Under the Sea

Here are some of my first attempts at photography while scuba diving. This site is called Seagrape, named after this wrecked boat of the nearby hotel by a dumb captain who took it out during a storm. Here are Rachel and Robby, some of my companeros here. I have to work on my skills to capture some of the incredible fish. The camera is a little distracting from just enjoying the dive and it is difficult to keep up with the group when I want to chase a fish around. I want to get my advanced certification while I'm here which even includes an course elective on underwater photography!

On the left, the sun from above making a rainbow into the water. Next, some grand pillar coral. And below, my dive buddies.

On Monday evening, we went on a night dive with Native Sons, the shop next door. Because it gets dark here at 5:30, it was more of an early evening dive. We met before sunset to prep gear and for the dive briefing. Basically learning, make a circle with your light to signal "I'm okay" and wave it frantically back in forth to signal you need help. I paired up with Nichole, and we promised to stay very close together. We got on the boat just as it was getting dark, jumped into the water, and turned on our torch lights. It was a little bit eerie at first looking down into the dark water and thinking I was about to descend into it, but I left all fears on the surface. We dove at Seagrape, actually the same site as the photos above. However, it was totally unrecognizable in the dark. The reef is a whole different world at night. The diurnal fish go to sleep (sleeping fish look hilarious), and the nocturnal creatures come out to feed. I saw a huge channel crab that must have been over 2 feet wide, spiny lobsters, squirrel fish, and the glowing red eyes of many shrimp. 

All that was cool, but then two incredible things happened. First, Nichole and I swam across a bare patch between reefs. I scanned the rocky sea floor as we swam over, not expecting to see anything. Then suddenly I saw it move--a blue octopus! That may not sound too incredible, but you have to see it to understand. It was obviously afraid of us and our lights so it would swim up then cling to a rock with all its tentacles. It would change from blue, to almost clear, to brown, to speckled, and back to blue. It looked like an alien and moved with completely freeform shape. We tried using the panic signal to get the other divers over, but by the time they came the octopus had hidden under a rock. We were so lucky to see that rare creature. 

Second, toward the end of the dive everyone came back to an open area and the dive master signaled for us to kneel down on the sea floor. We then all turned off our flash lights. We began waving our arms in the air and magically stars appeared. The biophosphorescent plankton reacting. Then we all began to swim up and as my eyes adjust to the darkness I slowly start to see the "string of pearls" appearing. 15-20 feet underwater these tiny creatures swim emitting drops of a luminescent chemical which creates the effect of a growing chain or stars moving through the water. I swam right into the middle of a patch of them and literally felt like I was swimming in the stars. It was unbelievable! 

We all agreed the night dive was one of the coolest experiences of our lives. 

Dolphins!

We went to the Roatan Marine Institute at Anthony's Keys Resort to swim with the dolphins. But before that we got a tour by Dr. Paul at his clinic there which has Roatan's only hyperbaric chamber. He said they are very busy and decompress hundreds of people a year. Mostly these are lobster and conch divers, and very few recreational divers. Luckily a rescue diving class came in and we got to watch as they put 3 guys in and pressurized them to 165 feet to simulate nitrogen narcosis. They began laughing and singing with distorted high voices. Nitrogen narcosis causes people to act dumb, goofy, and be unable to perform simple tasks. To get out of it you just decrease in pressure (go up) a little bit. 

The dolphins were incredible. For a half hour Nicole, Robby, Rachel and I played with a 4 year old Atlantic Bottle Nose dolphin, Kenny and a trainer who had him show us his tricks. We got to pet him, learn dolphin facts, see how fast he can swim, etc. 

 

Next, we snorkeled with the 37 dolphins in the park. They love to play with people and would swim right up under you in groups. One surprised me by sneaking under me and tapping my foot with its nose. The trainer showed us how you can get a piece of sea grass and put it in their mouths (which they open right in front of your face) and they will spit it back out at you. They will play that game over and over. At one point a dolphin pretended to bite me and I got nervous; the dolphin knew he scared me so to make fun of me did it again! Then the trainer told me to relax or they will keep playing like that. Who knew dolphins have a sense of humor. It was really cool snorkeling so we could see what they naturally do under water. 

Rainy season

The first week I was here it was sunny, blue skies, and hot every day, so I laughed that it is the rainy season. But now I see what they mean. The last 2 morning I have woken up at 6 to the thunderous sound of rain the roof. But then the day time clears up. Unfortunately the rain brings out the mosquitoes too. If you forget to put on bug spray here, you will regret it. I've already gone through a whole bottle. 

Last night for Halloween we dressed up as Roatan Taxi's which we felt was quite relevant here. We had license plates and air fresheners and whistles to call out "taxi taxi!"

 People thought it was pretty funny, esp the taxi drivers. Photos to come. We were all shocked that halloween is celebrated in Honduras, but it sure is. Sundowners across from our apartment had a great party as well as several others in West End. There is a fun group of people living here I am getting to know. 

Friday I went on really cool dive. The site was called Hole in the Wall because it is a deep canyon in the reef you can swim through. It was just me and the dive master so he pointed out lots of cool little lettuce slugs, crabs, snails, etc. There were lots of narrow little swim thrus so I making sure my tank didn't hit the coral was a challenge. We went into a cave filled with little silver fish. In one of the narrow swim thrus was a 4 foot morray eel that creeped me out to swim by. 

Also on Friday after clinic we went to the daycare to do check ups on kids who probably otherwise wouldn't go a doctor. The kids were very cute and playful. The doctors had a hard ti

me knowing what to do with them as there was no health history or parent to communicate with. But I suppose its better than nothing.