Sunday 22nd August
Well I am now a fully paid up rescue diver! What a great qualification to do, exhausting but I have learnt so much and I would be much more confident at getting myself or someone else out of trouble now. You basically learn what to do in a distress/panic situation underwater, with real scenarios being played out – which included all of us being virtually drowned at one point – a horrid feeling - I’m still emptying salt water from my tubes! Glad there was no photos going on though on the bit when you’ve got to get someone out of the water onto the beach…..hilarious….dropped my victim – well it was a guy, but managed to keep his head out the water…just!
So another weekend away from base, and yes, you guessed it, more hot showers, burgers, pizzas and eggs. Accommodation not quite as salubrious as last weekend, but then it did only cost ten euros each instead of sixty. Extricated myself from the nightclub bit of last night, and watched everyone suffer big time today as they all had the worse hangovers which is not what you want when you’re doing the rescue course. My suffering was only due to not being strong enough and a body that is creaking a bit due to the physical demands of diving every day….and middle age!
Less than three weeks now left, and have to say time is going really quickly here. The question is, can I survive all the girlie dilemmas that are driving me to distraction….but beautifully masked by a smiley exterior, a listening ear and Agony Aunt persona. The other question is whether I can fit in time to go and see some of the other islands here without completely knackering myself each weekend. And, will I see whale sharks this week?....
Monday 23rd August
Hit another ‘wall’ today – found it really hard to get through the day…my whole body aches from all the lifts done at the weekend, and to top that, a scatty fellow volunteer, who was helping me put on kit up (us girls generally all help each other getting the jackets and tanks on as they are mighty heavy to lift from the ground without breaking your back) forgot to take the weight of the tank as I stood up from getting tank out of van, and so my back was bent backwards. Not funny! And this girl Jacqui does nothing other than complain everytime you see her – she always has some ailment…so after breaking my back, she then tells me about her back problems….and expects sympathy! Oh my patience and tolerance is running thin with some of this lot.
Didn’t enjoy my dives today – no real reason other than feeling a bit flat, having no-one to talk to and got very, very cold as by the time I did my second dive, it was tipping it down with rain.
Finding it hard being crowded all the time, there is no time or space to be on your own. Really missing everyone back home.
Anyway, I’m on kitchen duty tomorrow, so after some shocking food today, decided to make granola for breakfast in the morning as an alternative to the dreaded porridge, and have spent a pleasant and quiet evening baking, which has been lovely.
Tuesday 24th August
Slept terribly last night but much better day overall – really enjoyed my dives. Now officially doing the fish surveys, so all the learning now being put into good use. Was a bit concerned this morning though, as my dive buddy was ‘back breaking hypochondriac’ Jacqui… however we had two great dives together and no further injuries or ailments…other than my old age which was sorely tested as I had to carry my kit as well as spare tank on a very long walk to reach boat as tide was out. Tortoise pace.
Good food today, (granola a big hit!) despite it being Tuesday (shopping done on Wednesdays only), so had to concoct something out of potatoes, squash, aubergines, a few onions and what was in tins. Was all on my own in the kitchen all afternoon (rest of duty team out on dives) so made a big vegetable bake, with bolognaise sauce (without the meat) and white sauce with crispy thin potatoes on top. Delicious! And lovely just to have the time on my own. Also decided that I was going to blare out my music from the ipod speakers in the kitchen having spent nearly three weeks here listening to absolute garbage every moment of each day!
Planning a weekend on Praslin this coming weekend, 8 of us going which should be lovely – it’s meant to be a beautiful island.
Oh my, Sammie’s having a crisis over some spilt oil of her cut-offs – she paid £200 for them! Mine are from Primark so don’t think I’m going to have the same worries.
Wednesday 25th August
I dived with a whale shark today for company – an unbelievable experience…on second dive, having seen a green turtle (very rare) on first dive. Finished second dive and just doing safety stop when whale shark spotted in depths, so sped off with my buddies, but I was like a torpedo determined to catch up with whale shark, buddies gave up but I carried on, had camera set on video as had been practising with the setting all dive, and swam with it for about 5 minutes (footage 2 mins as memory card full!) – I have to say it was the most incredible experience ever…just me and the whale shark (which was about 5-6 metres long)….awesome, exhilarating, scary… I will never forget it, ever!! The footage I got was really good, so hopefully will at some point upload it for you to see it. the bit in the middle where I surface is just me checking where I'd swum to as had left my buddies behind (yes broke quite a few dive rules but it was well worth it)
Have just spoken to Jacky and Dad on the phone and also got to speak to Jono earlier which really nourishes me.
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