Day Nine

Courtney and I had today off so we decided to take a ferry over to Virgin Gorda. We've heard a lot about a place called the Baths and how beautiful it is and so had to pay it a visit. The ferry cost $30 from Road Town and took about 30 minutes to get there. We then got a taxi from the ferry terminal to the Baths for $3 each one way. The guy came to pick us up again later (which we had to pre-arrange with him when he dropped us there) as there are no taxis that just sit waiting for you. There were a lot of people visiting from cruise ships or charter companies and so walking through the rocks was quite time-consuming to get to the lovely beach at the other side. I'll add some pictures tomorrow (EDIT - DONE, SEE BELOW) as I haven't uploaded them yet - truely they are gorgeous! :)


This is the first beach you arrive at after walking down through the first set of rocks.


This is the Baths.


Do you see the orca?


This is looking out into the channel.


One of the beach's permanent residents!


The gorgeous beach you reach after your trek through the rocks!


This is the first beach again (after practically everyone has left!).

We also stopped there for lunch and as we got there quite early decided we may as well spend the whole day as the weather was lovely (for the most part) and we weren't too sure what else to do on VG. Within about an hour of us getting to the beach everyone else had practically left so there must have been about 8 people total on the beach! Just fab!! :)
When we returned to Tortola we got a little food shopping done and then hitched a lift back to the apartment. We then got ready for the Full Moon Party at Trellis Bay. Got a taxi there for $5 and joined the growing mass of people on the beach. The craft fair was still on and there were lots more people actually manning the stalls. I got a fab cute pair of shell earrings and Courtney got a wooden mask and a lovely silver banana leaf ring.
The rest of the dive shop peeps arrived not long after we did and we sat talking and laughing all night. (Unfortunately I don't have any photos of the FMP as my camera batteries died right as we arrived! Boo, hiss!!) Finally Steve gave us a lift home and we hit the hay.


This is Trellis Bay taken on a previous visit. Imagine the metal ball things filled with fire and lots of people standing around/dancing to the band/drinking etc etc :)

Day Eight

Been a very busy day today and I led my first dive ever! I had 6 divers following me on a site I've never dived before and I was kinda scared about it. Still everyone came back alive and well and happy with what they saw so that's all good! Still it was a tough dive because the current was really strong and there was some surge around the point we were diving which really didn't help my bouyancy at the end of the dive and I felt like I was flying to the surface along with some of my divers!! Not Good At All!!!! I also did surface support today for the first time on my own on one of the bigger boats (Discovery today) and that was quite interesting to be in charge of the boat for a spell. I like doing surface support as it utilises my organisational talents! :)
Last night Courtney and I went to Pussers again for dinner - another yummy pizza - and lots of talk about life and loves. It's Courtney's birthday this week and it is also a full moon midweek. Every month they have a full moon party at Trellis Bay. It's supposed to be great fun and so we're hoping to head down there for it. One of the instructors who's been laid off is leaving on Wednesday and so it's also sort of a goodbye party for him too.
This past weekend was good although I didn't get much chance to write. I was off on Saturday and so again went into Road Town for supplies (food, more shorts for the boat, a new bikini). Sunday was an easy day as the dives got cancelled so Tom and I had to stay on base and do some random jobs. I also got to drive my first boat - a small RIB called J Lady - which was great fun! :) Tom also taught me how to use the air compressor to fill tanks and so I spent a lot of the day doing that. Courtney and I also went to Trellis Bay one of the evenings for dinner. It took us a fair bit to get back home though - no one would pick us up on the way back for ages and it looked like we'd have to walk all the way! Much too far for that!! Finally though we got a lift so phew.


Courtney and I at Trellis Bay - note the extremely wind-blown hairdo's!!

Anyway thats all for now. Hope all is well with everyone
Hugs
H xx

Day Five

Today was another cruise ship day this time with Princess Cruises. There were six staff on the boat today - Emily as captain, Neil, Tom, Mark, Dale and me. Dale and I were to get off at Cooper Island to do a Discover Scuba Diving course with one of the guests. As I'd never done one before Tom said I need to see them done 4 times and then I can apparently get certified to teach them myself - cool! The wind and the waves were so bad today. Really strong wind made the waves even higher. And yet again it poured it down for the morning at any rate. Apparently the first dive at the Rhone this morning while we were doing the DSD was really difficult, so much so that they changed the second dive there to a reef dive in a more sheltered area.
The DSD was good to see but it was difficult for me to dive as I couldn't get submerged at all. Mainly due to the fact that I had to hold on to a dive float so that any boats coming into the dock know there are divers down and not to go above. With the weather being so bad I was being pulled back up by the flag and it was a complete nightmare to control. Anyway the DSD went well and we were then picked up again by the boat and taken to the reef.
Chromis reef is no doubt so called because of the large amount of chromis fish found there! There were of course the usual suspects of parrotfish and butterflyfish but I also saw a trumpetfish, a sand diver, another balloonfish, a few blue tangs and a FAB ray and another turtle!! Awesome! I basically followed around the DSD and Dale although I joined them late and left early because for the latter I hadn't changed tanks so was getting low on air. For the former I was helping others into the water.
We dropped the divers back at the cruise ship pier and picked up only 12 snorkellers after lunch (there were supposed to be 40!). Tom and Mark also left the boat to return to base. The company emailed the shore-ex desk to say that the swell was huge and obviously a lot of people may not be able to handle it. As it turned out I had to rescue 2 swimmers who'd gottten exhausted and couldn't get back to the boat. We paid a quick stop at Norman Island right after the snorkel too so they could go onto the beach and get a drink or snorkel from the beach. Unfortunately someone had had a stroke or heart attack and the coast guard had been called to get them off the island. All quite dramatic!!
Anyway we then got everyone back to the pier again and sorted out the boat. I don't remember if I've said before that all the boats need cleaning every day after use. The big boats obviously take a bit more work to do and the heads need cleaning too - yay, how pleasant!! :) All the boats are also re-stocked with tanks after each day and boy are they heavy. There is a trolley to carry 6 tanks at a time and you need some ooomph to get it in motion.
Last night some of the dive guys who've formed a band played at a place called Trellis Beach. A bunch of us went down there to watch and Courtney and I had a mooch about the place. Very cool and funky. They have a local craft fair there quite regularly and Ria (one of the DM's) is hoping to show some of her artwork.
I am off tomorrow and may venture into town again but Tom may be able to take me to a lookout point or a beach on the other side of the island if he gets finished with his jobs earlier.
Oh and super bonus - I wore the seasick wristbands all day today and was totally fine! Not one iota of queasiness! Awesome! I am going to have to wear them all the time I think :) YAY!!!! No barfing today :)
Hope everyone is well
H x

Day Four

Today was a good day although I got completely soaked in yet another downpour! What is with all the rain since I've arrived? Rob and I went to Cooper Island to open up the little shop there and try to sell some gear/courses/whatever we could. Rob was sent today instead of Tom so he could fix the compressor there. Tom was off on another cruise ship day. So Rob brought his sister with us who is visiting from the UK and we hung out on Cooper all day. Rob showed me how to set up and take down the shop and all the procedures and everything for the place. Then it was just a case of waiting for customers to come in. By the end of the day we'd sold a few tank fills, a regulator and a few other little bits and pieces. As the weather was soooo bad this morning I was surprised that there even was any sales.

I managed to take a few pictures today from Cooper so will try to add them asap. (EDIT - DONE, SEE BELOW) Tomorrow is going to be another busy day I think as it's another cruise ship day for me. In an effort to stop my self throwing up all day again I've gotten some wrist bands that are supposed to prevent seasickness. I'll give them a shot as other than some ginger there isn't really much else I can try.


The dock at Cooper Island.


The boutique and compressor shed behind on Cooper.


The SCD shop on Cooper.


Another view of the shop.

Let's hope the weather improves for tomorrow as all this rain is making me wonder why I even left England! Hehehe
Evening activities so far have not extended to much else than recuperating from the heaving by watching a couple of movies. Tonight a couple of the staff who have started a band together are hoping to play somewhere on the island. Nothing specific has been organised I think but if they get everything sorted then that may be a plan. Otherwise probably yet another movie from my hard disk or a quick trip to the bar above the shop to check it out.
Hope everyone is well
Hugs
H xx

Day Three

Today was crazy! We had a full boat for both morning and afternoon trips with passengers from the NCL Dawn cruise line. There were 16 divers in the am for 2 dives on the RMS Rhone and then 40 snorkelers in the afternoon for 2 1/2 hour snorkels next to Norman Island. Everyone was really friendly and very generous with tips (and the best thing is that interns get to share in the tips split too!), even the snorkelers who didn't require as much as assistance.
Yet again the heavens opened and we had a real heavy down pour. It only lasted about 3/4 hour max but it was right when we were tying off the boat back at Marina Cay to drop of the guests to the ship. No one wanted to get off! Emily (the captain for today) had to tell them they HAD to leave as we needed to get back under way! :) So not only did I get completely soaked but so did every one else!!
I also think I spoke a bit too soon with regards to getting my sea legs. I was sick so many times today I lost count - it had to be at least 5!! Ughhh :( Everyone said to keep drinking lots of water and keep myself hydrated but it just all ended up coming back up again. I found myself with a fab pulsing headache and no way of keeping down a couple of nurofen. I attempted to eat lunch but that too paid me a return visit. Oy! I am going to have to get me some sea sick tablets or ginger because this can't go on. Apparently everyone goes through it and it seems to be a great weight loss tactic too as I don't feel like eating much right now, evn though I'm starving! I think today has been the hardest day so far, not only because of how busy it is but also the physical side of it too. Being sick really took all my strength away and hauling tanks, kit and so on at the end of every dive and then again at the end of the day really takes it out of you too. I should have muscles to die for come the end of this month.
I'm also finding myself covered in bruises from I don't know what! And in very strange, random places too that I think how did that get there?! My hands are getting cut up a bit and my feet too seem to be developing a tough layer on the soles. Ahhh the joys of a scuba intern, eh?
As for the dives this morning - they were both great. On the first I saw a turtle, lots of lovely fishes and there is a swim-thru on the wreck that was great but a little creepy (because so many people died on the wreck). The fishes iuncluded: balloonfish, schoolmaster, rock beauty, reef butterflyfish, yellowhead wrasse, bluehead wrasse, spotted truckfish (very cool), foureye butterflyfish and some grey snapper. The second dive saw more of the same but also a big lobster and some of the guests also saw a ray (although there was some debate over the type of ray it was!!). The second dive also had a pretty strong current although Bart (one of the DM's) said its been much stronger than that so I'm gonna have to kick harder still in future.
With the day being so crazy busy I haven't had a chance to take any photos at all today but will try to tomorrow. Also as the weather was soooo poopy it didn't seem worth it even if I'd had the time.
For anyone thinking of coming to BVI please bring (or get while you're here) a TON of mosquito repellent. I am bit all over! And they seem to find their way through the nets too. Very adaptable creatures - grrr!
Hope all is well with you.
Hugs
H xx
(Pic taken in the apartment bathroom)

Day Two

I haven't worked today as all new interns have to shadow their mentors for at least the first week and Tom was off today too. So I went into the office (at 8am, even on my day off!) to see if I could catch a lift into Road Town. Managed to get a ride on one of the boats that was heading there to pick up some German cruise ship passengers. There were 3 ships in port today and boy was town busy. One road in particular was just heaving with traffic - totally bumper to bumper. I had a walk about and tried to orientate myself with the place. When we were heading in it looked really cloudy and yes after a couple of hours of mooching about the heavens opened! Quite the downpour but then I suppose that's what keeps the island green eh? I've taken some photos (see below) and have some more to add from Day One and also of the apartment in a separate post. I'm currently in the crew room using the computer rather than my own as I haven't been able to get the wireless thing set up on my laptop yet.

Anyway town is quite nice. There are some really pretty buildings and Main St is quite cute. There is also a small craft village (below) right next to the harbour with all sorts of T-shirts, keyrings, cups, hats and general tat to buy with BVI or Tortola on it. I was looking for a cup to use in the crew room ($6!) and another pair of shorts as my nice ones already have boat grease on them!! So I found myself a pair of red Billabongs for (OMG!!!) $45. I dunno whether they tack on a few extra bucks because it's cruise ship day or if that is always the price but then I guess BVI is expensive for pretty much everything. I also found the supermarkets and so have a bit more food for the week.



You'll notice as you go anywhere in BVI that chickens (especially) are everywhere. These two (above) were having a spot of brunch at the craft market!
I was told to flag down a taxi for the journey back and after about 10 minutes managed to get one to take me back to the Marina. Two others stopped to askme where I was headed but then drove on once I'd told them. When I got in the third taxi there were already 3 others in it (it's a share type of bus/taxi system) and the trip cost me $3 - not bad! Took about 10 minutes to reach Hodges Creek (well it did but then the driver drove right on past and dropped off the others first!! Only as they were getting out did he realise/remember that I was still in the back and he asked me why I didn't say anything?! I said I figured he'd just drop me off when he was headed back into town :) heheh So I managed to get a little look see in the other direction!)
Last night my roomie Courtney (above) and I walked along to Pusser's - a bar/restaurant about 10 minutes walk down the road. One of the other staff said they did great pizzas so we figured we'd go take a look. I ordered a medium mushroom pizza (apparently the small is only 4 inches!) and it came out a good 11 inches across. Way bigger than I normally get so I had the rest today for lunch. It was really, really good. The base is just right - not too thin that the pizza flops over when you're holding it but not too thick that you're full of dough and not toppings! Cost about $17. While we were waiting for it we decided to have a drink in the bar. Cocktails were on Courtney as she'd received $25 in tips that day. She ordered a margarita and wasn't impressed and I had a "Nelsons Blood" - rum (at least a double measure was poured straight in with no actual measuring!!), cranberry, orange, lime and angoustura bitters. Really quite tasty but the rum was pretty darn strong and even though I was eventually eating my pizza at the bar too, I felt a wee bit woozy on the walk home. (Am I a total lightweight?) It wasn't that comforting to see the bar person having to read the menu to know what to mix - I actually mentioned to Court that it was hardly Tom Cruise in Cocktail and she said she was thinking exactly the same!! Hehehehe! :D
My first night's sleep wasn't that great but the second was much better - was that all to do with the rum? Quite possibly!
It is now barely 3pm and I feel like I've already had quite a full day. I think I'll be heading back to the apartment to chill out, read some of my new book/my intern folder and get ready for Day Three - cruise ship day with NCL.
Love n hugs
H x

Day One

Today has been my first day with Sail Caribbean Divers (shop at Hodges Creek Marina above) and it's been a long one! :) We start at 730am every morning with a meeting in the office to discuss what we'll each be doing that day. Some days start earlier, some later, but mostly it'll be 730am. We've only just finished today and it's now 6pm - so 10.5 hours on the boat (well pretty much). My mentor is Tom (an instructor born in Jamaica) who's a total sweet heart. Also on the boat today was a DM called Mark who has been here for about 3 months and is also from the UK. We picked up another guy called Tom from Norman Island who was completing his last 3 dives of his open water course. I joined the Toms on the first dive - which was very cool, but unfortunately no u/w pictures to show (need to get a u/w camera). Only shallow this one to about 20m for about 20 mins. Lots of lovely fishes and some great coral too - will also have to get myself a fish ID chart so I can tell you the names of them. Gonna try to post a picture of the chart (done - see below) if possible so you'll be able to see them too if I can't get a camera sorted soon.

EDITED TO ADD - Fishes/corals seen on the 1st dive include: brain coral, basket sponges, orange tube sponges, staghorn coral, gorgonian fans, balloonfish, queen triggerfish, reef butterflyfish and a few others that I now don't remember!
We moved from Angelfish reef to another place for the last 2 dives (called the Indians I think??!) and then from there took Tom back to Norman Island (where he works) and opened up the new shop they have on the beach there (see pics below). Had a quick break for some lunch (yummy chicken Caesar salad while the guys had burgers) and then headed back to the shop for some O2 administration training and run through of my rescue dive skills. It's been so long since I last did any rescue training I am somewhat rusty to say the least but the last attempt (there were only 3) was much better (so Tom says). :) Gonna have to do another rescue in a few days just to prove all is well.


I have tomorrow off as Tom is also off (I'm pretty much shadowing him this week) so I'm hoping to be able to get into Road Town so I can have a look around, get some little errands done and generally get a feel for the place. Then its back to work on Wednesday with a group from one of the cruise ships. Usually cruise days are really hectic/manic so it should be interesting - eeek! :)
Anyhoo that is it for now. I will post more and hopefully add pics soon. Hope everyone is well.
Oh PS the weather is gorgeous - I'm already getting a tan. I think the temp today was high 70's. And with all the water action my hair is getting pretty darn super curly but slightly blonder already.
PPS Just to give you a laugh I also threw up over the side today - fish food!! Still maybe I've got my sea legs now and fingers crossed that will be it :)

Love to all
H x