Nudi Gal: PB & Banana

Because I slept so much yesterday, I got up and started drinking coffee and looking through my photos.

The schedule is so weird because we don't really do anything in the morning, then we dive at 2:30pm, 6pm and one more... probably at 8pm-ish. So there isn't really dinner when we get back. Just a sandwich. I am totally fine with that. Especially because Indonesia has the best bananas. And they have peanut butter and white bread, so viola... that's a great meal for me.

The afternoon dives could be good for my 60mm lens and my MiniFlash strobes but it's too much work (and room for error) to switch daily. I am going to dive with the 30mm lens and the Atom strobes in my afternoon dives. I feel like I need the practice anyway. I doubt I am going to pull out the diopter or snoot while I am here. I'll most likely save that until Alor. I mean, unless I get bored.

Our third diver Bryan showed up at breakfast. He is a really nice guy who was supposed to come on the Blackwater Cozumel week. We know many of the same people.

I tried to sleep late morning/early afternoon but I really couldn't do it. I hope I'm fine this afternoon and evening.

The afternoon dive was right next to a boat. I seem to remember diving it in 2017. It was messy down there and so many nudis... TWENTY distinct species and one I have never seen before! I found a black frogfish on my own too that I don't think anyone else saw.

Oh, and we had a blue ring octopus.

I did yearn for my 60 mm lens though. Everything I shot seemed far away and flat. I guess I could try to get more creative with the 30 mm but I didn't change my settings too much.

I came back from the afternoon dive and housekeeping still hadn't made up my room. I think Blackwater totally messes up their routine with both cleaning and meals. I'll ask.

Tonight there are two boats going out for blackwater. Our boat will be doing two dives. The other has some newbies and Clara who gets to cold to handle two dives... so they will only be doing one.

Sam confirmed: we will also be getting peanut butter sandwiches for dinner in between the two dives. I ordered mine with bananas and Linda got hers with jam. High class baby. I guess we can also get noodles if we get sick of peanut butter. But the bananas are so good here. I am fine with it.

For both blackwater dives, I had my own guide: Risman. He kept me busy.

Turns out, I only ate half of the PB & Banana sandwich. I just wasn't feeling all that hungry. During the surface interval I asked everyone where they went to their first concert. I got some good answers! Frank Sinatra. The Who. A festival in Leeds. And mine was INXS at The Meadowlands. Then I fell asleep as we were waiting to enter. Twice.

On the second blackwater dive, my focus light was running out of battery. That sucks. I either need to use the lesser setting or change batteries in between blackwater dives. I really don't want to do that!

Back to the purpose of this blog... the Nudi Count:

1 - Phyllidia varicosa