Day 7 - A free day in Mozambique

Today we had a lie in until 8am, we had a fry up for breakfast and then got ready to head out for an ocean safari. 

We went to the dive shop and signed in collecting our snorkel, flippers and mask and had our briefing. There were 8 of us from the trip and a family of four who were also from the UK but were living in Mozambique for work. We headed into the beach and were told we had to help to put the boat in the water. Women on one side and men on the other. Pleased to say the women won in pushing the boat round to face the water. We then had to push the Large zodiac into the water up to chest height and then pull ourselves into the boat. Needless to say all grace and pride went out the window as we all looked like seals flopping about as we pulled ourselves in. We headed off on our safari in the hope to swim with dolphins. 10 mins in and we spotted 2 dolphins swimming next to the boat, within touching distance. We were all told to jump in quickly, which we did, but weren’t quick enough. Within second the dolphins had disappeared. The tour guide made some dolphin noises in the water to try and attract them but with no luck. We got back into the boat (more flipping) and spent some more time looking for them. By this point the water had got really choppy so the skipper decided to take us to a reef for us to snorkel about as both whales and dolphins had decided not to come and play. We all got back in the water but within 10 mins everyone was struggling with swimming against the current. Most of us made it back to the boat (me included) but a couple were really struggling so the boat had to go and fetch them. It was decided to head back as it was too choppy to continue. One man was being sick over the side of the boat as we pulled up back onto shore. They cancelled the remaining boat tours that day! 

We decided to treat ourselves to some beer to celebrate not drowning and spent a good few hours watching the waves and whales and enjoying the weather on the roof top bar with the Skipper and his colleague who were very knowledgeable and told us all about the sharks in the waters and the strangest things they have seen whilst living in Ponta Malongane, including a hippo swimming in the sea and having to rescue a drowning deer from the middle of the ocean with absolutely no idea how he would have got there. 

We walked into town for lunch and befriended a puppy who kept us entertained for a few hours, more beers were drunk and then we headed back to the campsite for more drinks and dinner. I couldn’t put it off any longer and had to have a shower with no hot water and shared my cubicle with two geckos who stared at me continually until I had finished!!!