1 March 1994 Hog Island
I got up at half past five and went round to the dive centre in the dive boat. I watched Bob do a resort course lecture and pool session. There was no boat driver and Gary had the day off, so I ended up doing surface support. Bob and I went into the Hotel’s lake (4ft max depth, 1ft thick mud bottom and 3in visibility) to reattach the high pressure hose for the fountain. It took us 45 minutes and the hose only stayed on for 15 minutes before it came off again.
Glenys was a bit grumpy in the evening because I had woken her very early in the morning and she is stuck with the kids all day. (Just like being in the UK during the school holidays while I bugger off to work!)
2 March 1994 Hog Island
I got up at half past five again. Bob did another resort course and I was surface support again. Gary and I (and three others) dived the Bianca C, but the anchor dragged in the strong current and we couldn’t find the wreck. I helped to refill the air tanks at Secret Harbour and Glenys met me at the bar for happy hour (again!)
I rang Carol who tells me that she sent all our mail to Bequia (oh well!) and that she is moving house in 5 days time (oh no!) Carol has done a brilliant job of looking after our affairs back in the UK and sending us our mail whenever we need it. I don’t know what we’d do without her.
3 March 1994 Hog Island
Got up at half past six this morning. I watched Gary do another resort course and helped with the pool work. We then did some pool skills and some more theory. We then did a dive on Quarantine Wreck with a first timer and two others.
In the afternoon we went to dive the Bianca C – Gary and I were surface support. They came up about 500 metres away and we had to put a buoy on the anchor and go and get them. Glenys continues to be hacked off and I don’t blame her!
4 March 1994 Hog Island
I went around on the dive boat in the morning. I did some exams and some more theory. We dived the Bianca C in the afternoon. One of the group had a problem with his ears and I had to bring him up. Perhaps I’ll get to see the wreck one day! Bob went down to 40 metres by himself to “check the anchor” - a dodgy thing to do considering the strong currents...
Glenys and the boys went to Grand Anse to go on the beach and do the shopping. We went to “Wise Cat” for a drink in the evening.
5 March 1994 Hog Island
Went to Secret Harbour and put 120 gallons of water in the tanks. Then we went around to Hog Island. I spent the afternoon revising “The Physiology of Diving” (yawn!)
6 March 1994 Hog Island
Dive at Moliniere Point in the morning and diving theory in the afternoon. I got back just in time to catch “last orders” at the Sunday barbeque. At seven o’clock, Phil from “Wise Cat” fell on their foredeck and cut himself above the eye, split his top lip and probably cracked some ribs. I ran them over to Secret Harbour to get a taxi to hospital while Glenys looked after all the kids. Glenys then took Coby, Nat and Callum back to their boat to spend the night. Fortunately Phil was fixed up fairly quick and got back at about eleven.
7 March 1994 Hog Island
Gary and I did a “Discover Scuba” dive at Moliniere with four punters. Bob and some others did, I quote, “the best dive that I’ve ever done on the Bianca C”. I, of course, was doing surface support! Never mind, I really enjoyed the dive that I did in the morning.
Gary’s visa runs out today and this afternoon he was still trying to get his work permit issued and his visa renewed - what a place. Brett pulled a thorn out of his foot that was 13mm long and has been in there since yesterday – no wonder he wouldn’t let me touch it!
8 March 1994 Hog Island
Glenys’ birthday. I hadn’t had a chance to get into town to get her a present, so I got Gary to buy me a bottle of Baileys and a birthday card when he went to sort out his work permit yesterday. The card was amusing and the theme was about not buying a present and saved my life!
I did a dive on Quarantine Wreck with Gary and three experienced divers and then exams and theory in the afternoon. We had a birthday barbeque on the beach with “Wise Cat”, “Ootek”, “Meander” and Jay and Linda from “Hells Bells” (USA). A nice time was had by all.
There is a woman called Darlene from “Sea Fever” (USA) who is an old bat who is moaning and groaning at and about the kids on the beach. They have been here for over six months and I think that she thinks she owns the beach. If she doesn’t back off there will be a small war started. Robin and Glenys are sick of her!
9 March 1994 Hog Island
I ended up in the Hotel’s lake in the morning, helping Gary to sort out the fountain again. Bob once again amazed me by telling Gary off for allowing me to use the centre’s equipment instead of my own. “dive masters should own and use their own equipment”. I could write a book about him – he’s like a John Cleese character in one of the management videos!
I finished all my theory exams and then did a dive at Moliniere. Gary and I wanted to go and find a wreck that we knew was in the area, but we knew that Bob wouldn’t let us. So we told him that we were going to do my map making dive. I made a map for 10 minutes while we swam out towards the wreck and then we made search sweeps parallel to the shore until we found it. All that theory and training worked!
We went to “Wise Cat” for sundowners and then I drew a fancy underwater map. Glenys spent the day doing schoolwork and cleaning the dinghy. Apparently there were barnacles on the bottom – we’ve definitely been here too long. We’re starting to get itchy feet now – only one week to go.
10 March 1994 Hog Island
I did my swimming tests this morning. I did OK on the 400 metres free swim and the 15 minutes tread water, but my 800 metre snorkel swim was really slow. It took me 19 minutes which is poor. I tried a 200 metre swim with a pair of “US divers blades” and I was 15% faster – perhaps I need a new pair of fins! I was a bit depressed this afternoon because I thought the swimming tests would be a doddle!
I did a dive on Quarantine Wreck in the afternoon with Bob and two other divers which was nice but boring reef, reef, reef – I think that he went too fast. I’ve done nine dives for $450 = $50 each so far – hopefully I’ll get more in before next Wednesday (which will be my last day).
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