The three adults and one child paddled their kayak toward the reef.
Flora Bloom handed everyone a small bucket, then climbed out of the kayak first and stepped onto the reef.
The sprawling reef was a mosaic of deep and light colors, a combination of dark gray rock and massive coral formations. The surfaces were coarse, with some edges sharp enough to cut. Flora Bloom was about to hand out cut-resistant gloves, but she saw that Irvin Holden, Cynthia Grant, and Caleb had already split up to search the dark crevices under the rocks. Caleb was tagging along with Cynthia Grant, pointing at various pockmarked holes and urging her to reach inside. And amazingly, she actually pulled out a swimming crab.
Except the swimming crab came out pinching Cynthia Grant's finger, making her shriek in pain. Caleb and a nearby Irvin Holden doubled over with laughter.
"Flora, water! I'm hurt!" Cynthia Grant yelled to Flora Bloom, holding up her hand to show her.
