Mission Accomplished

There we were, perched on the back platform of the dive boat, snugly zipped into our wetsuits, with fins and snorkel gear in place.  The haze of the Honduran mainland was barely visible in the distance, as the deep blue ocean stretched out for miles around us in every direction.  The tension was palpable.  No one was talking; we were too busy focussing on the water's surface to engage in any sort of conversation.  Our eyes scanned the expansive sea for any hints of disturbance.  If you didn't know any better, the scene could have passed for a top-secret military drill.  (If you could overlook the fact that no one on board was actually fit enough to be in the military.)

And just when we had settled into a comfortable silence, the Captain and crew shattered it.  "GO! GO! GO!" they yelled.  "TO YOUR LEFT!"

Chaos ensued.  We fumbled with our snorkels.  Not wanting to miss our chance, we slid into the water anyway, adjusting the mouthpieces as we went.  Our faces plunged into the water, our eyes adjusting to the diminished light just below the surface.

And then... HOLY CRAP!  (Which is what I actually yelled through my mouthpiece, although no one could hear me.)  My heart skipped a beat.  Not only was there a thirty foot whale shark in front of me, but there was a thirty foot whale shark so close to me that I could see the gleam of his left eye and the pattern of his spots.  I could have reached out and touched him.  (Which I didn't, because you're not supposed to.)  It was breathtaking.  I was in awe.  This wasn't my first encounter with whale sharks, but to be in such close proximity was amazing.  We all treaded water around him, doing our best not to spook him.  Mouse even snagged a couple of great shots.  (Which I will upload as I get a couple of computer glitches taken care of.)

After a few minutes, he slowly and gracefully swam away, plunging deeper into the sea than we mere mortals will ever go.  It was an incredible beginning to our final day of diving in Utila.  Mission accomplished.

A Pox Upon Us

I am one itchy, scratchy girl right now. You should see me. I'm sure I look like someone afflicted with a weird skin disorder. And it's taking every last bit of self control to keep myself from digging into my flesh. The itching is driving me insane! Even my anti-itch cream isn't doing much good.

And it's not just me. It seriously looks as though a pox has come down upon all of us at the resort, with our exposed skin boasting a myriad of angry, itchy, red welts. We're quite the sight these days! It's nothing serious; just a case of some very persistent and sadistic sandflies. But they have really done a number on us, despite our prolific use of bug spray.

Still, I guess I should consider myself lucky. I hear this isn't even the buggy season. Apparently, it gets much worse once the weather warms up. And when the winds die down, it's a mosquito free-for-all. (Ugh!)

Don't feel too badly for me, though. I'm still living it up in paradise. This has truly been an incredible experience thus far. I guess a few bug bites are a small price to pay.

Another Day, Another Dive

I'm not sure if it's actually possible to smile with a dive regulator in your mouth, but if it is, that's exactly what I was doing this morning.

It's Day 3 of our dive vacation in Utila, Honduras, and we have had another great day of diving. Both Mouse and I are improving our technique by leaps and bounds, plus we're seeing some amazing reef along the way.

We were barely into our second dive of the day, having descended to a depth of fifty feet, when Mouse spotted a medium-sized sea turtle. He danced through the waters, slowing twisting and turning, blissfully unaware (or at least unconcerned) of our presence. He drifted about, eventually making his way to the reef wall, where he set about to have himself a little lunch of coral and sea plant. He munched away, while I hovered, transfixed with amusement. This was definitely an instance where I wish I had a good dive camera, because now my memory will have to suffice. Nevertheless, the experience left me giddy with excitement.

As seems to be the precedent here in Utopia Village, today is shaping up to be another great day.

Holy Whale Shark!

Thank heavens for modern medicine. After a couple doses of antibiotics and several Immodium, my intestinal woes are a thing of the past. So today I am free to frolic, without a care in the world. And today is all about the frolicking...

As seems to be the fashion here on the islands, we were up with the sun, bouncing across the water and toward the reef, hours before I would normally even lift my head from the pillow. But the sun was so brilliant and the ocean so turquoise that I happily ignored my exhaustion.

Before we even had time to settle into our boat ride, someone yelled, "Dolphins!" Sure enough, there they were, an entire pod headed directly for our boat, zipping in and out of the water so playfully. Luckily, I had already squeezed into my wetsuit, so I slipped on my flippers, secured my mask, and leapt into the water with them.

And just like that, I was swimming with the dolphins! And not some cheesy, commercialized, swimming pool version of doing so, either. I was really swimming with them; in their home turf! They zipped away as quickly as they had come upon us, but for a brief moment, I was right there with them.

But wait, this day just keeps getting better...

As soon as I got back on the boat, the Captain announced he had seen an ever-elusive whale shark up ahead, so we should all be prepared to get back in the water. He circled the boat, and instructed the first group to dive in. I hung back, thinking it was only fair to give the others a shot. Unfortunately for them, the whale shark got spooked by the movement and swam off. The Captain circled again, announcing that it was the next group's turn. I didn't have to be told twice, and immediately slipped into the water. And there he was - all thirty majestic feet of him, gracefully making his way through the deep blue sea. He didn't stick around for long, but I was able to get a really good view of him as he meandered back into the depths of the ocean.

I couldn't have hoped for a better morning. All of this before 9:00am! And we still have one more dive left today, so who knows what may be in store...