We’re going to try a different adventure today, a hike over to Toucari Bay, north of the Cabrits, following the path of the Waitikubuli National Walking Trail. All told the trail has 14 segments and is 184 km long – the middle 3 sections 8, 9 and 10 are supposed to be very tough, even requiring overnight in the bush. I’d like to do the whole trail during my lifetime – let’s start with half of part 14. This section is actually the last numerically and the little bay of Toucari is about half of it.
We set off near the old abandoned hotel down a path we saw from the Fort Shirly walk yesterday. It’s a bit muddy but OK and after about a km or so drops us on the beach in Douglas Bay. Walk the beach past the Intercontinental Hotel (swanky, but looks pretty quiet) then on to the main road and up across the headland into Toucari Bay. The top of the headland goes through Savanne Paille which appears to be about the most affluent neighbourhood we’ve seen. Very nice houses with great views, though we know they are on top of a big hill with a steep cliff to the water, no getting to the ocean without going back to Douglas Bay or ahead to Toucari.
The road is pretty steep up and down but not bad. Have to deke out of the rain once or twice.
Walk down into pretty little Toucari Bay where the weather is not great. We’ve brought our snorkel gear but it’s overcast and cool, sometimes raining so we decide to hang out in the very cute “Keepin it Real” bar. Kubuli beer for Christy, water for me.
Christy is trying to convince me to go snorkeling but I am not very interested. She makes a fake sneezing noise with a “Wuss!” underneath and the young couple beside us at the beach bar say “Bless you, though that was not much of a sneeze”. “No, I was calling him a wuss”.
I defend my position, the girl, Taylor (I think) is fairly supportive and Joey 100%. They are two Texans and we get along great, they are staying at the posh Intercontinental we saw earlier and are getting married here tomorrow! We’re like-minded in every way and have a great hour or so talking about life and travels.
Eventually I can duck the snorkeling no longer so walk to the south end of the beach and enter the ocean.
It’s OK. I have the GoPro and take once video of an angel fish. Don’t see much of anything else. Might be better on the north side where there appears to be a reef but it’s getting late and even Christy has had enough.
Back to Keepin’ it Real where our Texan friends have departed. They told us the lobster was really good so Christy’s mouth has been watering for 45 minutes. The owner tells us it’s going to be 45 minutes to an hour to get fed as a large table just placed an order. There’s about 6 of them, not that large but we appreciate the info anyway. Off we go to the Almond Tree restaurant further to the south which also looked good.
It’s not bad, we order a couple of burgers and soda waters. A NY woman and her husband behind us start of a conversation and we exchange stories. They have been swimming with the whales for US$1000 each but said it was a bucket list item for them and totally worth it. We’d like to try it but that might be out of our price range. Maybe we’ll see them with Milu.
They (at least she) is very woke – “We’re not too happy with our countrymen, except those wonderful people in Minnesota”. Riiiiight. We say nothing. They’re quite cordial though and very interested in our lives we have a nice chat. Finally I ask if they wouldn’t mind giving us a ride back to PAYS, they’re going that way – staying at the Pickard cottages near where Scott and Carol were. They are happy to do so and we’re happy to accept. 10 minutes later they drop us at the PAYS dock where we say fond farewells, collect our dinghy and scoot back to Milu, just before dark, just before another rain storm.