OK, where do I start?
Last week they finished the road and had a celebration to dedicate it. The President of Honduras flew in for the ceremony. He brought his chief of staff, the head of the military, and 2 or 3 more dignitaries. There were speeches and a lot of pomp and circumstances. Now, imagine any US island opening a road and Obama showing up to cut the ribbon. A road on Maui, Catalina, or for that matter, how about a highway on Manhattan? This was big. The road is probably a mile, may be a bit more. I can walk it in about 10 to 15 minutes. But it's been dirt forever and it looks gorgeous now. It will be especially great when the real rains come. And they are starting. Today we had another dumping and then it got sunny and 90 degrees. -Sultry hot. When all you do all day is SCUBA dive, a little more water isn't a bother. Until you try to walk.
I moved on the 1st of the month to an apartment on the lower floor of the house owned by the folks who have the dive shop. It is really nice and also very quiet. The most noteworthy thing for me is the existence of hot water. At my last place I was taking cold dribbles. Not hot showers. I didn't realize this but the fresh water that is supplied by the island is not constant. They shut it down after the day and then everyone who needs it either has a cistern or well. This place has their own system. It's like I've gone to heaven. The one thing I look forward to most at the end of the day is getting off all the salt water. We have showers at the shop but it's not the same as stripping off all the wet stuff and soaking in a nice steamy shower.
I also have a full size kitchen now. I've started to shop and fill me refrigerator and pantry. I'm making my breakfasts and some dinners. Lunch is usually out near the dive shop. I have a short lunch break between dives and the selection of restaurants is huge and inexpensive. I can get lunch for under $5 from a dozen places within 5 minutes of the front door. The food is hot and filling, but oddly enough, not spicy. When I came down here I was expecting Mexican style food; peppers, onions, cilantro, etc. But that's not what they eat here. If you want spicy you add bottled hot sauces. Now don't get me wrong. The food is really good and hearty. Chicken and pork are the main meats, usually barbequed. Lots of potatoes, rice and beans. Fresh vegetables can be purchased from the back of pick up trucks every day, and there is always fresh fish. Yesterday I bought 2 pounds of Amber Jack for 100 Limperas. (about 5 dollars). The fish was caught an hour before I bought it, and it was being fileted on the dock next door. Could not have been fresher.
My education and certifications have continued. We mix in helping with the tourist dives as part of my training. I assist the instructors and provide demonstrations of certain skills. As a DMT I am required to show different aspects of diving with "demonstration quality" and accuracy. And, at the same time, learn new techniques and skills related to the different specialties I am hoping to complete. Like today, I completed my Wreck Specialty. This consisted of 4 wreck dives and a text book. After completing the text and knowledge reviews I dove a sunken ship in over 100 feet of water. We navigated and mapped it 3 times and today as part of the "final" I dove a sunken plane and was allowed to enter it and navigate the interior. I am not allowed to enter the shipwreck as it is at a depth close to the limit of a recreational diver, but the plane is only at 40 feet.
Mugging for the camera in the cockpit
Torri, my instructor Matthiew, my wreck dive buddy
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