Bonairian Birthday

This will be quick because we have dives tomorrow.

We took the diving class to Bonaire for spring break to do all of the diving required for the course.  During the week here, we've done a lot.  Today in particular, we did a well-known wreck dive to 30m (the Hilma Hooker), snorkeled with a manta ray, had a little bit of down time, did another dive farther down on the south end of the island, made dinner, got gelato, and would have done a night dive if the swells and visibility would have been in our favor.

The most memorable part of the day is definitely being in the water with the manta ray.  The group agreed that my reaction to being the one to see it and "sound the alarm" was about as good as actually being in the water with the manta.  I've never seen one before and I wanted to make sure everyone knew where it was so I started screaming and flailing about.  It got the job done because everyone in our group was able to come see it before it swam past.  It's incredible how quickly they can move with just a single flap of their wings.  I was amazed how graceful this 10ft wide creature was.  It really took my breath away.

Another memorable part of the day would have to be going to breakfast and having most of the class wish me a happy birthday when I didn't even tell them that it was my birthday.  It was a really nice touch and I appreciated it a ton.

I'm very excited for Christina to come in less than a day and a half!

Spring Break 2012!

I'm off to Little Salt Spring with the diving class for spring break.  I will not be taking my laptop there so I will not really be updating but stay tuned afterwards.  Hopefully I'll be able to get caught up on my parents being here as well as fill everyone in on spring break upon my return.

Also, tune in to ABC this Saturday morning to "Ocean Mysteries with Jeff Corwin" (check local listings for times).  I will be on for a few seconds!

Also I can't believe my birthday is in 2 days!

Another Wonderful Pi Day

For someone who is 24 years old, I really have experienced a great deal. I'm inclined to say this and I would reckon that others would probably agree. Why? In order to make that statement, a comparison must be made. My life experiences have to be compared to another's. Everyone is different and we should not be subjected so readily to comparison. What I'm getting at is that while my list of travels and exotic experiences may be long, it holds no bearing on anyone else. Mine are not better than anyone else's. I am immensely grateful for every opportunity that I have had: particularly the ones that I have taken. I thank God every day for the blessings I have been given and the doors that have been opened to me.

Today is my 24th birthday for which I somehow have an unusual enthusiasm this year. Most of my friends have left for spring break so the will be spent preparing for the trip to the Dry Tortugas and maybe going for a bike ride or pestering whoever is working in the dive shop. Last year's birthday (which I discovered I didn't ever write about) ended up being a fantastic day at the beach, the dive shop, around town, and having a fantastic grilled lobster dinner on Sint Maarten. We'll see how this one goes!

Tomorrow I wake up before 6, drive down to Islamorada, spend the day catching sharks with the group form the Miami Heat, spend the night at the house of our captain, then Wednesday around 4 or 5am, we will spend most of the day traveling to the Dry Tortugas to start catching sharks. I will not be able to update my blog while I'm there but as long as my camera does not break, I will come back with loads of great photos.

Until next time, enjoy this day of Pi (3.14) and talk to a friend you haven't heard from in a while.

Stay Tuned

I hope everyone enjoyed the pictures from the shark trip because there is going to be MUCH more where those came from. I am going to spend my spring break (13th-19th of March) on a boat in the Dry Tortugas with about 5-8 other researchers doing exactly what we do on the other trips. However, doing it so many times and without having students around, we will be able to work with optimal efficiency and catch sharks left and right. Furthermore, the Dry Tortugas National Park has heavy restrictions on fishing so we are expecting to catch many more than we do within 20 miles of Florida. [Image from http://www.tropical-adventure.com/travelguide/archives/dry-tortugas-key-west.shtml]

In addition to spring break and sharks, another post to look forward to is going to come even sooner. I'm meeting with a professor on Monday to talk to her about my academic plans. I will not give any further details because there is a good chance she could say there's nothing I can do.

The other thing out of the ordinary that I am personally anticipating is my birthday which is just around the corner! 3 years ago, I was in Cape Town on the day of my first dive of my life, 2 years ago I was home, last year it was spent in Sint Maarten on a day off work, and this year will be on a boat catching sharks. One week from Monday and I'll be 24 years old. Weird.

Before I go, I must ask to keep 2 people in thoughts and prayers. My uncle Rick, although not in the hospital anymore, is still not in full health. Also, my cousin Claibourne continues to have complications surrounding her pregnancy and is in and out of the hospital more than anyone would like her to be. Thanks a million!

3.14

Today marks the completion of 23 years of being alive. Hooray! I made it! I'm feeling a bit older but I still have the world at my fingertips.

I haven't yet told anyone it's my birthday b/c I'm sure that as soon as I do, people will start insisting that I go out and insisting on drinking drinks that they insist on buying for me. It is easier to just let it go and celebrate with people I know when I go home.

Work is going very well so far, exploring the island has not happened yet, I get my first paycheck on Monday, and I'm trying very hard to find a cheaper and better place to live.

As for post-summer plans, I don't have anything figured out yet. I am really considering taking a semester of oceanography courses and then 6 months or a year of working on a yacht to decide what I really love. Yes, it would postpone grad school (if I go - remember it has always been only a possibility, never a definite plan).

Until next time, keep checking back for more, take care, and live your life with a purpose.