Certified Open Water Divers!

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It's official...we passed our final exam and all our dives so Amy and I are certified to dive. Technically the two of us could purchase gear and go out and dive together just us two but I don't think that will happen anytime soon. We hope to try some diving in other countries on our trip and it is a lifetime diving certificate so we can dive for years to come.

I was surprised at how difficult/technical diving is compared to how I envisioned it. It isn't that diving is actually difficult, but it takes some skills and getting used to. At first I thoguht it was just breathing out of a regulator and smimming under water...far from it. You completely control your movement with your breathing and your legs are used to just push you along. Your arms are not supposed to be used for propulsion in anyway. Also, there is a lot about diving that you need to know regarding nitrogen build up in your body so you don't cause some serious issues. Generally speaking most dives won't go over one hour because of the nitrogen build up (shallower depths can be longer, deeper are shorter). Because of the nitrogen build up you get really tired (sleepy) from diving, it almost acts as a drug that makes you drowsy - it is really werid because diving itself is not tiring.

In all Amy and I did 6 dives here on Utila. Today we took a camera so we could document our excursion - I highly recommendy this if diving or considering getting an open water certificate.

We also had a few neat opportunities here at Utila that are worth a mention and if anyone heads this way should seriously consider. First, Alton's (our dive center) - I would recommend them based upon our experience. I have no reference to compare them to, but they take their diving seriously but their daily lives not seriously a very relaxed atmosphere. Second, Alton's lunches are fantastic, maybe the best on the island from our experience. They have a chef (Hugh) from Dallas, TX to cook for the divers. Third, try big Mamma's Super Baleada, for L60 ($3) it is a huge meal and absolutely delicious. Finally, Utila has the 4th best bar in the world (according to Loney Planet and Singha in 2009) - it is called Treetanic. It is difficult to describe the bar in detail and pictures do no justice, but it is ridiculously awesome! Lonely Planet's guidebook describes it as: "Drinking at this psychedelic mango treetop bar feels a bit guilty, like drinking inside a children's pop-up book, if the pop-up book was the Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test, of course. You half expect to find Willy Wonka tending bar." As I understand the owner did all of the work by hand and I can only imagine that it must have taken 10 years to make this playland.

Tomorrow we leave Utila for mainland Honduras and I thnk we will be at Lake Yohoa for a few days and then off to somewhere else - we'll see what the days bring. Our plan is to stay at this microbrewery/resort place at Lake Yohoa - the only microbrewery in Central America as I understand.

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Photos

Fish
Looking up to the surface at the fish.

Swarms of Fish
Amy hanging with the fish.

Me Diving
With the fish

Descent
Heading down on the dive

Angelfish
Diving

Dive Team
Kyle, Amy, and I on our 5th dive

Comments

[eric]

congratulation
your addiction starts from now.