Oh dear oh dear it’s my last week already! Although I’d love to see my family and friends again, I would also really like to stay here. I truly lost my heart to Tenerife ...
My week began in the North of Tenerife, where was going to do my two dives with Teide divers! Along with Jackie, Phil and a customer; Huachin, we headed to our first dive site. After a brief wake-up drive to the site, we arrived and got into our kits. Before we went in, Jackie took the opportunity to practice her demonstration of the Predive Safety Check, and I performed a demonstration of the Deep Water Entry. The first dive was to Tabaiba, a shore dive to a wreck that has been sunk specifically for divers.
It was a beautiful and impressive dive, and we spotted a baby Octopus, Blenny’s and a large number of tiny purple Nudibranch (Flabellina affinis). After our first dive we enjoyed a cup of tea to warm up again before we were off to our second dive.
This second dive was to Radazul, also a shore dive, along a wall of rocks, with various aquatic life that lives between the cracks in the rocks. Throughout this dive we were followed by a Dentex, an imposing, large predator fish. There were dozens of Anemones to see, lots of Blue-fin Damselfish, Ornate Wrasse and a Snake cucumber.
Again, a great dive, thank you Jackie and Phil! After getting out of the water I realized that I really needed the bathroom! Man, I regretted that cup of tea after the first dive... Letting it go in the wetsuit is not an option, that’s just gross.. But I wasn’t too sure about how much longer I could hold it up, I felt like a little child! Frustratingly enough, there were toilets about 20 meters away, but they were closed! Thanks then..
Eventually, I realized that I probably really wouldn’t make it to the toilet of Teide divers’ dive resort, so Jackie and I walked to a restaurant on the other side of the harbor. What a relief that was! Anyway, enough about my post-dive adventure. That evening I had an enjoyable evening with Jackie, and went to bed, due to the very early start the next day. ;-)
Yawn sleep yawn.. On Tuesday morning we were up very early, around 5 a.m., to be able to get to the South in time, for a pool session with Dive and Sea Tenerife. After a drowsy car ride, we arrived at Golf Del Sur, still feeling very sleepy, and I stayed in the shop that morning. Interns Chris, George and Carl completed a large number of their Divemaster skills, and Jackie has now completed almost all of her skills, and with good results!
That afternoon, Chris, George, Carl, Pete and I went to the Marina, to complete the last skills of Chris and George, and to give Carl a chance to practice his 800m snorkel. Chris began with his second last skill: the Deep Water Entry, which he successfully completed. Then it was time for their last skill: the 15 minute float, which, funnily enough, they failed on last time due to swallowing large amounts of water :-)
Under the watchful eye of Pete, they completed their last skill without any problems, which means that they now are PADI Divemasters!
Meanwhile, Carl practiced the 800m snorkel for the first time, which was tougher than he had expected, and on top of that, he also had the misfortune to get a cramp in his leg during the swim. But in the end, he did succeed, and that evening we raised our glasses for Chris and George, for completing their PADI Divemaster course, congratulations guys! Well done!
Wednesday morning Chris, George, Carl and I got the opportunity to start off with our next project; making our own Divemaster skills DVD, from Dive and Sea Tenerife! Unfortunately, Carl was sick that morning, and he decided that it was better to get some rest before getting back into the water. So the three of us went to the pool, armed with two cameras, where we made a start with the recordings. We really enjoyed and had a lot of fun, but also learned a lot.
We spent the Wednesday afternoon studying and making various exams as a good practice for the PADI Assistant Instructor course. All in all it didn’t go too bad, but a few mistakes still means there’s some room for improvement!
Thursday morning began with the exciting kit exchange! This was the last skill that Jackie still had to do for her PADI Divemaster course. I was honored with the chance to do it again. The first attempt started really well, but about halfway through, Jackie had some difficulty with getting her BCD on, and she had a moment of panic and went to the surface for a few good mouthfuls of breath.
After a short break, she was ready for a second attempt, which went perfect. She was absolutely delighted!
Congratulations on your PADI Divemaster certificate Jackie, you deserved it!
After Jackie it was Carl’s turn to do the kit exchange with George, which also went fine, well done Carl!
At lunch, we celebrated Jackie's new achievement, while enjoying another English breakfast.
Friday was a tiring but interesting day full of studying and exams. The results are not bad at all, it's going in the right direction now, I would even have passed all of them! However, not a 100%, so there’s room for improvement... So now I’ll try to finally finish my book, it’s just taking so much time, because I get stuck on words I don’t know. Too late to switch to Dutch now though, because I don’t know any of the diving-related world in Dutch!
On the one hand, it is great to have 4 months to read the book, waiting to be certified for 6 months and then do my PADI Assistant Instructor course. On the other hand, I am afraid I will have just forgotten everything by then...
Saturday morning we were joined by the lovely Ann, who came to us for her PADI Open Water Referral.
For her first two Open Water dives, we went to Playa Negra, a shore dive. Because it was a diving course, it was inevitable that this time Pete had to do two shore dives, which aren’t exactly his favorite.. We couldn’t do boat dives that day, because the boat is currently out of the water to have the motor serviced. Ann was a fun, spontaneous girl and her dives went very well. All of her skills went fine as well, even the Partial Mask Flood, where Ann was a bit nervous for. During the dive we saw a Cuttlefish, Fireworms, Pufferfish, a Sea Hare and Lightfoot Crabs. Back in the shop, we warmed up enjoying a delicious cup of tea (with milk of course!).
Maybe my last Sunday should have been a busy day, doing all the things on my ‘to do’ list while being in Tenerife, but it just didn’t happen. The weather wasn’t great, and I was too tired and decided to spend part of the day in the shop to catch up with some of my work. The rest of the day I studied some more and relaxed.
My final few days :-(
Monday... Now the end is very near, because this week I will go back to Holland again. Sniff,
I miss Tenerife already!
Today we had the company of Ann again, who was back for her next two dives that were part of her PADI Open Water course. Now we had the boat back, the choice wasn’t hard; we were going to do boat dives.
We went to Gijarro Arrecife, one of our newest dive sites. Before we got on the boat, After a quick dive brief about the skills to perform during the next two dives, we were on our way to the next two dives. Ann, Pete and I got into the water while George stayed on the boat during the first dive. Ann did very well again, she is improving very quickly and doesn’t have any problems with the skills.
During this dive we saw Arrow Crabs and some funny Red-Backed Cleaner Shrimps. During the second dive I stayed on the boat, and George got into the water. I had just done my 99th dive!
Before Ann got into the water again, it appeared that she was getting very nervous for one of her last skills: the Full Mask Flood. After some reassuring words of us, she agreed to get in the water, and about 40 minutes later, the divers surfaced with cheerful faces, which meant that Ann had succeeded, as expected of course! :-)
After a total of four Open Water dives with us, and performing all the skills correctly, Ann is now a PADI Open Water Diver, congratulations!
Tuesday was the first day of the PADI Assistant Instructor course, that Chris, George and Jackie are doing.
Teide divers Phil and Jackie drove to the South that morning, together with their intern Lauren. I got the day off, and Lauren as well, and we had a really nice relaxing day together. We relaxed by the pool first, until the sun disappeared behind the clouds. That afternoon we went to San Blas, a small shopping center near here, where we went in some shops and had a cocktail on the terrace. I had a very nice afternoon with Lauren, and once we got back we went with Melissa to ProSub to buy my own BCD and regs, if they would have the right ones in stock.
To my delight, they did indeed have a suitable BCD and regulators in stock! I also purchased a new mask and diving bag, since my old mask never really fitted, and I must be able to carry my diving equipment with me. So obviously with me feeling very happy, we went back to the shop, and from there straight on to my goodbye drink.. Sniff!
We went together with the whole loyal pack, consisting of Jackie, Lauren, Phil, Melissa, Chris, George, Pete and me.
We returned to San Blas and had a very nice evening. Then unfortunately, I really had to say goodbye to Teide divers Jackie, Lauren and Phil, and I’ll be very honest, I had to sweep a tear away.. Miss you guys!
Wednesday arrived, sniff.. My last day! Sniff..
My next dive, the first dive with my own equipment, was my 100th dive! For this special occasion, I got to choose where we went, and I chose Alien Rock, the dive location where it all started for me, where I could find my way on a dive site for the first time, where I led my first dive, where I first recognized the animals and what is still one of the finest dive sites here!
With my new diving gear, my favorite dive buddy and instructor Pete, one of my favorite customers and interns Ann and Chris all by my side, I plunged into the water for the 100th time. It was a beautiful dive and Pete immediately spotted a stingray in the first minutes of the dive, and later we also saw a Common Eagle Ray.
Ann dived as a true diver and Chris as a true PADI Divemaster. My new scuba gear was great. What a dive! After a change of tanks on the boat, Chris wasn’t feeling good, and decided not to do the second dive.
Ann, Pete and I went into the water for my last dive for a long time with Dive and Sea Tenerife.. Sniff!
This dive was to the beautiful Swim Through and Crocodile Rock, aka Croc Rock. During this dive, we saw the stingray again, plus a large Octopus, a Cuttlefish and the largest Hermit Crab I've seen so far.
When the emotional moment came to do my last safety stop, I realized for the first time, it really almost was over.. The dive went past way too quickly. With that in mind, I swam the last few meters to the surface very slowly, but sadly I couldn’t make the time stop. Sniff Sniff..
That afternoon I spent packing my stuff and cleaning my room. For dinner, Melissa, Pete and I went to the Chinese. The Last Meal! Sniff. Of course the rest of the evening past even quicker and my last day was coming to an end.
Thursday arrived.. SNIF! After saying goodbye to Melissa, Chris and George it was soon time to leave. Pete took me to the airport, where we had to say goodbye which wasn’t easy.
Emotional as I was (am) I had another half an hour waiting for my plane. At the airport, when it was almost time to get on the plane, I lost my boarding pass, (panic!!) which I thankfully found back soon on the floor. Donut that I am.
After that, all the power at the airport was cut off for a moment and the plane had a delay. Finally, when getting on board the plane, I found out that I was standing in the wrong queue, apparently the one for passengers with priority, and I had to go all the way to back end of the other queue. What a disaster!
Fortunately, the flight itself went well, and after 4.5 very long hours, and a moment at the German airport that they suddenly (in German..) wanted to check my passport and luggage, I could finally see my family again, who made and brought a wonderful span board for me.
I want to thank everyone I have worked and dived with so very much!
Harry, for all our diving skills and jokes together. Louise and family, for the lovely chatting and super fun trips. Jackie, Lauren and Phil, for our dives, working together and all the very enjoyable moments together.
Chris and George, for all our dives together and your great humor. Melissa, for your hospitality, our shopping trips and chatty moments.
And last but not least, Pete, for all your support, diving, fun, wonderful humor and much more!
I have had the time of my life and learned so much at Dive and Sea Tenerife.
It was a life changing experience and I will cherish it forever.
As mentioned before, I lost my heart to the beautiful island of Tenerife.
Thank you all for everything, Love You! (K)
SNIFF.
Wow nice story man !!
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