NOW January 20, 2019 First scuba dive of the year

Almost three weeks into the year and I just got in my first dive. Only about one day a week so far this year has been suitable for diving. The sand that washed away in Maria a year-and-a-half ago still hasn't returned to beaches like Natural. Even with sand, that entry can be sketchy. Without sand at the rocky entry and exit point it is dangerous if there more than little waves. It's hard to dive, to use fins, with a broken ankle. That really only leaves Crashboat if there are any waves at all. I like Crashboat but so far the "one day a week" available has been loaded with commitments at home or with the horses. Also all my dive buddies for one reason or another have been unavailable. Again, until I get proper gear (i.e., a extra personal air tank called a "pony" tank), Crashboat is about the only option for solo diving.  (Want some cheese with that whine? Get over it!)

Today I said, "I'm going!" and I did. Crashboat. Solo. It was a good relaxed dive. The best, most surprising part of the dive was finding an I-beam in the wreckage covered with hundreds of tiny Christmas tree tube worms. Notoriously shy, Christmas tree worms tend t pop back into their tubes at the slightest disturbance in the water around them. I first noticed them popping back into their tubes, like a video of popcorn running in reverse. Enough stayed out, not disturbed by my presence, to get this picture.

I could have hung around, quietly waiting for more to pop back out but there were so many other divers in the water, crashing around, even these didn't stay out too long.

I love Mother Ocean. I love everything about her. I love her beauty, I love her colors. I love her life. I love her moods, even when she's big and dark and angry.

Since we moved to the other side of Isabela in July, and especially in the time since Coda Bear arrived, I've explored more of the coast here. The more of it I - we, Coda and I - explore, the more I love it and the more I find to explore. I just uploaded a bunch of new seascape photos to Flickr. There is some really good stuff there. Take a moment and check them out. Thanks!

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