Talofa from Ofu island!

We arrived on Thursday, December 27th on the only flight of the week. I’m with Ian and his parents, Rick and Polly. It’s their first time here, and Ian and I have been here before. We’re all elated to be here. We walk off the airstrip directly to the front door of Vaoto Lodge to check in with owner Deborah Malae, and were greeted by familiar faces – our neighbors from Tutuila, Mark and Alice, are also here for the week; and Jamie and Hallie from the Institute of Bird Populations (IBP) invite us over on their truck to Ofu village to check out a kingfisher that they were rehabbing.

Then we head off straight towards To’aga beach, about a 15-minute walk from the Lodge. We lather up in our favorite reef-safe sunscreen, and have a snack on the beach. Ian is the first in the water, as always; and I can tell just by looking at him that the water is perfect. I set up the Canon G7X and underwater housing that my friend Mareike was super kind to let me borrow, and follow behind Rick and Polly and sigh a happy sigh. How lucky am I?!

We snorkel towards an area that science folks refer to as “Pools 300” and that’s where we are met by mounds and mounds of beautiful and healthy porites coral heads and schools of manini (convict tangs) and needlefish, and so much life. My snorkel mask has a constant fogging problem, but Ian uses his magic spit to help clear it up and I hand him the camera to take photos too. I am grateful to be here, feeling alive in Ofu, underwater, and seeing this beauty. Thanks babe!