30th November 2018

It's been an action packed November teaching, taking DMC's out on ECO dives and then doing lots of land work as I've been out of the water with an deep infection in my leg.  I don't know how I got it, maybe I might picked something but I don't remember but now I'm paying and Simon is paying for it as I'm out of the water for another week, poor ole Si has to do ALL my water work for my courses Small but deep but now it's itchy, so it's on the mend. 

This is what we've been up to in pictures.

I've had a lovely girl called Michaell doing some ECO courses with me and now it's at the stage where she's organising the DMC's (Dive Master Candidates) to do eco activites and dives which as I am out of the water has been brilliant.  We've/she's been making cement bottle nurseries which will be deployed at our artificial reef Junkyard and then at a later date filled with coral fragments.  A fun job but hard work mixing cement by hand in the heat.
 

Dive Against Debris Team

I taught a couple of students the 'Dive Against Debris Specialty' in which they organize, brief a dive, collected marine debris and come back and record /report it helping to improve waste management by helping convince individuals, governments and businesses to act on marine debris

Si's trying to fix his laptop

So with Simon running about, filming, sorting everything for our new eco boat, doing the waterworks of my courses, fixing other peoples laptops, Self Reliant teaching, he's been dealing with major issues with his laptop as it's stopped charging ..for the 2nd time ..not having the greatest of times ...we are both looking forward to coming home for a break :-D 

Deployment of old speedboat at Junkyard

Final resting place for speedboat

When this old speedboat was first deployed, it was so buoyant that Simon had to pull it down.    Now that it's been in the water for a week or so, it's a little heavier and Simon and a team were able to move it with the use of lift bags to it's final resting place.  All that's needed now is for it to be populated with coral :-D

Taking our eco boat for a spin

This is my maiden voyage in the ECO speedboat.  We had a little cruise around Maehaad before dropping a  couple divers off at Junkyard and then we powered back to shore.  I was the deckhand, responsible for hooking up and tying off :-D     The boats coming out of the water today as it needs to be equipped with lights, tank rack, new name, anti-fouling paint  etc  ..but once done and we're back in January, it's going to be amazing to be able to go out when we want, do what we want and not have to rely on anyone.  The boat will be named 'Cuthbert' ..after our ECO mascot :-D

Intern doing some water testing

Another land activity which students can go for a 'water testing' fun dive and then I can do testing with them on their return :-D 

We are missing you all and send lots of love

XOXOX