| 2006 Expedition
Dive day Feature:
The boat is moored awaiting an
engine part; a beautiful wooden boat complete with masts, canopies and
traditional rigging. Breakfast of tea, toast and fruit was provided by
our cheerful new crew. JC, John and Pete have returned to shore to
continue the negotiations with the charter company and the Maldivian
officials who where now involved in the saga. The remainder of the group
made themselves busy preparing dive kit, carrying out diver training and
setting up fish surveying and coral surveying equipment for the
afternoon’s dive.
To ensure we made the most of the
time available Dave called ‘Dive Training Time’ to start the Dive Leader
theory for Liz and Martin. During the course of the day we managed to
complete 3 of the classroom, or in this case boat based, lessons.
The dive boat eventually appeared
mid afternoon; however whilst carrying sufficient cylinders they did not
have any weights on board. Once again making the best use of the situation
given the time left, Stef was taken across to Kurumba to conduct an off
shore training dive where weights could be acquired.
A training party went over to
Kurumba just in time to get the diving in while there was sufficient light.
Stef completed the Controlled Buoyancy Lift exercise with Mike playing the
unconscious victim; Reid and Paul provided top cover. Under difficult
conditions the CBL went well, and then Stef led a dive as one of his final
training exercises. This was a 30 minute dive along the drop off of the
harbour wall leading Dave. They experienced the worst visibility of the trip
so far caused by boat wash, but saw a pair of eels in the coral. Stef
qualified as an Ocean Diver during the course of the day.
Of note is that today is Reid’s 39th
birthday – so the next one will be his Big 40. |
