We get called to the early morning briefing -- the idea is to dive before breakfast, before lunch and mid-afternoon. In our case, choose any two. The knock on the door, suggesting that we're late is going to become familiar. The first dive is a relatively easy reef dive, in principle to see some manta [rays] but none show. The second is a wreck dive where we studiously ignore the PADI Open Water Diver recommendation of a limit of 18m and almost reach 30m! Still, it was a good wreck, specifically sunk to create/attract corals and fish.
The overheads are beginning to creep in, we will have to pay for the wetsuit and now a dive computer (a Maldivian requirement) and the seven strong crew expect a tip... Still, we're managing to breathe for a bit longer on a tank of air. There are three of us on a two dive program. Tomilo(sp?) from Israel [Tomer will be pleased to know I have consistently mispelt his name in my journal -- something to do with the Israeli accent!]. The rest of the customers are Japanese which reflects the Japanese air to the boat's contents.
[For the third dive] instead of diving we convince the staff to let us snorkel the reef. This was good except for the strong surge and current which left us a bit tired.
We retire early to bed having watched the schools of fish dance in the boat's spotlights.
Blue Shark Two, anchored at N3.87837 E73.38212 Elev. 31m!
Copyright 2002 Ian Fitchet. All rights reserved.