Tuesday, November 22, 2016

Arenui Aristocrats

Wow.  A blank slate.  I’ve been looking forward to this trip for two and a half years.

I’m headed here:

I’ve wanted to take a trip on The Arenui for years.  However, it is so “hoity toity” I was worried that all of the guests would be older more mature people who wouldn’t understand a goofball like me who wanted to do every single dive!

This boat has on board masseurs and a wine list. 

I was at Our World Underwater in 2014 and Michelle Sattler brought Cheryl Mell who brought Rich Woulfe to dinner at Gibson’s before the film festival.  When Rich mentioned that he had the Arenui booked for Thanksgiving 2016, I wanted to know who to send my check to.  This seemed like a really good group.  I was in!

This is new for me.  I usually don’t travel with anyone else from the Chicagoland area.  I am used to going on my own and meeting people there who I may or may not know already.  We’ve actually gotten together several times over the couple of years talking this trip – also something I’m not used to!

The fun part is that Cheryl Mell, Yuvonne Moore and Jeannie Folk (my Chicago travel buddies) are all Beefeaters and also Dinner with Divers peeps.  Deb Crane will be joining us as well from Phoenix (she was my roommate on the Cocos Aggressor and Rosio del Mar in Socorro).  Although Rich Woulfe doesn’t qualify for Beefeaters, he’s got some pretty strong ties to the Chicagoland area and he organized this whole thing.


The life/work balance has been good recently.  I am happy where I am and things aren’t too stressful.  I’ve been swimming every morning at The Union League Club and my social calendar is pretty full.  I can’t complain.

I downloaded a bunch of books and I’m looking forward to reading and watching movies on the flights.  However, if experience is any indicator… I’ll fall asleep as soon as I’m tucked into my seat.  And that’s just fine with me.

I’m a little worried about my underwater photography on this trip.  I had some trouble with my previous set up camera/housing so I’ve bought a new set (I know – “baller move”) but I haven’t proven things out.  I’m also worried that the diving will be more “pass flying” than nudibranch shooting.  It would be terrible if I brought my set up all this way and it sat on the boat (like it did for Socorro).


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