The Plan:
Menai Bay boat cruise
Today we’ll have a full day to cruise scenic Menai Bay by traditional Zanzibari motor boat. Located off the southwestern coast of Zanzibar, Menai Bay is the islands’ largest protected marine area that is home to extensive coral reefs, mangrove forests, sea grasses, and tropical fish. While discovering small islets such as Komunda and Miwi, we may even witness pods of dolphin swimming by. We’ll have the opportunity to swim and snorkel in the warm cerulean waters before a picnic lunch is set up for us on a sand island. Later this afternoon, we’ll have leisure time to relax or explore near our hotel. Dinner is at our lodge this evening.
The Reality was even better. The local boats are Dhow, hand built single mast sailing vessels that have come into the current century only by adding an outboard motor (with wooden tiller) to the back. The instructors, crew, boat, gear and lunch were all provided by the lodge. All that was required of us was to have a good time. You can see the Dhow, the group and the general good time. I’m not posting how everyone looked soaked from diving, snorkeling or wading in from the boat (out to the boat, to the beach, from the beach, to the shore – each just far enough apart to get dry between).
Dolphins –
humpback dolphin
Blue Bottle Jellies
this guy
does this
Our beach where we had lunch
the beach
looking out from the beach
the view from the Dhow
small sand crab
Loading up to come back – and arrival
