Busy with Dive Courses

So they always say when "It rains it pours" that has been very true
for us lately. I was teaching about 10 different students a month
here, and in the last week I have taught 6 in 3 different
classes/levels of diving. John made it out and home Ok, and it was
great seeing him. We were slow then so it worked out really well.
Now I think my next day off will be sometime in June, but it is
relaxing being so busy and being in a routine.

I have added some photos of what a hectic day around the shop can look
like, and the new workers we had to hire to work the boats and
entertain the guests. They are avid swimmers, and great look outs for
divers.

Luke

Dave and the Internet

So Dave from fatboys, saw my blog yesterday and felt famous that it is
his hand holding open the crocs mouth so because he was so excited, I
decided to put up some pics of him and his family. They have been
very nice and fun while I am out here, we always can find a chance to
talk about how much we either hate or love it here. For Dave Chelsey
and Keiran.

Luke

Weekend Away

We just returned from our weekend to Munda. It started on Friday with
lunch at fatboys. While we were chatting with Dave the manager a boat
pulled up to say they had a crocodile on board they had caught in
their village on a nearby island. It was about 2 M. We grabbed it
and through it on the dock for closer inspection, when I thought to
ask "Killem Dead" they responded "No hem need Kakkai" Which I asked
if he was dead, they said no, he needs food! We then realized we had
a live croc. Dave bought him from the people and we took him to the
workshop to kill and fillet for dinner in the restaurant. I must say
killing a crocodile was quite a different thing to do.

After that was done we caught a boat to Munda and met up with some
friends there to do some diving. Saturday we did a cave dive out onto
a reef that was very spectacular seeing the fossils and stuff in the
cave and then it opening into a bright blue sea with corals
everywhere. Sunday we did one of my favorite dives with was on wall
dive or vertical reef, that ended in the sand at about 40 M, where
there was a Corsair fighter plane almost perfectly intact resting on
the white sandy bottom.

On Monday we were meant to meet some friends at a resort on Lola
island for lunch then ride with them back to Gizo. So we got up and
hitched a ride on a local boat from the market and got to Lola. At
Lola we found out the weather was bad in Gizo and our friends were not
coming, so the owners made up a beach side bungalow for us to stay in
waiting for the next boat to go to Gizo. We spent the day reading,
and I went on a walk through the bush for few hours, then we napped
and ate some good food. Another person there needed to get to Gizo so
we hired a boat and got back today.

I think the weekend was pretty spectacular since we:

Killed A Croc
Did a Cave Dive
Saw an amazing wreck
Managed to Relax

Hope all is well at home, and Happy Mothers Day Mom, sorry you could
not join in on the fun.

Luke

Learning the Life in Gizo

John is quickly catching onto life in Gizo, and visited a Kindy or
Kindergarten for the Americans. He had some fun trying to speak
pidgin but the kids are rather shy. The age of the kids in the Kindy
is from 3 to 9 and most have trouble reading or writing. School here
just became mandatory this year so lots of kids are behind on their
education, and school is still not free. The government now covers
tuition but the other cost of uniforms, books, and maintenance cost
for the schools is still not covered. The government only pays the
teachers, not the power bills, land fees, or building costs. Where
most people here still do not use cash a lot, but a barter system it
makes it difficult to come up with the money for schools.

This weekend John and I are headed to Munda, a town about an hour and
a half away by outboard motor. We will meet up with some of my
friends that run the dive shop there and do a dive that should be
incredible. You walk into an island then follow jump into a sink hole
and follow a cave/tunnel that empties out onto the reef wall in the
ocean. It should be pretty incredible, and hopefully we will have a
cool video to put up afterward. We will come back on Monday, then
follow one of our staff back to his village and spend a night and day
there fishing, canoeing and teaching John some custom weavings.

Luke

John's Visit

So it took a year of traveling, but my brother finally came out for a
visit with some help from Mom and Dad. He arrived last Saturday and
has already been able to do quite a bit. When he arrived I drove a
boat to the airport to pick him up (the airport is on its own island
10 min from town). We organized a welcome party for him at the bosses
house, and had fresh fish and salad from the market. I took him
grocery shopping in the open air market, where the dress code was
casual only wearing board shorts.

On Sunday he went out for two dives with us, then ate some nice
crayfish at fatboys my favorite restaurant and watering hole. After
lunch there was a volley ball game on Kennedy Island we took the boat
over and met up with a bunch of medical students that were in town and
spent the day on the beach. Tuesday John and I grabbed a local friend
Dougy and headed off to Lola Island with the owner of fatboys, and
spent the 2 hour boat trip fishing, drinking, and snorkeling. At Lola
we took John to a Custom site called Skull Island - a bit obvious why.

He is out diving now and enjoying himself, tomorrow we will head out
to Munda and do some dives with some friends over there, hopefully
squeezing in a dive through a cave that empties onto a reef! I hope
this makes everyone jealous and want to come for a visit, you are all
welcome to, just bring candy!

Luke