February seems like a good time to learn to dive, right? Well it is if your check outs are in the Caribbean. =)
Andros is the largest, yet least populated of the Bahaman Islands. Small Hope Bay Lodge, is a family run resort started by Toronto native Dick Birch in the 1960’s. Aside from the palm trees instead of pine trees you’d think you were at an Adirondack campground. The cabins are simple and sparse, but neat and clean. You can sit on your little patio or stroll 50 feet and relax in a hammock as the ocean nearly laps underneath you.
The dive shack is located out in the bay on piers and there are 7 or 8 on the dive staff.
Sunday and Tuesday were check outs. 72 degrees on the surface, 72 degrees at depth. It was tough. My first “real” dive was Tuesday afternoon.
What an experience. I jumped off the boat and my snorkel sunk straight to the bottom. I just floated there looking at it think, “Now how am I going to get that?” Duh….Dive for it. =) I let John, my buddy, take the lead and I just followed him around, looking, staring, floating, and thinking how totally awesome it was. Then suddenly I looked out and slightly down into deep blue nothing. There I was hovering on the edge of the Tongue of the Ocean, over 2,000 meters deep.
So, I’m hooked and thanks to the club and it’s members, especially Ed for equipment and the patience of Paul, Emmett, Dave and Steve Corrie I managed 14 dives this year. THANK YOU!
The Tongue from orbit.
This is going to be hard to get used to.
It's February back home....
