Snorteling

From Koh Phangan we set sail to Koh Tao, a smaller island about 2 hours away. Koh Tao is most note-worthy for its excellent scuba diving and beautiful coral reefs. Less noted but equally worthy is the island’s stellar 18-hole mini golf course.

Koh Tao

Instead of diving with a self-contained breathing apparatus we decided to take the snorkel route. I’ve never had any experience snorkeling, except one time in Peter Bender’s bathtub, and the new experience took some getting used to. I used to be a in through the mouth out through the mouth one-way breather. In some health class, I learned about potentially harmful pathogens that float around in the air that our olaf factory can block out but our mouth can’t (it was something like that, who nose.) Ever since then I have practiced to become a conditioned bi-breather. This breathing method significantly reduces snoring as well as one’s ability to snorkel. The band Modest Mouse recorded a top 40 hit entitled “The Osean breathes Salty,” and I did, every time I inadvertently breathed in through my nostrils. Within the first five minutes, I had my daily sodium intake.

We went to five different spots that day, each one more georgeous than the last. By the third spot I was finally accustomed to breathing through the snorkel and experienced a more enjoyable kind of breathtaking. During middle school I remember that I went to pull out a greenish color from one of Crayola’s giant 124 crayon boxes (complete with  an awesome sharpener on the back of the box) and getting “sea foam green.”  I thought Crayola had really gone over board, which apparently they did, right into the sea. Once I submerged my head I saw a whole new world of well over  124 colors, including sea foam green. I could not think of nearly enough adjectives to describe them all.

If I could have done college over, I would have chosen to be a marine biologist. The sea creatures were absolutely stunning. Ohio State pales in comparison to the size of schools I saw in the ocean (thankfully I’m not buck-eyed). Unfortunately we don’t have any photos…yet. We took a waterproof disposal camera but haven’t developed the film yet. Most of you have probably snorkeled somewhere in the ocean before, and know what it’s like. The myriad colors and aquatic life that’s down there was a real sight to sea.  

Ariel made a huge mistake, I can verify that

“Darlin’ it’s better
Down where it’s wetter,
Take it from me”