Well...I went on the Bonaire trip w/ my boyfriend, and it was absolutely amazing. Having only been diving in local quarries, and then a few dives off Oahu last year, I was unprepared for just how TEEMING with life the reefs were off Bonaire. So many different varieties of fish and coral and other marine life. Unfortunately, I had an issue with my underwater camera and will need to get a new one, so all I have are above-ground shots. But the memories are pretty vivid. Among other things, we saw a sea turtle, several spotted eels, a spotted drum, a furry red sea slug, parrot fish galore, a gorgeous school of black and purple tang, and two giant tarpon that followed us on our night dives. I`ll definitely have to go back there someday, or at least keep in mind the fact that there are other diving locations than murky quarries!
Speaking of quarry diving, however, I did finally get to go with Don and Kim (DiveRex and Scubahottie from Divebuddy.com) to Gilboa last weekend, and we had a great time. The new helicopter is pretty cool, even though it`s boarded up on the sides so you can`t swim through it. Not sure what`s up with that. But we did go through the plane, naturally, and saw pretty much everything. It`s a nice quarry; I like it. But I`m looking forward to getting out there and maybe trying a couple new ones at some point. I`ve heard White Star`s not too much further from me, so that might be an option.
The best part, though, of course, is that I went diving with a couple people I met from Divebuddy.com, and no one tried to murder me with an axe, so that`s pretty promising. ;) I look forward to diving with them again.
I think I got something like ten dives over the course of the week in Bonaire, and I got two in this past weekend at Gilboa, so I`m up to 29. At this point I feel pretty confident about my abilities, and am working on honing some things...like trying to curb the urge to use my hands. It`s totally not necessary, as I realize each time I catch myself using them and then link them in front of me to stop it - and then swim much more economically without them. So I think with a little repeition of that I`ll stop using my hands entirely. My buouancy has been pretty much on-target since my first few dives, I`ve finally got most of my own equipment (at this point all I`m renting is the regulator, tank and wetsuit for quarry diving...my Bonaire shortie just wouldn`t do), and I feel at home at 50 feet. I did get certified for the night diving while in Bonaire, and still just need to do my checkout dives for the Diver Stress and Rescue. Then I can think about taking either Wreck Diving or Deep Diving.
Hope everyone else is getting some diving in and having a good time.
Until next time! - Jean