Planning

Reefgliders in Roatan, Honduras has accepted me into their Dive Master internship program.  I will be living there for 3 months.  Here's a typical day:

7:30(ish)am

The dive center opens at 8am so we all meet for coffee and breakfast before opening "officially". Half an hour or so of relaxing over a much needed caffeine hit and a local breakfast is enough to get us all ready for another day working in paradise.

8:00am

OK, enough chatting and pigging our faces— its time to get the dive center ready for another day. Sweep the floors (why is there always so much sand?), feed Molly the shop cat, turn on the computers, t.v.'s etc. and put on some music.
Now we check the daily schedule to see what's going on today. One boat is off to Spooky Channel at 9am with a group of qualified divers and the other is being used for classes this morning. One of the instuctors will spend an hour with students in the classroom watching videos and is then off to Half Moon Bay for Open Water confined sessions 1 to 3.
So everyone starts getting equipment ready for their respective boats and classes. Some of the divers have their own gear stored in the equipment room and some of them are renting gear from the dive center. Tanks are checked to make sure they have 3000 PSI and weight belts are assembled (does that tiny lady really need 18lb to get down?). Check to see whether we have any customers diving with us for the first time— if so, get the paperwork ready for them when they arrive.

8:30am

Customers and students start to arrive at the dive center. Greet them all by name (yes it can be hard remembering them all when its busy and why does everyone always seem to be called Richard— even the women!!) and point them in the direction of their equipment. Keep an eye on them whilst they are assembling their gear in case they need any help.

8:55am

Its time to get everyone on the boat so help the boat captain load the gear whilst making sure eveyone signs the boat roster for the 9am dive.

9:00am

We're off! El Aguila shipwreck is about 15 minutes away so enjoy the ride and have a laugh with the customers on the way.

9:15am

Just arrived at the site so its time to get everyone in the water. Make sure everyone has the right equipment and is putting it on correctly. Pay special attention to novice divers and look for signals that someone may be feeling a bit apprehensive about the dive.

9:25am

In the water, just completed the buddy checks and its time to go down! Explore the shipwreck and swim with massive groupers and moray eels whilst monitoring your divers. Is anyone having difficulty with their buoyancy? If so, lend a hand! Maybe they are under-weighted or maybe they aren't releasing enough air out of their BCD.

10:15am

Just completed the 3 minute safety stop at 15ft/5m and its time to ascend from another great dive. On the surface ensure that everyone is OK and make sure they inflate their BCD's. Help them take off their equipment and get them all safely on the boat.

10:30am

Like clockwork we're back at the dive center and everyone can grab a rest, a snack and a soda. Whilst the customers are chilling out for a while we swap the tanks of those who are going out on the next dive and help the new customers get geared up.

11:30am

We're off to the next dive site. West End Wall this time— another of the top dive sites on this side of the island.

12:30pm

Back to the dive center again after an amazing drift dive where we saw an eagle ray, a moray eel, two turtles and thousands of fish. Everyone has had a great morning and has worked up a big appetite. So time to relax and have some lunch. Maybe hang out in the hammock for a while.

2:30pm

The last dive of the day. A nice shallow dive at Blue Channel. An experienced group of divers this time so there's plenty of time to look for "small stuff" on this dive.

3:30pm

Back to the dive center for the final time. Everyone is helping dismantle equipment and rinse the saltwater off. Who's turn is it to fill tanks today? Not mine!

3:45pm

Well, its been a great day and its time to relax whilst the equipment is drying. So, who wants a Port Royal and who wants a Salva Vida? And who's turn is it to pay? Not mine!

5:30(ish)pm

Most of the customers have left for a nap before they go out for the evening. We're sitting on the deck over the ocean watching the beginning of what is going to be another beautiful sunset and drinking a cold beer!

I'll post again when I know where I'm staying.  I have contacted the Rotary Club of Roatan and I hope to continue my Rotary service while I'm on the island.