Bay Islands

Have been in the Bay Islands now for just over a week (staying on Utila, in Honduras). Was only planning on staying a few days, but its tough to leave. And the good news is (drumroll), I am now a fully certified Open Water Scuba diver. Actually, as of today, I am now an Advanced diver!! Not bad eh. I have been going to dive school for the past week. The Open Water course was a lot of class time, a lot of tests, and a lot of confined 10 foot dives for practising skills. It is pretty funny when we all first got under water. Everybody just sits in a row looking like dummies, with our arms floating out in front of us. It takes a bit of getting used to breathing through a mouth piece. It was comforting though, knowing that the surface is only a few kicks away. It is also funny trying to communicate under the water. You all just sit there staring at each other with dumb looks on your face. When you are underwater and you can't talk to each other, every little movement seems urgent. My favorite trick would be to stick my left arm out and wave at one of the other students to get their attention, and then I'd point down to my other hand where I'd already be giving them the finger. It was a bit hit.

I have since done 9 dives! I can't believe that I never thought of trying this before. We did our wreck dive a couple of days ago.......a big ass cargo ship that is about 110 feet underwater. It starts getting pretty dark down there, but these carribean waters are so clear, that you can still see perfectly fine. The reefs here are amazing.....considered to be some of the best in the world. And the best part, was that we got to do a night dive last night. Was a little creepy at first (they gave us little lights to use), but I'd have to say that it is probably the closest feeling that you can get to floating in outer space. We came across another crew of divers with lights and it looked like they were a bunch of astronauts coming our way. Once you get adjusted to the weightlessness, it kind of feels like you are floating over giant mountains. The best part is that the marine life under water don't give a shit about you being there......they just keep carrying on with their routines. Got to see tons of awesome fish. No whale sharks though, but apparently they are tough to find. And yes Thor, I didn indeed pull off an underwater air guitar, but unfortunately we didn't have any cameras to catch the moment.

This island is pretty awesome. Main mode of transportation is golf carts and four runners. We actually caught the island in the middle of carnival which is cool. Lots of street festivals and late night beach parties (check the pics). The island actually doesn't speak Spanish. Instead, it is this weird version of carribean english. Apparently it was settled by pirates many a years ago (don't hold me to that one....there are a lot of myths here too). The big party is actually this Saturday. One of our Dive Masters throws a party called Sun Jam. Its on its own little island (they actually have little islands here that are just sand with a few palms trees.....looks like they are out of a cartoon). They are expecting 1500 to 2000 people. The best part is, is that the show Wild On is coming to it (for all those late night TV watchers). I would love to stay, but I have to get moving.

Going to start heading to Panama. Want to get to Bocas del Torro.....some island on the carribean side. It is going to take me a bit to get down there though. Will have to head through Tegas (Teligucipa), then through Managua in Nicaragua (may stop into Granada for a night or two), then through San Jose, Costa Rica, and then on to Bocas. May be a little painful, but what can you do.

Anyway, here are some pics. Talk to you soon!

Ryan

http://www.kodakgallery.com/I.jsp?c=8ab2nqp.9hkylws9&x=1&y=-tynvpz