We put our names down for the second tender this morning, which meant we didn’t have to go until 7.15am. Unfortunately we were still woken up by an announcement about the first tender at 6am, which kind of undid the advantage. They had an established system to push everyone through. There are a number of fishing platforms scattered about. We’ve seen similar ones on other islands though these look larger and more sophisticated, with suspension cables to support the platform. I think they use nets to fish and lights at night to attract the fish. They also throw small fish and waste over the side which, over time, have attracted a resident population of whale sharks.
They took us out in tenders which stayed some way off the platform, then transferred us in groups of ten to the zodiacs which would drop us off much closer. After our allocated fifteen minutes, we’d grab a line and a zodiac would tow us back to the tender to re-board (I think because most people wouldn’t have the strength the haul themselves back into a zodiac). While this was going on, the fishermen were throwing fish the size of sardines into the water to keep the sharks there. They seemed a bit over-enthusiastic as the water was hazy with particles and it felt like swimming in fish soup. So the sharks were often right up against the platform with their mouths near or above the water.
It al ran smoothly and there were probably three whale sharks swimming about, and maybe a different smaller one that swam past the tender so we could watch it from the boat while waiting our turn. We were back on the ship around 9.30am.
After lunch we went ashore to Kwatisore, the village near where the ship was moored. There was a welcome dance and speeches, then a tour. It turned out there’s really only one road; it seems very mountainous everywhere around the bay, so at the foot of the mountains there is only room for a row of houses, then the concrete road, then a row of houses that are partly on stilts over the water. After a couple of hundred meters the hill curved down to the waters edge and the village ended.
When we got back to the middle of the village there was still dancing and Lynn got dragged in to it, but I couldn’t get a clear view for a good photo.
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