@ofthiievery
The water lapped up on the side of the boat as Bas checked his flippers to ensure they were on securely. They dipped their feet in the water and kicked back and forth once or twice, attempting to feel any looseness that might indicate they would slide off while he swam. His anticipation was high. The sky was clear of clouds, which would normally mean he’d be in the field collecting data, however he found an extra few hours of free time that day, by mere coincidence. Searching for something to do, Phineas Schmidt bumped into Bastien and suggested they go snorkeling, knowing full well that Bas was always attempting to occupy his time with some sort of activity. They paid very little for someone to take them a small ways out on a boat where they would equip their gear and jump in. If it was a sketchy arrangement, Bastien didn’t notice, for he was used to completely trusting the good faith of his neighbors to help out when asked.
“If you see a sea turtle, you remember where you have seen it and come to tell me,” Bas called over his shoulder to Phineas. “They are pleasant to watch.” Moving the goggles from their forehead to their eyes, they gave one last word of thanks to their boatman and then slipped into the water.
