I said yesterday that I was at scuba camp, and I really am. My room looks like a cabin.
See – cabin. Outside that door is a balcony that sits right over the water, as does the entire building.
Being over the water doesn’t prevent bugs from getting in, I guess.
There are special precautions one has to take with the sewer system here. Apparently even toilet paper isn’t safe to include, so there’s a trash bin just for that. I like this sign, however. I’ve seen other, less descriptive (and therefore more cryptic) signs elsewhere.
This morning they oriented us to the dive procedures and took those of us new to the resort out on an orientation dive. The latter served a couple of purposes. First, it allowed them, as operators, to get the sense of all of us as divers. Second, it gave us the chance to learn the basic terrain out front, as there is unlimited opportunity for shore diving here.
I didn’t take my camera on this dive, but I think I was the only one to see two moray eels sticking their heads out of a crevice in the coral.
In the afternoon we took our first boat dive to La Ventana al Valle (translation: The Window to the Valley). Once again, they have maps to orient us to the underwater terrain, and I am again struggling to orient myself.
I’m also struggling with the camera again, and I intend not to let it get to me. So what if the picture of the seahorse didn’t come out great – I’ll see another.
This guy was very cool, however, hiding as he was in the sand.
And the eagle rays are always spectacular.
I ended the dive with a sinus headache, so declined the drop-off dive (as did most people on the boat) and headed in for an afternoon on my hammock. I’m still trying to figure out how to safely exit the hammock – I’ve almost fallen repeatedly, so it may not be possible.
Spending the afternoon dozing over the ocean, lulled to sleep by the rhythm of the sea, certainly isn’t terrible.
In the evening, the areas around the dock are teeming with ocean life. Lobsters are everywhere. And this little blue octopus came out to play right outside of my balcony.
Life is good.
butterblogger 