Manta Ray sinks snorkeling iPhone in Bahama Triangle
A baby Orca (sand sculpture) featured in the last issue of The Weekly Letter. Melika handled the detailed construction work and as she was finishing, a guy in a wet suit (who was carrying a spear gun) walked out of the ocean. He stopped to admire the Orca and then..
“I’m a registered psychic,” he said. “and in your previous life you were a dolphin.”
“Thanks,” is Melika’s reported response, undoubtedly delivered while she was thinking: “But this is an Orca.”
“It’s a good thing that he didn’t show up to see your Bear attacking the snake.” I commented.
This week we flew to the Bahamas with Melika, Tom, Tiger, Arrow and Azelle. A few days before the flight from Los Angeles, American Airlines unilaterally changed the departure from 9AM to 6AM, a change that necessitated an overnight stay at an airport hotel near LAX. Because Tiger had decided to catch a cold, Nazy and I took Arrow and Azelle to the Hilton — which had great deal on an overnight stay and parking.
Following tradition, we missed the departure window needed to ‘beat the traffic’…
“And when, exactly, is that illusive ‘departure window’, Dan?” Nazy interrupts.
“Touché’, my dear.” I replied, aware that, in fact, there is no way to beat the traffic to Los Angeles.
As we got ready to leave, Nazy asked Arrow …
“Do you have to pee?”
“No.” Arrow replied succinctly.
“You do!” Nazy countered. “It is a long drive.”
“He said ‘no’,” I thought. Nazy got him out of the car and let him attempt to pee in the drive way.
“I have to pee,” Azelle claimed. Nazy picked up Azelle and held her over the driveway. Unlike Arrow, she did have to pee. And she did… all over Nazy.
“I have to change.” Nazy noted accurately.
The traffic was, as normal, horrendous, but we eventually made it to the hotel. Nazy and I had dinner with the Arrow and Azelle. Melika, Tom and Tiger arrived later.
We had a quick and smooth flight from LAX to Miami where we had an easy connection for our short flight to the Bahamas. Immigration festivities were well-defined and …
“… slow. Extremely slow,” I thought from the back of an enormous queue. “I’ve watched glaciers move more quickly,” I said.
“That’s because of global warming,” Nazy countered.
“The glaciers are retreating, Nazy. Have you noticed that we creep closer to the immigration desk, the number of people behind us keeps decreasing?”
“Yes. I wonder why that happens.”
“I think they are dying of old age,” I replied. “I hope we get to the control point before we’re last in line.” I thought.
Melika and Tom arranged a stay at the Atlantis Resort on Paradise Island — a facility worthy of Paradise.There were a few foibles… several of the restaurants did not have available bookings until…
“…. August!?” Tom sighed.
The Bahamas are a tropical paradise. We began the adventure in a gargantuan pool that featured waterfalls, splash areas, lots of playful children, a bevy of accommodating parents and me. 
“And your iPhone,” Nazy interrupts.
“My iPhone?”
“The one you kept securely trapped in your swim suit pocket.”
Nazy was, as usual, correct. My iPhone cannot swim. And, as a result of its attempt, it can no linger communicate, navigate or concentrate because..
“… you broke it, Dan,” Nazy reminds us.
“Yeah Dan. That wasn’t smart.” Tiger piles on.
At least I didn’t have to worry about the iPhone when I joined Melika, Tom and their friends on a snorkeling experience in the world’s largest open air aquarium: eight million gallons of sea water, 14 lagoons and more than 50,000 fish.
We saw large sharks, a 9 foot manta ray, several sting rays and many schools of fish. I lost count, so I cannot independently confirm the 50,000 number, but there were a lot more than I have in my home aquarium of 55 gallons.
Nazy watched Tiger, Arrow and Azelle while taking pictures of the expedition. More on adventures ahead — a birthday party, tubing in an angry river, playing with rescue dolphins, swimming in the Caribbean Sea, eating fine cuisine, riding the water slides and winning at the slot machines — all topics in the next edition of The Weekly Letter.
For last week's letter, please click here
Azelle, Melika and Nazy
At Atlantis, Bahamas