Tropical Kayaking in Rarotonga at Muri Lagoon

Today I wake up to a beautiful sunrise. There’s hardly a cloud in the sky and it looks like it’s going to be a gorgeous sunny day which is lovely as most days so far have been quite overcast.

I have been looking forward to trying out my new mask and snorkel so after breakfast I take one of the hotel kayaks and head for the island at the other side of the lagoon. I paddle out towards the reef, but the wind is strong and it’s blowing head on, making paddling very hard work. I battle against the wind it for about 30 mins but only get a few kilometres before deciding to head to the more sheltered waters on the other side of the lagoon.

I paddle around the island and pull my kayak onto the beach feeling very glad I remembered to wear my reef shoes as I notice a stonefish in the shallows. Stonefish spikes inject a poison which can inflict severe pain and can even result in death in severe cases. So, I leave it undisturbed and head further up the beach.

I leave my kayak above the high tide mark, pick up my mask and snorkel and head for the water. This island is used by local lagoon cruise companies who run day trips and set up barbeque on the beautiful sandy beach. They teach visitors about island culture and the local plant life and do coconut demonstrations. There is lively island drumming and ukulele sounds coming from the main part of the beach as two boats have just arrived spilling their contents of excited visitors onto the golden sand.

I avoid this busier area of the beach and wade into the crystal clear waters of the lagoon. There are a few colourful fish which swim in and out of my legs and arms as I move through the water. I didn’t really expect to see much in this spot but it’s so good to be in the water and try out my mask and snorkel making a few small adjustments ready for the highlight of my day - my afternoon adventure - “The Turtle Safari”