Crew Cocktails

The engines started at 5am and we are going to dive two more dives today – the first one starting at 6:30am.

The first dive site didn’t have a strong mooring so we moved to Cathedral and started the dive a little late.

Cole put together a really nice video that we watched after breakfast.  She did a lot of it using a new little device a lot of the divers had called a “Go Pro”.  It shoots both video and still and it only costs like $300 or so.  I was amazed at how good the quality was.

I was so sad during the last dive.  I realize that I already have my next trip planned but still, being underwater is the best.

Jim, the ER nurse got a blister on his toe that got really infected.  I think it’s staph.  It blew up his foot really bad and was even traveling up his leg.  I called it his Fat Bastard foot.  He was hurting and went to the local doctor who gave him some antibiotics.  He didn’t go to dinner with us but is feeling better.  He has such a great attitude.  His luggage was delayed like half the week, his new Go Pro camera flooded and then this infection.  I’d be pissed, but he was just like “whatever”.  I need some of his serenity.

The cocktail hour was fun, they all dressed in their crew uniforms again.  Phil made baked brie and we all socialized a bit.  Then they had awards.  I won the iron diver award for making all 27 dives this week.  (Sidenote – we used to get in trouble for giving out that award… the office thought that if guests knew that there was such an award that they would put pressure on themselves to make all the dives even if they weren’t feeling well.)  Then they had “awards” for those who made it down to the dive deck and didn’t connect their first stage.  Both Dara and Jeremy won that award (and Tac should have as well but they didn’t see him).  Then Robert finished an underwater photography class and Dara passed her Nitrox. Finally, they recognized me passing my 1400 dive milestone.  That’s a lot of dives, but I have logged every one so I do know exactly how many I have. Pretty cool.

After the Happy Hour, we had dinner off the boat at a cute little restaurant where I had fried conch.  It was so good.  I’m going to try to have it one more time before I leave the island!

At night, James told me that during the week the crew got an email that a pillar of the Aggressor Fleet, Pierce, died in his sleep as they were moving one of the boats.  He was well respected and taught Amanda and James all they knew about boating so I guess it hit them pretty hard but they didn’t really show it.  It just goes to show you that you have to live your life to the fullest every day.