a “best” time of day or even the best type of day. Cloudy days actually enhance the glow of the water in some areas, while other areas become most vivid in full sun. Rain gives the area a mystical feeling, while sun invites swimming, snorkeling, and experiencing the magic under the water.
Windy days are odd: it’s mountainous enough here to create wind bullets. What this means is that conditions can be relatively still, only to be interrupted by a sudden, strong pffffffft when a gust blows through, abruptly swinging the boat around on its anchor. Generally we stayed put while this was going on.
Perhaps our favorite time of day was early in the evening as the sun got low in the sky. The small islands would remain lit up while the mountains behind them fell into the shadows. When the sun went behind the hills, that was our cue to go outside, have some wine, and watch the changing light.
A while later, we’d go watch the full moon rise.
Generally we were asleep not long after this point, but here I’m going to take an entry directly from my journal – a moment from when I got up at midnight and stepped outside into the cockpit:
“I woke up and went outside to the most amazing sight: a full moon shone above our bay over still water, which meant the hills were all reflected perfectly in the water below.
The water was totally opaque and greenish in the light, like a dark-gray jade, but the green vegetation on the hills was visible in the light. In the sky there were clouds, but a light scattering of stars was visible here and there.
The full moon shone brightly, and everything looked closer and closed in, like we were in one of those waterholes in the middle of a jungle mountain lake. Night bugs were singing, and the scene was still, yet so full of life. It was fantastically beautiful.
Suddenly I could hear a barking pigeon doing his huff, huff huff, sounding much like a barking dog or howler monkey, and it echoed in our bay. Rich stirred and I told him to come out here and see this. He did, and appreciated the moment as much as I did.”
(Note: I don’t wake him up unless it’s really worth it.)
So often, in the face of something special but subtle, it’s easier to give into the temptation of returning to the TV program, surfing the internet, fixing dinner, or—hardest to break away from—sleeping. But if we can muster the will and effort to break off from these activities, stop what we’re doing and go experience the moment, the rewards can be great. It’s not always easy to get up, to listen to the person saying, “you should come out and see this,” but it’s worth it. –Cyndi
