I was not feeling quite right throughout the night. Restless dreaming and at one point I actually was cold from the fan and wanted Jeff to cuddle me. For the last 3 weeks in the heat of the Philippines I am annoyed if anyone even touches me since it is so sticky and warm. The nights are no different, it does not cool down, so this was very out of the ordinary. In the morning I felt a little dizzy and still very sleepy. Jeff woke up early to swim with the sharks and I was only awake for a few seconds until he shut off the alarm and then I was sound asleep again. To be sound asleep with roosters, dogs, pigs, and my husband rustling around to get ready is not normal. A couple hours after he had left, around 6, I had wondered if he had set an alarm for me as well or if I should just wait until he comes back to get ready. It should work out that he would be back in time to wake me for a quick shower before breakfast. I had signed up for a morning dive around 9:30 but would not know until I got to the shop if I was on the dive. What a pity to waste a sleep in day if I am not on the dive. Beep beep, Jeff did set an alarm for me around 6:30 which I hit the snooze button until 7ish. Finally I was persuaded by beeping to get up and shower. Just as I was finishing up in the shower, I heard the gate shake and Jeff call for me. With only one set of keys, the logistics are quite difficult as I have to make sure I listen for him at the gate. No matter how I try to plan, it is inevitable he is at the gate when I am in the bathroom.
Jeff's shark dive in the morning was part of his advanced course assist. There was only one advanced student, Carrie she was a rather new diver and was very excited to see the sharks. Oscar had also decided to do the shark dive and was put in Jeff's group for the one dive. Due to some minor slow ups on the boat they were the last ones in the water, just as Jeff was jumping in a thresher shark jumped out of the water about 20 meters away. Unfortunately, Jeff did not get to see it but both students and the instructor did. This was a good start to the dive, they had seen a shark before they even went under the water. As the dive continued Jeff watched as Oscar who only 2 days ago was swimming off by himself like a mad man was now paying very close attention to Carrie (they were buddied up together) and ensuring everything was ok. They did not see any sharks on the dive but it was still an interesting dive as they saw a few large trigger fish and garden eels among many other things.
Jeff had not seen any sharks on his morning dive at new Monad Shoal, I am convinced that old Monad Shoal has her groove back. Regardless, we headed to the dive shop for breakfast and to find out if I had any plans for the day. One of the instructors approached us about our diver lead for the discover local diving workshop. I had thought we were both signed off for this but come to find out we need to conduct a briefing and local guided tour. Feeling crummy today I was not excited to check something off my list that I already thought was completed. I decided to do the dive briefing first and lead the first part of the dive. This way I could muster up the little energy left and then be a sleepy assitant for the rest of the dive. This was technically far more work up front but seemed to coincide with my current energy reserve, after this burst I would be spent. This is a very easy dive spot as we just settle in at the edge of the wall for awhile at each section in hopes to see a manta ray. My dive breifing was thorough and I helped set up the "customers, ie two DMTs and one instructors" gear. As I was leading the group down the line, I realized I could not see the drop off and determine which direction to lead the group. I knew where the technical diver group was trying to go and based on this and a huge amount of gut intuition, I chose a direction and found our spot. Jeff later told me he was very happy I was leading as he would have went the other way (Jeff had also not been at this site as much as me). I really think my underwater navigation is far superior to that of city streets. The direction of current was much different than our morning dives which could have mislead me but I still found our route quickly. The dive itself was quite boring as we sat and watched for nothing to happen only to move and sit and watch for nothing again. I was right about to move the group at one point but a different dive group had the same agenda which lead me to abort this mission. Jeff took over for the remainder of the dive. He did bring us back to the right morning line and the right boat which is good. At the end of dive, prior to our instructor feedback, Jeff also gave a dive briefing. The instructor seemed disinterested during the briefing which come to find out he acted the same way for mine. He is tricky though as he seems oblivient he caught every detail we missed. He did tell us that our dive was spot on and one of the best briefings. He said the tone of our voice is interesting and confident which makes it easy to listen and follow the briefng which is a hard technique to teach. He said my discussion on air pressure verus no decompression time on the computer got a little dicey yet still easy enough to follow. Jeff also asked the instructor what the little school of long silver fish he had pointed out and I had stated baricudas (these look a little differrent then other barricudas we have seen) the instructor verified that yes indeed these are baricuda. I have learned a lot of fish and marine identifiction mostly from Jeff and some from always asking the dive master. It has actually been apparent during the dive master internship to the instuctors that I have a good grasp on the identities which is very cool as I have come along way to get here.
By the time we got back to our room, it was time for Jeff to head back again for his night dive. He is much on the same schedule difference I was on last week yet there is one clear defining line. I do not think Jeff would hide out in the room but instead would gallavant with the rest of the crew that are seeking out sun sets and happy hours since they are not on the night dive. As for me, and with festival coming up soon and more people in town, I know my mom would rather me be bored in my room then running off alone to meet up with the other DMT crew. Same thing goes for the nights I do not have morning shark dives, I am still governed by Jeff's curfew. Safety first, I do understand. Making sure the couples are treated as individuals is necessary as well. Yet it does make if quite difficult for Jeff and I.
Jeff headed out for his night dive as part of the advenced course. I spoke to his student Carrie earlier in the day and she had told me that the more she read in the book about night diving the more nervous she got. I told her it was not scary at all but actually more interesting and several people prefered them. She was not convinced, it sounds like her nerves showed when it was time to start the night dive. Fortunately it is still light out when they first get in the water for the dive so one eases into the darkness. Once they convinced her to get in the water and start the dive she started to lighten up and it was evident she was enjoying it. On their dive they found all kinds of crabs, spotted 2 mandarin fish, a cuttlefish, 2 bobtail squid, and countless other little creatures. By the end of the dive Jeff had to nearly drag Carrie out of the water because she was enjoying the dive so much she did not want to leave. She was so excited about everything that she saw, the instructor later commented that Carrie was one of his favorite students in a long time because she was so enthusiastic.
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