July 24, 2013
With better conditions today it looked like we could get out through the pass at Fawn Harbor. I headed up to the bow to keep watch and was surprised to see how much bigger the swells looked from up close! It was an unexpected and not very welcome thrill ride going out through the pass, up and over the incoming swells and hoping not to get drenched. Once we were out, the conditions were pretty nice for our two-hour motor to Dakuniba bay.
The entrance to Dakuniba was long and winding, through a wide area of reefs. The waves were crashing on either side of us, but the colors over the shallow reefs were beautiful, all shades of aqua, turquoise and mint. We continued past those reefs, going through a small pass between two headlands to an inner bay.
We found ourselves in a cove so well protected it’s considered a hurricane hole. It felt very enclosed, tucked in amid jungle-covered hills with a thick line of mangroves along the water. We had come here for the bats and were stunned to see just how beautiful this cove is, wondering why hardly anyone comes here. I guess it’s just overshadowed by neighboring Viani Bay. We actually felt bad we were only staying in this amazing place for a day, but we needed to get further east before the trade winds picked up again. There’s only so much time in a season and sometimes you have to make difficult choices.
We motored around in our dinghy and explored the area, but didn’t find the fruit bats (aka flying foxes) or a rumored tunnel through the mangroves. It was still early, though, and we figured we’d have better luck late in the afternoon when they start to get active. (More to come.)
Below a gallery of photos of beautiful Dakuniba Bay. (Cllick to enlarge and scroll.) –Cyndi
