![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/a0cb73edb43d1329e44146c1f57c542d/9cf050e0-b84b-4b0c-a441-50772d750c32_rw_3840.jpg?h=5c0e3e41a96a75811073a9b92f2f10cf)
Sunset from our Hotel Balcony
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/a0cb73edb43d1329e44146c1f57c542d/8acf7039-71c3-40f0-b56f-cbd8c97700f2_rw_3840.jpg?h=4b493b0923edb3bd3d2c7cf31d44e5b5)
Tara enjoying the balcony
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/a0cb73edb43d1329e44146c1f57c542d/858ec796-f584-4006-a215-c8c704b1ca78_rw_3840.jpg?h=e3db465a07472c3b331dd43d0033d858)
Tara enjoying the sunset
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/a0cb73edb43d1329e44146c1f57c542d/52c16c5e-2729-4835-a622-2c40ca72352b_rw_3840.jpg?h=b5fc6a38f92ab6bcc53017df4b930e37)
Tara enjoying the wine at ile aux Canards in Anse Vata Bay across from our Hotel, before heading into the water to test the camera!
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/a0cb73edb43d1329e44146c1f57c542d/23edb89e-a841-4a21-9d4f-92a03e5020c7_rw_1920.jpg?h=e658943f90d1f53da3d81cbc5da07b4a)
How's this for a first shot!
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/a0cb73edb43d1329e44146c1f57c542d/d3319dfc-7ec0-4cd9-a194-6e2b817fb2f3_rw_3840.jpg?h=e73eca49ea5512d1a476a2ccf4a0595d)
Some fish
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/a0cb73edb43d1329e44146c1f57c542d/7730e553-7af3-48fd-80d1-10819d78848a_rw_1920.jpg?h=58faa28abc09b1d3fd947781e6c59e96)
Tara and some fish
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/a0cb73edb43d1329e44146c1f57c542d/31c3ca47-11d2-4f57-926e-0cfa0dee08d2_rw_3840.jpg?h=ecfb8568b21dcb64452d4087395420cd)
Fish reflecting in the surface of the water
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/a0cb73edb43d1329e44146c1f57c542d/6b2ba9bc-7725-471a-9a66-9ab7bd050608_rw_3840.jpg?h=9fff39f8ed00a7ae7097c2936be943ed)
Black and white fish
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/a0cb73edb43d1329e44146c1f57c542d/82b75053-4204-4bd7-85e5-158731c0a36e_rw_3840.jpg?h=0bf4a79e29be3ed848475406ea78801e)
Confused fish
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/a0cb73edb43d1329e44146c1f57c542d/961b4078-85d5-4cdf-a6cc-0c521247eae1_rw_1920.jpg?h=96ee1f41779b845dc31833f6c160934e)
Fish checking me out
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/a0cb73edb43d1329e44146c1f57c542d/55542fe1-6fe7-4ba0-8cf0-1922ef1e2fa4_rw_3840.jpg?h=aab55f96e1f00e07b04417e5b0894a7a)
Tara diving
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/a0cb73edb43d1329e44146c1f57c542d/8ae85e9b-3dc7-40ef-a485-8c9bbe91f6cb_rw_3840.jpg?h=953c5b797ba105e3210bd9a3298ac138)
Many small fish in coral
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/a0cb73edb43d1329e44146c1f57c542d/bd8b9203-f2dd-4c39-8499-fe6a92d44e66_rw_3840.jpg?h=0a69472c647fb3e013ef41cee59d647c)
A different fish
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/a0cb73edb43d1329e44146c1f57c542d/679796d7-264b-43e8-afca-f100c8a3638f_rw_1920.jpg?h=df2bd59aa3e3bdaa5b4013bf1f4ff2b3)
Tara diving
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/a0cb73edb43d1329e44146c1f57c542d/6acbc3b2-a259-472f-b286-07785e1a8b99_rw_3840.jpg?h=1f7452dba4e38c529e974decb0ba17f3)
Colourful fish
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/a0cb73edb43d1329e44146c1f57c542d/c0e272f8-990b-4d5e-96dd-aad8fbc759ec_rw_3840.jpg?h=f61490717076e66f9ac040adfd6364df)
These were cool fish
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/a0cb73edb43d1329e44146c1f57c542d/891843d5-58c0-4466-8291-fba21d7dad9c_rw_3840.jpg?h=c023ee542f4176ca1db2a25433554f46)
A mixture of fish
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/a0cb73edb43d1329e44146c1f57c542d/a1784f02-631f-48c2-bae0-c351c4273d06_rw_3840.jpg?h=49ef4de9ba7f4f4b8d0140a6ceb2664e)
More confused fish
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/a0cb73edb43d1329e44146c1f57c542d/cc900c3a-377e-4aa1-8170-308c2bc765ff_rw_3840.jpg?h=f598b24ecc4bed35ed4ddc68a2684a6b)
Some other fish
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/a0cb73edb43d1329e44146c1f57c542d/af53d802-d948-4f19-a6ba-bf1435a1f4ba_rw_1920.jpg?h=3a21e43a5947c8be8ec24a92476d93eb)
Love the colour of this coral
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/a0cb73edb43d1329e44146c1f57c542d/ed5306ec-11e3-48d5-a1d9-15a740317bd2_rw_3840.jpg?h=a64449379a853941fbc63b897ea96ef7)
These little fish kept trying to hide from me behind the sign
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/a0cb73edb43d1329e44146c1f57c542d/05e2024b-94b9-44ad-865f-cfe854900ef0_rw_3840.jpg?h=45db5c9ebbd3bbad5a6062ab40d16d15)
There they go!
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/a0cb73edb43d1329e44146c1f57c542d/098e74cf-65f3-4619-aa68-efc3eae230dc_rw_3840.jpg?h=16647c6f27a2b9c06272c5c1f6d14acc)
Are they the same or different to these fish
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/a0cb73edb43d1329e44146c1f57c542d/4d3dee9a-7e3d-475b-a84c-98748dd875ae_rw_3840.jpg?h=1895991d7a97a080c5b498da2f24adfb)
So cool!
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/a0cb73edb43d1329e44146c1f57c542d/8424c5ad-93da-490f-b7e3-90356d649a45_rw_1920.jpg?h=1a3ae81c0c4b22fefebd8ed9f9736038)
The only shark we saw the whole time!
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/a0cb73edb43d1329e44146c1f57c542d/95e818d4-6f91-460c-ae68-6758b1dcb04f_rw_3840.jpg?h=db4db05718cafda787ca877633e15f17)
Another great sunset from out balcony
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/a0cb73edb43d1329e44146c1f57c542d/ed5cd63b-00e0-473c-9e43-87ae06e76dda_rw_3840.jpg?h=00c718b13bdc769788d06fce929a49d0)
Off to Ilot Signal with Coconut Taxi's, this was after I stopped being sick from being hungover... Thanks to the lovely receptionist at our hotel for putting in some calls and making this happen as it was a goal for us and nearly didn't happen despite all our careful planning. It's harder to find information about these boats than you'd think, particularly when your french is as bad as mine!
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/a0cb73edb43d1329e44146c1f57c542d/f0876ddf-d3d6-48a9-bf32-ce5991a504b2_rw_3840.jpg?h=4cc5edb4943a51ade5871db789d1aa29)
Ilot Signal - 90% chance of seeing turtles!
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/a0cb73edb43d1329e44146c1f57c542d/2ba60400-f8b8-4a8b-8eac-81311e8baf96_rw_3840.jpg?h=29b9f90bbc32de8986c0a5b607b395e8)
Walking around the Island
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/a0cb73edb43d1329e44146c1f57c542d/44e20b8f-a9a6-490d-91f4-17f7545119ce_rw_3840.jpg?h=32ec8523eb64a2788f5cc8c12f4e3e17)
I like this approach to the boardwalk and the vegetation
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/a0cb73edb43d1329e44146c1f57c542d/e047106c-b193-4864-9cc1-aca6a7c8c390_rw_3840.jpg?h=0062fb05bb72cf33790994ea4253d098)
Mangrove
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/a0cb73edb43d1329e44146c1f57c542d/4a2d8c95-ea84-4969-b1d2-0e6537e27c50_rw_3840.jpg?h=51faa7cd1fd985b143fed51762a28ec4)
Cactus
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/a0cb73edb43d1329e44146c1f57c542d/c2fdab07-f4ae-4b04-be30-3266dfb715ab_rw_3840.jpg?h=31dd90102e496f6e67580fcd366ac717)
Bird trying to drink our wine, this island really had it all.
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/a0cb73edb43d1329e44146c1f57c542d/452b7295-3041-4e0b-926b-6003a3729794_rw_3840.jpg?h=1d1534bdbfab19a3f15bea783131b7bb)
We shared the island with no more than a dozen people, we were the only ones who didn't speak french and we had this little bay to ourselves all day.
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/a0cb73edb43d1329e44146c1f57c542d/08cebaca-8a2e-4ff4-b526-64369a6323f1_rw_3840.jpg?h=1799362ba11e788ba31bfe0f56e9262d)
TURTLE! Coming up for air, not a bad first shot!
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/a0cb73edb43d1329e44146c1f57c542d/0159c04b-a380-4d97-bd0a-e7ed9c800bb9_rw_3840.jpg?h=b9d2d58d65f26e5ade64117cbc0b30cb)
Yeh there's many many photos of the turtle! - close up
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/a0cb73edb43d1329e44146c1f57c542d/f4e0e054-b740-4d86-a891-8db341571e4c_rw_3840.jpg?h=5dca0fc21295ac5a9606bfb894926b19)
Turtle swimming
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/a0cb73edb43d1329e44146c1f57c542d/cf36088d-a3f3-4e1c-80cc-04ff61e9e9a8_rw_3840.jpg?h=f6e690324204cd4374c12638c0af68c1)
Tara and the turtle
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/a0cb73edb43d1329e44146c1f57c542d/e9457279-7699-428b-89a8-edf0e0246bcc_rw_3840.jpg?h=ea7b6e54bcb82cdd819ab5b9f254730a)
Tara looking smooth while diving
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/a0cb73edb43d1329e44146c1f57c542d/b86a9bd3-745a-4b6d-82fe-c06e142c793e_rw_3840.jpg?h=765c28d94f40e96f1d0ada58906d9e7f)
The water was beautiful, the sunburn less so.
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/a0cb73edb43d1329e44146c1f57c542d/ffa403e5-c19c-4650-ab56-ac48668ddd27_rw_3840.jpg?h=0992fa03ad7f2c145612b5cbe2a52dcc)
My favourite fish again.
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/a0cb73edb43d1329e44146c1f57c542d/7fd9de56-1ea0-4eca-bf33-e9eb4f23ad16_rw_3840.jpg?h=9d8389876e5d06925dd54962b8a8f17f)
Tara in our bay
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/a0cb73edb43d1329e44146c1f57c542d/97f1e4a6-2aa9-484e-9a7e-c41575b02892_rw_3840.jpg?h=9d8787b42b834a7a958bb26f6b24b34b)
Me in our bay.
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/a0cb73edb43d1329e44146c1f57c542d/2b23bcc6-2772-46ca-b15c-5d37157ac7c6_rw_3840.jpg?h=d933f684caab0f41744e182509d2f679)
Better photo of Tara and the turtle
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/a0cb73edb43d1329e44146c1f57c542d/96be4ac4-5c55-4dfb-bd16-daa0abc8824e_rw_3840.jpg?h=30441409f7cfe8416af36c8d34d14aeb)
Turtle feeding, they literally didn't seem to care we were there.
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/a0cb73edb43d1329e44146c1f57c542d/befe8f88-1b01-4554-8d72-732770e1a3d6_rw_3840.jpg?h=9553742b1f3e66b9b44db22ee2ad4dd8)
Tara and the turtle 3
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/a0cb73edb43d1329e44146c1f57c542d/ae1b7085-b4cd-481f-aec9-3a2a9cae0527_rw_3840.jpg?h=a40a07b8eb391356816a460b105c6ada)
Tara and the turtle 4. Look at that cute face, the turtle... not Tara!
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/a0cb73edb43d1329e44146c1f57c542d/2f2ea348-c69c-4882-b7f3-e9e394527e1d_rw_3840.jpg?h=f7f34f151298612a61ea5b2a8f3320d4)
Close up
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/a0cb73edb43d1329e44146c1f57c542d/cbff5a9b-9b81-4b03-8415-484672d29a6d_rw_3840.jpg?h=2740c21f5d0b183de1017b677742046c)
I think this might be the shot of the trip.
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/a0cb73edb43d1329e44146c1f57c542d/21824a84-8cbf-4320-89c9-ebb6d73cfda1_rw_1920.jpg?h=6150a802a7f896907324f4246576d5a5)
Giraffe fish?
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/a0cb73edb43d1329e44146c1f57c542d/a46aac4b-30e8-4760-8a1e-183cf5ab71cf_rw_3840.jpg?h=4fed7405cecb737b1934e696fee4da00)
A different fish
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/a0cb73edb43d1329e44146c1f57c542d/069031c0-fc90-498f-8007-d80243b55d71_rw_1920.jpg?h=342931206652016b2361b3c441549f70)
This grumpy sucker kept attacking us.
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/a0cb73edb43d1329e44146c1f57c542d/b9760313-61f9-4819-b876-c9cde7c7a08d_rw_1920.jpg?h=96c14e5506b34ae286126d5c1503d2e5)
Blending in fish
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/a0cb73edb43d1329e44146c1f57c542d/135efed9-6508-4f8d-9a6e-72ec431628f7_rw_3840.jpg?h=da778c578efd438c05dbd2b4f515ccd0)
Also blending in fish
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/a0cb73edb43d1329e44146c1f57c542d/bf75c23f-ca7a-43a2-aeb1-70f73023837f_rw_1920.jpg?h=1ef2cfe936037a9d6dbf0635161f3cb6)
Turtle coming up for air from above the water, you have no idea how many goes it took me to get this shot!
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/a0cb73edb43d1329e44146c1f57c542d/d7406b4c-0272-426f-9f4c-4067eb12bb76_rw_3840.jpg?h=a846c0ef5bb13fc4788f9c8b1560fcb9)
Going back down to feed after getting air
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/a0cb73edb43d1329e44146c1f57c542d/7a135259-8579-4057-a781-ccac608ba938_rw_3840.jpg?h=60141476e03de16b3a9ce2e6c741bf26)
More fish
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/a0cb73edb43d1329e44146c1f57c542d/bfc37984-5c44-4599-8e66-fcb5c9b472c9_rw_3840.jpg?h=63d7b451c2bc0e1903ea3ac973863ead)
I mean seriously he would swim hard and fast at me to the point I'd flinch and he full on swam into Tara's leg!
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/a0cb73edb43d1329e44146c1f57c542d/498ec97a-808b-4fd1-ad31-007190adf5e5_rw_3840.jpg?h=e08b9bbc373e55d45a890261ffb3d234)
Underwater selfie, the bubbles hide my selfie concentration face very nicely!
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/a0cb73edb43d1329e44146c1f57c542d/b24a3791-579e-4262-8c60-18a3c4e5d3b6_rw_3840.jpg?h=6e90a0e0c4bdd082f70937088d2c013f)
Diving into Baie des Citrons. Credit Tara
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/a0cb73edb43d1329e44146c1f57c542d/dd426522-34ac-487b-907a-5577f60e9fa5_rw_3840.jpg?h=ac9fb7484ea596cddbcd22407b9c43c1)
Tara selfie, she was a lot happier to be out here in day light. Several days earlier I made us swim out to the pontoon in the dark while drunk and there were most definitely sharks, not that we saw them. In the light today I got my exercise by swimming some laps between the pontoons. Some teenagers did warn me about a shark, possibly a white one? not that I saw anything. Credit Tara
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/a0cb73edb43d1329e44146c1f57c542d/d478c653-158a-4710-a5f9-07f936ee38d3_rw_1920.jpg?h=78fcd19666282527a9ccfd1ed8f55028)
Me diving. Credit Tara
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/a0cb73edb43d1329e44146c1f57c542d/c86c0f2c-1af2-4bc0-94bb-09ab1f34e83c_rw_3840.jpg?h=f0349aaadb1c7b97dced1f73d140f360)
Underwater selfie
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/a0cb73edb43d1329e44146c1f57c542d/03403a72-b82c-4de3-a02c-5504d2d6b5a1_rw_3840.jpg?h=c944c62e37d9401f4e2139e643ff0cd9)
Baie des Citrons
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/a0cb73edb43d1329e44146c1f57c542d/f335763b-c4aa-4541-86d2-ace24a8d57a7_rw_3840.jpg?h=c8223bc3dbdb90abba49e6db8d28821d)
Sand ridges
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/a0cb73edb43d1329e44146c1f57c542d/9d008b93-50f9-4bff-a107-166334838aaa_rw_3840.jpg?h=93028815ca49ff8fee043eeb5ffeddf6)
A final selfie. The next day was Tara's birthday, we boarded our flight home, got diverted to Wellington, only got given a small thing of ice cream for lunch, flew back to Auckland and stood in a very long que, thus missing birthday drinks in Koru as well as our flight south. Luckily managed to get a last minute standby, so still made home for work the next day. Thanks heaps to James and Emily for making an extra trip to pick us up from the airport.
P.S and no my tan lines still haven't faded!