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Have you ever gone and done something that you never thought you would find yourself doing in a million years? This last week was that week for me…..Especially since it was just last year that I finally got in the ocean without being in a constant state of panic as I imagine sharks being all around in every direction I turn, as we began taking the kids to go snorkeling on our trips to Tanga.
Psalm 104:25
There is the sea, vast and spacious, teeming with creatures beyond number— living things both large and small.
Well, Brent & I decided to get away together for a week, to relax and prepare ourselves for the upcoming busy season of the campaigns. It was also the anniversary of the day that we first met, back 13 years ago. We started thinking about it and we hadn’t gone anywhere without the kids since 2004, when we made the trip to Tanzania to help with the 2004 Safari for Souls campaigns for 2 weeks, so it was time to get away together alone for a change. Deciding where to go, wasn’t hard but we decided that we wanted to do something that
we had never done before, to go somewhere we had never seen, to be adventurous and try something that we wouldn’t be able to do if the kids were there in tow...
So, we chose to make a trip to Zanzibar, the Island just east of the Tanzanian mainland coast, out in the middle of the Indian Ocean. We went and stayed on the Northern tip of the Island in the area called, Nungwi and we stayed near the lighthouse on the coast. It was positively peaceful and serene, in the down season, with quiet and bare beaches all around. We decided that we were going to take the PADI Open Water Diving course at a local Dive center called the East African Dive Center, there within walking distance of where we were staying. At first the thought of diving scared me if I'm being honest, but so many friends of ours had told us we would love it if we would just take the course and get certified. So, that's just what we did, we went and got our International Diving Certification. WOW! Even as I write that I still can’t believe we actually, did it! But I
loved it! 4 days of Classes and Confined Dives, then we ended up doing 7 dives in all, 4 were for the certification and the other 3 were elective dives towards the next level of an advanced adventure Diver Certification. I can’t even begin to put into words how amazing it all was… If you can actually get through the Face mask removal test, which really was the toughest part…. Taking off your mask while 18 meters under water and then putting it back on again and clearing it using the air you blow through your nose all while staying under water and remaining calm…. (Key factor) ~ It was my hurdle to conquer, but on the third try, I finally got it done. Then the instructor proceeded to make me do it over and over and over again to prove that I could….
While we were there, we took long walks along the beach, went sea shell hunting, swimming with sea turtles in a secluded lagoon, I somhow got talked into holding a 12 ft. Python, because I was told that Garrett would think I was the coolest mom ever for doing it and getting apicture to prove
it... I'm such a sucker! ~ Still cant believe I did that either! But swimming with the turtles was one of my favorite things we were able to do! There's a smooth quiet lagoon, on the north end of the island just under the lighthouse where the sea turtles can swim in and out of this saltwater haven through an underground cave opening that lets out into the ocean's vast expance! Here they find a safe haven away from the snags of the fishermen's nets and find meals of flowing seaweed that wash up into the cove. Its still and quiet, and a place like none other than I have ever seen! The locals in the area tend to the visiting turtles like lifelong friends and alow visitors to get in and swim side by side with these giant peacful creatures. There were turtles larger than me in there, and little tiny baby ones that fit into the palm of my hand as well. Just a paradise cove of sea turtles.... I could have swam with them for hours!
Genesis 1:21
So God created the great creatures of the sea and every living and moving thing with which the
water teems, according to their kinds, and every winged bird according to its kind. And God saw that it was good.
The four things I had hoped to accomplish with this trip was
#1 Spend an amazing week with my husband and my best friend in the entire world, ACCOMPLISHED!
#2 Get Our Divers Certification Completed, ACCOMPLISHED!
#3 To see Dolphins & Sea Turtles! ACCOMPLISHED!
#4 To relax and rest while enjoying a whole new side of God’s amazing and captivating creation! ACCOMPLISHED! It was a wonderful week all in all! We of course missed the kids terribly, but they stayed back with the Hochdorfs and the Browns, and all had a great time together with their friends there in Arusha as well.
I have to say, that seeing life from a different angel, and in a new light, through the depths of the sea, to how God created each and every little being and creature and how unique and perfectly made that each one is…. Barely even puts a drop in the bucket of seeing the greatness of God and how amazing He truly is! I hope that each and every one of you
take a second in your life to examine the colors and the beauty all around you in each and every butterfly stripe and every little crawling creature there is even in your very own backyard, and then to realize like I did this week, that there are more beautiful things out there in this world than we could ever even begin to imagine, that God has before time set into place and into exisistance with His power and His glory through being made known through them all.
Psalm 148:7
Praise the LORD from the earth, you great sea creatures and all ocean depths
Dive #1 The Home Reef, Near the Nungwi , East African Dive Center
We went 5meters for 57 minutes with a visibility of about 5 meters all around… this was our first long dive, even though it was shallow, about 15ft deep ( I still have a hard time converting meters to feet in my head, it’s about 3 feet to a meter for those of you as challenged as myself)
Dive #2 Kendwa Area
We dove 8 meters for 45 minutes with a visibility of 10 meters. We saw Angel fish, Trumpet fish,
needle spine urchin everywhere, and small reef fish all around. The waters were about 26 degrees Celsius the whole week.
Dive #3 Renco Area
We went 8 meters for 44 minutes with 10 meters visibility. Here we saw black & White trumpet fish, long nose butterfly fish, more urchins, Angel fish, two tone Chromis, Lobster, Razor fish, Clown fish, Moorish Idols, Sergeant fish, and Anemones…. (Or in Julie’s terms Nemo and all his buddies!)
Dive #4 We took an hour’s boat trip out to Mnemba Island and dove at the Kichani Dive point
On the way to the Island we were joined by a whole herd of Dolphins swimming along next to the boat. It was amazing and they were more graceful than I ever could have imagined! This was my first time to see spinner Dolphins, they jumped and twisted in the air along with the waves! It was amazing! Here in the crystal clear waters that surround Mnemba Island we dove 18 meters for 57 minutes with a visibility of about 25 meters…. Yes we could see out and all around us for about 75 feet… Unbelievable! We dove alongside a huge reef wall that descended
down into the depths of the sea further than we could go, but the fish life all along the wall was breathtaking and I kept turning and twisting to be able to try to see everything all at once, there were fish everywhere we turned, with dolphins swimming nearby in the area all around us. Here at this site we saw large Grouper “Rock Horse” fish, Clown trigger fish (which are the most amazing and beautiful things I’ve ever seen!) schools of large yellow snapper swimming up current, Large jackfish, More Chromes, Angel fish, a geometric eel, and more long nose butterfly fish. These are the ones I could identify…. But there were thousands more that I couldn’t tell you what they were! Fish everywhere we turned! I was in a whole new underwater world that was like nothing I had ever imagined in my wildest dreams….. This dive completed our PADI Open Water Certification and we were then OFFICIAL CERTIFIED DIVERS!
Dive #5 Was our first elective Adventure Dive; we chose to do a DRIFT DIVE… in what’s called the Aquarium Area of Mnemba Island
We dove 18 meters for 40 minutes dropping in with a strong current
that swiftly pulls you away and you basically fly over the reefs, whipping through the water like you are skydiving, colors and fish passing by… I felt like I was in a dream! Reminded me of the Turtles in Finding Nemo floating in the “ E.A.C. Dude” as crush would say…(but in the East Africa Current for us though) Here I saw unicorn fish for the first time, Lion Fish which are amazing!, A Blue spotted sting ray, more jack fish and angel fish along with the thousands of others floating along beside us through the currents… We entered the water in really rough surface water with waves bashing the boat, and then as you descend the current takes over and it’s amazing the boat follows alongside a large buoy that the dive leader attaches to him so that you can all be found at the exit of the current….
Dive #6 Back in the Nungwi area we dove at the Coral Garden
This was our 2nd Adventure Dive OF UNDERWATER Digital Photography! You know I loved that one! We went 12 meters for 1 hour with a 10 meter visibility. Here we saw more lion fish, and OCTOPUS!!!!
Ribbon eel, Gold bar wrasse, Dominoe humbugs, Parrot fish, Cornet fish, yellow snapper, spotted unicorn fish, blue stripped snapper, Moorish idols, threadfin butterfly fish, and many many others (just trying to give you some of the highlights)
Dive #7 Shanes Area
We dove 16 meters for an hour with a visibility of 12 meters. This was our 3rd Adventure Dive of AWARE Fish Identification. I saw the most unusual fish called that Oriental Sweetlips… a crazy black and white zebra stripped fish with yellow lips and tail… it was gorgeous… We had a close encounter with a GIANT Moray EEL… More lion fish, Large Stone fish which are so interesting and hide so well along the reefs, and more of all the above mentioned fish… from the previous dives.
Psalm 23
A psalm of David.
1 The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not be in want.
2 He makes me lie down in green pastures,
he leads me beside quiet waters,
3 he restores my soul.
He guides me in paths of righteousness
for his name's sake.
4 Even though I walk
through the valley
of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil,
for you are with me;
your rod and your staff,
they comfort me.
5 You prepare a table before me
in the presence of my enemies.
You anoint my head with oil;
my cup overflows.
6 Surely goodness and love will follow me
all the days of my life,
and I will dwell in the house of the LORD
forever.
May the Lord Bless you and Keep you!
~ Love Julie Richardson
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Hannah Beth
non-member comment
Wow!!!!
All I can say is WOW!!!!! Ok you guys know I've wanted to go diving there forever, but now I really want to go!!!! Glad you guys had a great time...even if you didn't believe me when I told you that you would love it Julie! Love and miss you so much! ~Hannah Beth~