France 2010 - Snorkling Safari, Banyuls-sur-mer

After breakfast we set off westwards along the coast to investigate the nearby town of Banyuls-sur-mer and its’ Oceanic University.  There is an aquarium situated within the University and the coastline around the area is a protested marine reserve run and monitored by the university.   No boats or divers are allowed so as to preserve the underwater environment.  There is however a ‘Snorkelling Safari’ area which we wanted to investigate further...

Banyuls-sur-mer

We parked the car and walked to the beach grabbing some patisseries on route.  When we reached the sea front we could see the university at the one end of the beach so we made our way in that direction.  We walked past the marina and watched fish darting in and out of the boats.  On reaching the Oceanic University we checked out the opening times of the aquarium and we would pop in another day when we had more time as today we were on a mission to find the elusive ‘Snorkelling Safari’.  We took a walk out to a rocky peninsula near the university, still looking for this safari area and were able to see even more fish swimming round but still no designated snorkelling area.

The rocky outcrop near the Oceanic University where we were watching the fish swimming in the clear waters of the Mediterranean.

We were beginning to give up hope of finding the ‘Snorkel Safari’ when on our way back along the side of the harbour we passed a small information centre for the University.  We went in to ask where we could find the ‘Snorkelling Safari’.  The guy explained we would have to drive further down the coast almost to the Spanish border.  He handed us a leaflet on our way out, explaining the Snorkelling Safari.  Leaflet in hand we returned to the car and headed up the coast about 10 miles.  We followed a few rough old signs down a winding path to a small stony beach and parked the car.  We made our way down to the beach where there was a small cabin where some university staff, were hiring out flippers and masks.  Me and Dyl got fitted out with some flippers, etc. and headed down to the beach. 



The beach where we went on the 'Snorkeling Safari' with the little white hut where we hired our flippers, etc.

OMG.  What a comedy moment.  We eventually made it into the water like a pair of clowns and spent the next 10 minutes trying to get the flippers on and get deep enough, into the sea so we could actually swim.  Once in and swimming the sights of the fish were amazing.  It was like swimming in an aquarium through small shoals of little fish and other larger fish swimming up to you to have a look.  I spent nearly an hour in the water when I started to feel the cold as I didn’t have a wet suit.  I swam back and clambered out of the water.

Dyl Snorkeling.

Dyl on the other hand had stupidly tried climbing out onto the rocks which were covered with barnacles.  He then took off his flippers thinking he could walk across the rocks.  Oh

how wrong he was… 

When I eventually managed to waddle and roll out of the water onto the pebbles like a beached whale I found out that Dyl had cut his foot to shreds on the rocks and was sat waiting on the beach with blood all over his foot.

This was the first of a number of incidents involving Dyls’ foot.

I took flippers, etc. back to the kiosk and Pug carried Dyl to the car so we could get him back to the villa to dress his wound.

We then spent the rest of the day and evening at the villa. 

I slow cooked a delicious pork and red pepper casserole for dinner which we ate outside on the patio by candle light looking out over the beautiful Mediterranean sea with the Pyrenees mountains behind.