Day 7 - The Medusa and Icacos Island

 The first morning away from Casa Coral, our team had a slow start to the day, consisting of sleep, pool swims, and a panadería run. Unfortunately for those who attempted to sleep in, a neighborhood rooster with a broken internal clock had other plans, but impressively many still managed extra hours. On the other hand, the conscious travelers split into two groups: pool and panadería. 

The pool was intensely refreshing, and altogether an incredible way to start an incredible day. Regardless of the faulty pool noodles, a quick splash in the morning seemed to be exactly what the doctor ordered. As for the panadería people, an hour-or-so wait at the café made for a delicious albeit rushed desayuno.

By 12:45, we had all eaten breakfast as we individually saw fit, and so the team ventured to a Fajardo marina for our scheduled snorkeling. Waiting to check in for the aquatic activity, we (re)applied sunscreen and hung out in El Rooftop restaurant looking out at the rows of private boats. At about 2:00, a Snorkeling Puerto Rico guide led us to the boat which we shared with about 10-15 other people (three of which were celebrating birthdays, ¡feliz cumpleaños!). The boat was more of a mini-yacht, complete with two floors (not including the bathroom), a bar, and even an inflatable waterslide. Our guides were hospitable and easy to talk to, easing the transition into what was for some of us our first ever snorkel. We were all given two fins (one for each foot, if you were wondering), a snorkel, and a banana. This banana was not the edible kind but the apparel version, fit with a handy buckle to secure around a waist and keep said waist afloat. Once in our gear, we one-by-one dropped into the water, yet again far warmer and more refreshing than you would find in Connecticut. Many of us took to snorkeling, remarkably, like fish to water. Of course, that left the rest of us to flounder around like damsels in distress. Nonetheless, the wildly clear blue water exposed reefs of coral, some of which was "fire coral" of which can contribute to legitimate third-degree burns (we steered clear of said species). While crowded, the experience was amazing- and for some, nauseating. Many of the team adapted well to the concept of solely mouth-breathing, but for those of us who didn't, the lack of oxygen coming through the nose was powerful. At the end of the day, even 15 seconds of gliding across pristine blue water off the coast of Fajardo, Puerto Rico, appreciating the light, untouched sand and colorful coral on the bottom of the shallow ocean were enough to make snorkeling magical.

After an hour(ish) of snorkeling, our boat, Medusa, set course for Icacos Island. Once anchored near the shore, we were served a late lunch of pasta salad, bean salad, chicken salad, salad salad, and bread while the inflatable water slide was set up. For Jordy, this lunch of salads fulfilled many cravings. After the meal, the team dropped into the ocean, this time snorkel-free. Part of the group took for the sand to play frisbee while the rest of us basked in the Caribbean water. No matter which group a traveler ended up with, it was impossible not to notice the stunning natural beauty of the island and its surroundings. From bright green trees to pale white sand and cerulean sea, the backdrop of our expedition became an integral part of the day. When we regrouped, we decided to take advantage of the waterslide on the boat, and found a way to make a fun game out of it, with the aforementioned frisbee (of course). 

By 5:50, when our water activities had to come to an end, we were satisfied with our extensive itinerary, including our creative twist on catch. Aided by an incredible catch from Spencer:

and plenty of near misses from just about everyone else, we worked up a crowd of onlookers interested in our pursuits. Finally we began our return to land, witnessing a beautiful sunset of yellows and blues behind the clouds, a great end to our snorkeling trip.

At 7:30, our group moved on to a (meant to be) quick dinner at subway, but with 13 different orders, it took longer than expected. Following this, our group returned to Del Mar, and we ate our dinner outside by the barbecue conveniently located by the pool, which led us to a nighttime blue-glow swim. We're excited for our final adventure, and stay tuned for tomorrow!

- Jordy and Paris