the worst day diving is better than the best day working, she said
Day 1
3.30 am: I awake to music they only play at 3am and think, dammit! why did i stay up so late "watching" a movie. I quickly remember and laugh and proceed to make tea or something that will make things seem a little less early.
5.45 am: I arrive in the harbor and unload gear in pouring rain, yes rain. I kick myself for having ignored my dad when he told me to pack resulting in my having packed hurriedly this morning making me completely uprepared for weather and life on a boat.
7.00 am: i meet my dive instructor Greg...
i begin to worry.
I also become well aquainted with Harold another insane dive instructor know mainly as "the Garibaldi wrangler" who holds a striking resemblance to Captain Haddock of the Tin Tin comic series....
A Garibaldi Fish
Captain Haddock
We complete a full day of diving, a dive marathon if you will. Some of the sites included:
The Arches of Anacapa
The Kelp Forrests off of The Bluffs of Anacapa.
6.00 pm: We return to the harbor. The entire dive crew, some other divers, my father, and I go out to eat where everyone except for myself, proceeds to ignore strict diving regulations with a flurry (or two) or maragritas...
oh dear.
8.00 pm: We return to the boat and I pass out in my bunk from exhaustion and too much nitrogen in my blood.
Day 2
5.30 am: I am awoken by the hustle and bustle of people loading tanks on the lower deck and the loud roar of the boat's engine. I am of course still tired.
7.00 am: The boat leaves prompty, as usual, until chaos irrupts when we find out that Greg, yes, my instructor, has missed the boat. We turn around and after an hour of coordination, we meet Greg at the Harbor partrol station. We are now late.
11.00 am: It's the end of our 2nd dive of the day. I'm tired and trying to board the boat. Suddenly, the dive master appears in full gear and dives in to rescue someone who is thrashing around caught in the kelp. It's a close call. Greg manages to save the day.
2:00 pm: Dave proves he is totally hard core...
(nice spear, Dave)
We jet an hour out of the way to Santa Cruz Island, enticed by the promise of calm waters, good visibility, and all around better conditions....
Before we can anchor, the site bottoms out and we have to return to Anacapa dissappointed, another hour and a half back.
Conditions at Anacapa get worse. We fit in one last dive before conditions are too rough for safe entry....
7.00 pm: Finally back at the harbor after a very rough trip, we opt for a quick dinner and then home. We end up in a very slow greek restaurant where everything takes forever. Maybe it's because our waitor started dancing with a glass of wine on his head.
10.30 pm: We arrive home and once again I pass out. I awake sore and bruised from who knows what.
All in all I'd say it was a pretty sweet trip.
r