BBQ on Jewel Cay

In our first day back to the Cays, we decided to take it easy and relax, since we didn´t want to be rushed as soon as we got to the hotel to get back on the boat for the dives. We even got to re-claim the same rooms as before, and spent the day on the deck, at the hotel or walking through the cays. We did a snorkel trip in the afternoon, but overall took it easy. Brian and Scott were relaxing as well, since they next day they would be put through the grueling swim test for the DMT course, along with Dave and Dan. The next morning however, the atmosphere really started to change around hotel Kayla. Steve and the rest of the Captain Morgan´s crew unloaded boxes after boxes full of food, beer, rum and ice; Louis actually stayed at the hotel to prepare the BBQ, so today´s boat captain role would be filled by Steve (which unfortunately meant that he wouldn´t be able to dive, since regulations require the captain to stay with the boat at all time, to monitor the radio etc).

Because we wanted to return to the hotel quickly, we headed for our dives on the south side of Utila, the first stop being Big Rock. Gina was our divemaster this time around, we had only met her a few days before as she had just returned from vacation. We got to see another Southern Stingray, more Spotted Drums, and lots of Gray Angelfishes, but the highlight of the dive was a Hawksbill Turtle; by now we had seen so many that the running joke amongst the three of us was that we were wearing some sort of turtle - attracting deodorant. This one though, was so close to us that I was absolutely mesmorized by its graceful movements that its direction did not register for a few seconds; then I realised that it was headed straight towards my head, and at the last minute I moved aside to let it pass right before my eyes. For our second dive at Stingray point, aside from the ´usual suspects´, we also go to see a Caribbean Reef Lobster, Banded Cleaner Shrimp, and a trumpet and a smooth trunkfish. In the spirit of diving, the BBQ that followed was exclusively chicken and vegetables, since it would have been very difficult to eat the relatives of the marine life we just saw.

The real excuse to have the BBQ party was the swim test for the Dive Masters in Training, which consists of four sections: a swimming test (400m), treading water for 15 minutes (with the last 2 minutes with hands out of the water), a snorkel swim (800m) and 100m tired diver tow. Steve and Sam set up the buoys while the crowd gathered on the dock to drink cold beers and cheer on the four candidates. As the test got underway, Anke was cheering everyone on and encouraging everyone to make as much noise as possible, so we created a true party atmosphere. Marisa even helped out by volunteering to be one of the 'victims' who had to be towed back to the shore. Relieved that the test was finally behind them, the four DMTs got a chance to toast their success with cold beers before sitting down for the BBQ. Louis did a fantastic job, not only with preparing everything, but also entertaining us with various stories that had us all in stitches. As the day was coming to an end, most people got on Miss Kary and returned to Utila, still in full party mode, dancing and singing to the music that was blasting at maximum volume as the boat left the dock on the cays.