August 26, 2013
Today we went for a walk. At the sandspit, the beach takes a turn east and goes about a quarter mile to the outer rim of the atoll. Some of this rim has broken apart, creating a few gaps through which a person, maybe even a dinghy, could pass through. Even though you’d then be outside the atoll, the reef around the island forms a very effective barrier and keeps the water as protected and calm as it is on the inside. We figured this had great snorkeling potential.
We were struck by this area of the beach. It wasn’t very wide, but it had the sort of white sand and arching palm trees that have sold calendars around the world. The water off this beach was shallow and very colorful.
As we neared the outer rim, we turned a corner and found an area of rocks and pools between our beach and the outer rim. There was a good-size pass through to the outside, but what was most striking was the amazing color of the pool fronting the gap, the most rich and intense cobalt blue I have ever seen. Naturally we named it the Blue Pool. (Click to enlarge and scroll through the gallery below this post.)
We walked through about a foot of water to a tiny beach amid the boulders on the rim and discovered more small pools. We definitely planned to come back and do some snorkeling. –Cyndi
