The View from Luna Vista - Day 4
Posted: Wed May 28, 2008 8:32 pm
Today was the day we were supposed to sit in a classroom, watch videos, and be taught about the briny deep. That's not exactly how this worked. We showed up a Low Key as required before 11 am. There was some paperwork. Then we were sent up stairs for a video. Some time after the video started one of the instructors came in and told us that we weren't going to learn anything else from that and said we're going out on the boat. "That's where the classroom is." 
It turned out that he was the captain of Hey Now and he took us out.
We did some preparation and waded out to the boat. After a short ride, we arrived at Congo Cay. There was some teaching about the equipment and hand signs as well as a briefing of what would happen in the water. There were only four students and Ellen, our instructor. There was also the boat captain and another couple who dove independently.
Into the water we went and one by one we were brought down to about 30 feet where we gathered on the sandy bottom and then swam together. The surprise was at the large coral encrusted rock. We found a 9 foot+ female nurse shark with two male suitors in about 30 feet of water. 
This was within 15 minutes of the start of our very first dive. It is unusual to see them in this mating setting, and the instructor said that she was the largest shark that she's ever seen. Since it was our first dive, no cameras were allowed. 
We got back into the boat and sailed for Grass Cay. By this time the water was getting a little rough and the weather was windy and overcast. I was the second one to go down to the bottom of the line where we were to gather. I continued to have problems with my ears this time.
I slowly surfaced trying to get it right and it never did. After I decided to stop and get out but before I said so, Ellen asked me to do just that. She was careful to not take chances. The others had a good swim and saw a tarpon. 
After that dive we broke our equipment down and set sail for Cruz Bay.
We visited with Ruth both going to Low Key and when returning. She hooked us up with some of those famous spices and told us how to find the fish mongers between the Lumber Yard and Mongoose Junction where we acquired a one-pound piece of Mahi. After a stop at Starfish, we returned to LV and grilled the fish, baked a potato and made a salad. That along with an adult beverage followed by a home-made parfait finished the shank of the day. A little scuba knowledge tune brought us up to bedtime.
All in all it was a good day. We start tomorrow morning at Low Key at 7:15. Is there a 7:15 am also in STJ?
JIM
It turned out that he was the captain of Hey Now and he took us out.We did some preparation and waded out to the boat. After a short ride, we arrived at Congo Cay. There was some teaching about the equipment and hand signs as well as a briefing of what would happen in the water. There were only four students and Ellen, our instructor. There was also the boat captain and another couple who dove independently.
Into the water we went and one by one we were brought down to about 30 feet where we gathered on the sandy bottom and then swam together. The surprise was at the large coral encrusted rock. We found a 9 foot+ female nurse shark with two male suitors in about 30 feet of water.
This was within 15 minutes of the start of our very first dive. It is unusual to see them in this mating setting, and the instructor said that she was the largest shark that she's ever seen. Since it was our first dive, no cameras were allowed. We got back into the boat and sailed for Grass Cay. By this time the water was getting a little rough and the weather was windy and overcast. I was the second one to go down to the bottom of the line where we were to gather. I continued to have problems with my ears this time.
I slowly surfaced trying to get it right and it never did. After I decided to stop and get out but before I said so, Ellen asked me to do just that. She was careful to not take chances. The others had a good swim and saw a tarpon. After that dive we broke our equipment down and set sail for Cruz Bay.
We visited with Ruth both going to Low Key and when returning. She hooked us up with some of those famous spices and told us how to find the fish mongers between the Lumber Yard and Mongoose Junction where we acquired a one-pound piece of Mahi. After a stop at Starfish, we returned to LV and grilled the fish, baked a potato and made a salad. That along with an adult beverage followed by a home-made parfait finished the shank of the day. A little scuba knowledge tune brought us up to bedtime.
All in all it was a good day. We start tomorrow morning at Low Key at 7:15. Is there a 7:15 am also in STJ?
JIM
