This meant I was tossing after 3:30, then decided to get up at 5 and check out what we couldn't see in the nighttime.
Man, if my birthday started great, my second day of being 27 really sucked. As in, those mosquitos and no-see-email sucked all my blood in the twenty minutes between us getting up and the breeze picking up. I probably got 27 welts on my legs from those suckers.
We definitely weren't the only ones up at that hour - there was even a guest who was already in the pool. But, we eventually retreated to the enclosed veranda, right before the breeze started, and the issue disappeared.
With hours before breakfast, we played Carcassonne then gin rummy. It was finally time to eat - juice and water were waiting to be consumed, and we ordered some combo of toast, eggs, and papaya pancakes. The pancakes - spot on.
After that, it was time for our orientation. Alisa and I showed up early since we had equipment to check out, but the group slowly assembled around 8:30, then was so excited to dive that poor DelRoy, one of our two guides, couldn't get through a section on his briefing sheet without a question or point of interest.
Based on the wind, we headed to the west side of the atoll, so back through the lagoon. Our first dive site was Crickozeen Cut, just past where the lagoon opens into the ocean again.
The briefing had gotten both of us a wee bit anxious to shake the dust off and start seeing some beauty. It was planned as an anchored boat dive - we'd hang out at the sandy half moon, make sure weights were going well, then continue outward then back in to the stationary boat.
This was the classic example of good ideas gone sour. The visibility - 25 ft. The current - stronger than expected. We were quickly swept from the sand, then along the wall. We were struggling to stay grouped, and, as LeEllen put it, it was too much work and not enough fun.
So what was planned to be an hour lasted twenty minutes. The bar was set, and, while way better than a quarry, there was some room for improvement.
We trundled along to Snake Point, munching on watermelon on the way. We started to gear up after 50 minutes, and then we were headed down, among the coral almost completely covering the sand. The barrels and fans gave the world a funny geometry that the fishes poked in and through.
It is such a busy world down there. You can't look at anything without seeing something floating, wriggling, or stalking something else. The fish ranged from the nearly invisible to the giant - a big grouper was by the group to take his place as the big fish of the dive.
Alisa was getting low on air, and our 60 minute dive plan was nearly through, so the twentieth dive of my career came to a close with a boat pick-up.
The sun had come out, so we met Steven, who had sat out the second dive, and claimed our spots on the front deck of the boat, along with some sunscreen. We might not have done our legs, as visible by Alisa's sunburnt patch right on the rim of her wetsuit.
It was time to break for lunch - we had put in our orders yesterday evening, so DelRoy and John doled out the containers of salad, the sandwiches, chips, and cookies for everyone.
During lunch, LeEllen told us about how she was on the first proper dive trip to Turneffe. They had explored different sights and named them - that's why there was one called Lee Ellen's Melons on the map!
Our final dive site for the day was Pine Ridge. We hovered along a ledge that slowly led upward, again filled with batches of corals. About thirty minutes into the dive, a stingray cruised by - the fun macro-fauna of the day. But the sea cucumber, the spotted drum fish, the spotlight parrotfish, and the lobster made for some other memorable creatures.
As we got back on board, I began listing them all out in my dive log. It was clear that I had the least knowledge of the group of Caribbean fish - the five other divers had lots of experience, and lots of examples of fish they had seen. It'll be time to study up when I get back to the lodge!
We returned through the lagoon (a fast trip this time since we all had our "big fish" story of the dives) and docked. With two hours until dinner, Alisa and I hopped in that infinity pool and chatted with Mary and Jim about their travels, which include a South Africa trip almost yearly.
Hmm, South Africa - diving with sharks and driving through wine country? Might have to explore this option further...
We mingled during hors d'oeuvres, then sat down for a tortilla soup starter, followed by Belizean chicken with rice, plantains, and potato salad. Our table of six was abuzz with everything from growing up with siblings to the two types of crocodiles around - related because the smaller ones are usually feistier.
Dessert was coconut cream pie - Jim (of croc fame) gave us a preview of some of the other meals and desserts, so now Alisa's excited for the key lime as well.
I was plenty socialized by that point, so it was time for bed and blogging. Lights were again out by 9:30!
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