Monday 23 August Even more exploring of Niue

Swimming at Avaitaki

Brady, 'is that a snake?'

We had the car until midday so time for one more place of interest, Avaitaki caves 10 minutes north from Alofi town and an easy trip. A short walk down to the water through a large cave with more stalactites and stalagmites formed by permeating water through the centuries. The scape could have been a Disneyland ride it was so perfect. Around the corner from the cave on the sea side was a grotto so perfect it was stunning. We were there at low water so we could walk across the exposed wave cut platform to reach the pool. I kept saying it, because I can't believe it, clear, clear water just begging for you to slip into. It doesn't take much persuading to get us into the water so t-shorts off and mask and snorkels on. On one side we found a shallow swim through from the main pool into a side pool. We disturbed a sea snake that was quietly going about his business of tootling under the rocks. Closer to the fringing reef there was another pool to swim in, this one had groups of fish caught until the next high tide.
Avaitaki was the last 'place of interest' on the list. We'd had the car for 2 ½ days and I think we saw everything on the island which isn't difficult on a bit of land 12 miles long by 6 miles wide.
We finished our Delos / Ghost / Jackster adventure with a sausage sizzle aboard Ghost. Tasty NZ pork sausages with fried onions and baps. Hearty, warming food on a night when temperatures dropped to 26c. We were having so much fun we didn't notice the time. We got home at 1.30am – way past cruisers midnight.