Nudi Gal: Move Like Melting

Today we had two great morning dives... although super shallow again. So much so that I really don't want to pay an extra $30/day for Nitrox. There is no benefit. So I switched to air and reset both dive computers.

At lunch, I gave Gary my rubber chicken since he was showing so much interest in the crocodile squeaky toy. I explained the concept of Chicken Stu to him... and the fact that our group is so responsible ,we really don't need it.

We went back to the same area for two afternoon dives... no night dive today. I'm good with that. So basically we dove the same-ish dive site for four dives today.

On the afternoon dive, the guides were attaching the crocodile and chicken stu to different divers without them knowing. Squeaky toys everywhere.

There is this crazy old Filipino song called Pamela 1 "doo doo doo doo doot", Pamela 2... and all staff members remember it and keep singing it to me. Lee Ann described the lyrics as a silly sexy song.

[Intro]
Let's play
One, who's betting
Two, come on in
Three, four
Pamela one, pamela-mela one
Pamela two, pamela-mela two
Pamela three, pamela-mela three
Pamela four, pamela-mela four
[Hook]
Pamela one, move your body
Pamela two, move like this
Pamela three, it's tickling
Pamela four, imitate F4
[Chorus]
Dance, move like melting
Shake, beg like you're going deaf
Just don't give your head a headache

Everyone keeps commenting about my relief zipper. They think it is funny at first and then they really want one. I keep sending them to look at Sea Gods wetsuits.

We saw a HUGE group of Doto ussi hiding in some fire coral… which is super weird because they are usually on hydroids. The guides also moved a couple of them off of the habitat for better photos, which I don't necessarily like.

On the last dive of the day I found an Elysia marginata up on a rock and thought I should snoot it. So I set that up, but the snoot strobe was still attached to the arm. Meh, I didn't do great. So I decided to take the snoot all the way off. That was better. Then JR came along and asked if he could help. I enthusiastically handed him my strobe. These shots were awesome AND another slug came into frame and I got snooted mating photos!

During that dive I also realized I forgot to mount camera correctly in the housing. It still worked mostly, just during the snoot session, I couldn't always get the shutter to click.

It got so dark that at the end of the dive I was using my black light torch to light up the coral. We had to surface at a certain time though so that the boat could get back to the resort before sunset. They don't have any running lights for nighttime. Yikes!

Gary had some beer brought on the boat for a little celebration but I don't think anyone drank one except him.

At dinner I sat with the Aussie crew. There was a delicious raw fish starter and Karen and I asked for seconds. We shared stories and book recommendations.

Gary thinks we are at 100 species overall. My count is 51 now.

42 - Hypselodoris decorata