We took the anti-clockwise bus to the snorkel drop-off stop, where we were soon met by Mets and Maddie, two of Ariki’s very pleasant and competent tour guides who explained the basics of swimming with a scooter in the fast-flowing channel to the deeper part of the reef. They carefully described their safety procedures, and outfitted us with good quality masks, snorkels, and flippers. We went into the deeper channel with a 10-adult group of young and middle aged folk, with one guide leading, the other bringing up the rear. Our little scooters, the very latest, dragged us along easily through the current flowing by the coral drop-off. We saw several turtles, including a 90 year old-timer and plenty of colourful fish. One particularly good thing about the tour was that our guides kept us together, never letting us become separated. The scooters gave us extra oomph to skim along with ease and made it a thrilling experience, particularly for people who have snorkelled before. A personal view: I don't think this is appropriate for young children, the elderly or the faint-hearted.