Still rocking in Palau

Just when you think things can’t get any better, they do. At least they do here in Palau. Remember that old saying when you were enjoying something, “I’ve died and gone to Heaven”. Well, from now on, I’m thinking, “I’ve died and gone to Palau”. How do you top two great days on the water? You book another snorkel tour with Sam’s Tours. When we showed up on Sunday morning, we learned that we were the only people on the boat (their business is hurting or they never would send a boat out with only two people).
We gave our guide, Jimmy, some simple instructions: we’ve already been to Jellyfish Lake and the Milky Way so just take us to those snorkel spots you think we shouldn’t leave Palau without seeing. Did he ever fill the day with wonder! We hit the German Channel, the Big Drop-off (just as impressive the second time around), the Blue Hole, the Blue Corner, Turtle Cove, the inner reef and finished at Cemetery Reef (this time without crowds). By the time we climbed aboard the boat after Cemetery, we were beat. That’s the most snorkeling we’ve ever done in one day and the sites ranged from great to terrific to awesome.
The German Channel is another drift snorkel but the current is stronger than at the big drop-off. Jimmy drops us off at one spot and tells us the boat will pick us up ‘down there’, just let the current carry us along. As soon as we step off the boat, there’s a 6-8 foot shark just off to my right. Thank god, he’s headed in the opposite direction. I don’t really want to drift along with a shark. A while later, I spot another, slightly smaller shark (4-6 ft.) ahead, on a course perpendicular to mine. The question is ‘who will get to the intersection spot first?’. Slow down, current. The shark wins the race and crosses about six feet in front of me.
The only bad thing about the day is that I don’t have a functioning camera. My camera uses two rechargeable AA batteries and I usually carry a plentiful supply on any trip. For this boat ride, I stupidly decided to rely on the batteries in the camera and took only four spares with me. I took a few pictures at the marina before we left and got a battery warning from the camera. In go the first set of replacements. When we got into the water at the German Channel, I took about four pictures and got another ‘change batteries’ warning. When I went for the third set, I discovered that one had fallen out of my pocket (either in the chair at the hotel or in the bus on the way to the marina). The camera won’t work with one good and one bad battery so no more pictures. Too late to swing by the hotel and get all of those good batteries that are sitting in my camera case. Will I ever learn?
One interesting thing I noted. Without the camera, I probably saw more as I was constantly looking and never had to stop and concentrate on lining up a fish. Sorry but I can’t share my mental pictures with you. Doreen has some good shots which we’ll post.
We rented a car for our last three days and thought we’d drive around and see some of the land area, particularly the large island of Babeldaob. The road was good but the views weren’t as interesting as we’d hoped and the signage was almost non-existant. We missed most of the points of interest we set out to see. Doreen thinks the land tour companies have conspired and exerted political pressure to protect their business. She plans to note her complaint with the Palau Visitors Center. Oh, well, the ocean activities have made this the trip of a lifetime.