12:00
Our snorkeling excursion, today we are again officially on the road with AIDA, set off punctually at 09:00 to the first beach. With 38 people, all of whom picked up their equipment (snorkels, goggles and fins) the night before at the Diving Station on deck 3, we start in good spirits in the coach to the first bay, where bathing and snorkeling should be possible at the same time. After a short drive through a very well-kept, but small town, past the palace of the Sultan, the first unpleasant surprise is unfortunately waiting for us there. The water, which was crystal clear two weeks ago from the experience of our guides, is more a green soup full of algae than a good opportunity for swimming and snorkeling. What drove us in there, I don’t know in retrospect either. The fine green algae particles really got everywhere and made it impossible to see more than a meter underwater. So the certificate of “combat diver with close combat training” was promised to us by our AIDAaura guide Ronny. But hope dies last, after all, we are now heading to the sport boat harbor in the next bay. From there we are taken by boat to a reef 20-30 minutes away, from which we hope that there are better visibility conditions. We could wash off the algae halfway under the showers, which are available here in an acceptable condition.
15:00
Unfortunately, the algae persisted, which is probably a rare phenomenon, but we hit it again. Nevertheless, the reef was very beautiful and just because of the turtles it was worth going there. But also a lot of colorful, for the European eye extraordinary fish, we meet here. The corals are in good condition. After about three quarters of an hour at the spot, all excursionists return to one of the four boats staying here and we make our way back to the ships together with the group from AIDAstella, who had booked the same trip. At the port there would also be the possibility to shower, but we prefer to rinse the green from skin, hair and clothes in peace on the ship under an extensive and hot shower. So we then also did not use the option to leave the bus at the souk instead of the ship, even though we could have simply left the equipment in the bus. The majority of our group returns to the ship on foot.
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