Roatan - Days 4-5

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Today we did our first open water dive. We checked with the dive shop here (Octopus Dive School) yesterday and decided to do the two-day PADI certification course. This will enable us to dive on future trips, and since Roatan is supposed to have some of the best diving in the world we figured this is the place to learn and get certified. We had homework last night and actually stayed up quite late reading the book (73 page chapter with additional video on DVD) and got up early this morning to cram. First Kate giving us homework for the wedding and now more homework on our honeymoon!

We talked with the instructor a bit before going out to the end of the dock and putting our equipment together and getting in the water. Definitely unlike anything else we've done before but once you get the hang of breathing through a regulator and comfortable taking it out and putting it back in underwater everything goes okay. While the instructor was working with Lauryn nearby I stayed underwater and a local kid kept jumping off the dock and swimming down next to me - making faces and swimming circles. Add under-oos to the list of colorful things that you may see underwater in the Caribbean Sea.

After a short break we went out in the boat and descended to about 40ft. Very cool and there were so very many fish all around. Totally different than snorkeling and I hope that we can still get excited for that before our trip ends. There were little, brightly colored fish, and great big ones just hanging out around us. A couple the size of large platters just cruised by without a second look. Tomorrow we do our second dive (as well as practice emergency procedures if you run out of air) so I hope we see a turtle or other exciting sea life. Supposed to be a little bit of everything here so I think the odds are good.

Was very nice and sunny all day long despite the forecast of thunderstorms. Tonight there was a little thunder and we can see periodic lightning across the sea but still dry and warm outside. Nice and cool in here as we type with the AC, though.

Yesterday we went down to the dock and read our books in the sun. Took a swim in the sea also - about 75-80 degrees and lovely - then rinsed off and hung out in the pool for a while. We got some sun and I'm even getting some color. Well, a little bit of color. Baby steps.
Big dive tomorrow and we look forward to sharing about it and our next excursions around the island.

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Photos

Sauteed chicken for dinner last night
with beans, rice, and sauteed bell pepper + onion

Comments

[Nancy Rains]

Honeymoon blog
Hola Sean and Lauryn, I'm loving reading about Roatan. Lisa Steber and her husband have a mini-resort there someplace. Don't know her married name. Hope you are taking lot's of pictures. Sending hugs, Nancy