SKILL WARS......Return to the Pool

A long time ago (only a few days) in a pool far, far, away (downstairs from the Dive Centre)…

Five intrepid and idealistic people (immature interns) undertook their Divemaster Skills Assessment. After it being postponed due to the wrath of Darth Pete (entirely justified), they armed themselves with all the protection possible (a Scuba Review slate and a wetsuit) and waded into this monthly battle of wits.

Remembering the secret words of power (the values of surface skills) and the conventions of single combat (always deflate your BCD before an underwater skill), the first snorkel was drawn at 8.00am after an hour of preparation. The last fine-tuning was made as the Sun hit the chlorine soaked pool and Avicii’s “Wake Me Up” was whistled woefully across the orange wastes of Terraza de la Paz.

Wading into the arena came Darth Pete and Darth Melissa; chills went down the spine of all the interns waiting. This may have been because one of their number was wearing a 3mm Shorty (namely myself).

Up at the shop, hearing the water rippling, the other interns knew the fate of these latest challengers. It was now down to how exaggerated and slow their skills were, would hair be cleared from their mask, and could they exhale for the whole Controlled Emergency Surface Ascent?

As the battle cries began and the speeches ended, Darth Pete fixes his eyes on the first of the interns…

***Fade to black***

However it actually went OK! As a group we did really well and, despite portents of doom, did not have to do any skills again. That is not to say I could have done better but I was pretty happy with the overall result.

With most of the week revolving around this, I have also been fortunate to get some diving in.

I went to a site for the first time, Moon Pools, which was an interesting place. For the supreme positive of the dive, I saw my first Sea-Horse. This was absolutely awesome, as well as casually random. Almost as though our thought processes were:
“What is that?’
“Sea-Horse.”
“Cool.”
“Yep.”
“Wait, that’s A SEA-HORSE!”

Beyond that however we did see a lot of evidence of human interaction with the marine environment. There was a considerable amount of litter, large metal objects, and lost fishing gear around. Most sickening however was a fresh Stingray carcass, thrown back with its tail and wings cut off. A strange dive full of extremes.

I also led my first dive this week, luckily we saw something as I was paranoid that this would be the time where there was nothing to see. However a funky Octopus, Nudibranch, Red-Backed Cleaner Shrimp and little Stingray put me at ease. I was close to not finding the boat at one point but, with an intervention from the aforementioned Darth Pete, got there in the end. Our customer, Charles from Las Vegas, seemed to enjoy himself anyway!

Diving and nights out in Las Americas!

Let’s see, this week Gerardo and Mel (Melissa, but there already is one of those so…) showed up and have been getting used to the way things work.

We did a couple dives at Yellow Mountain early this week where Gerardo and Mel went to find Ducky and Hannah and I went to learn how to use a lift bag.

We also went on our first dive where it was only me and Hannah and we ended up spending half the dive killing sea urchins and to be honest it was super!

It was also our Divemaster exams this week, and Alice decided to torment me by not telling me my score until Hannah was done and then she held off until everyone was listening.
I was more nervous after the test than I was before it, in the end though I passed so it’s all good.

We also did our final skills session in the pool with Pete and Alice. There were some good things and some bad things about our pool session, first Pete didn’t get out of the pool in disgust which was a huge plus. He did make fun of us quite a bit for not responding correctly to the signal for "how much air have you got"!  However I feel that it was slightly unwarranted as nobody else had ever asked us, but then Pete is the loving caring one!

But in the end I only have to redo 3 skills whereas Hannah has to redo 6, I’m obviously #1.

Melissa’s birthday also happened this week and we went out for the night and had quite the time, or at least I had quite the time, but I am not willing to discuss it!

I also had dinner with Will, Hannah, and Melissa this week and I made the pasta and it was delicious.

My role was probably one of the most important of the meal and was constantly downplayed, I couldn't believe how ungrateful everyone was as I slaved away in the kitchen for at least 10-20 minutes. It was probably one of the most demoralizing moments of my life.
Melissa literally laid on the couch and said things like, “All you’re doing is boiling it in water,” and “you didn't make the pasta.” It was wonderful, but I must say I did enjoy the food in the end, I don’t know if it was because I put so much work and effort into it or if it was just delicious.

We done a bunch of dives at other places too this week with some great guys.

Today though got to work on skills with Mel and Gerardo which was fun and got through my kit set up with them, they were pretty decent for first runs.

Malene and Theiss also started their internship and today was my first full day working with them and I think they will do well.

It’s weird having so many interns, I was used to rushing around and doing a lot of work every day but the amount I have to do myself now is quite a bit less it seems.

Either that or I am getting really lazy. Whatever it’s all working out and we are having a good time.

Eric

PADI Instructor & PADI Assistant Instructor Courses and being blindfolded !

On Monday, Patrick, Stiven, Ioannis, Eric y yo headed off to Abades where we did 3 dives around the shore. We saw loads of common sting rays, an octopus and a couple of trigger fish which is apparently a rare sight there.
I am recognising loads more fish I now just need to remember the names. I practiced briefing one of the dives which went ok ish, still a work in progress. I reviewed my PADI Rescue diver book and then took the test and got a pretty groovy 96%, so I am happy with that.
Tuesday was a busy day, we were joined by James who was doing his PADI Assistant instructor course. We did two pool sessions were we practiced our skills alongside James.

We also went to the hotel pool which was pretty busy and several people were up for having a free try at scuba diving around the pool. We did the 800metre snorkel in the marina with fins which used muscles I don’t think I have ever used before in my legs. I did it in 16 minutes 14 seconds which apparently isn’t too bad.

On Wednesday we did more pool sessions and also scrubbed out the dungeons, taking out all the scuba gear and giving it a thorough sweep and clean. After all our pool sessions I asked if we had improved and I don’t think I should have asked that question just yet as it was a disappointing reply!

Melissa passed her PADI Instructor exam which is great and she is now a PADI instructor! On Thursday James did his skills test in the pool and we had to make purposeful mistakes for him to correct.
Later on we went out to Abades again where Ioannis did his navigation and fish ID adventure dive. Stiven and I mostly somersaulted and danced under the water. There wasn't a parking spot near the shop so we had to carry many tanks up the road but I don’t complain..

In the afternoon we went off to Prosub, the scuba diving shop where we had a look around. Later on we learnt 2 knots which apparently we have to be able to do blindfolded for our PADI Divemaster.

This one time in the pub Eric was like telling us about his time at band camp, he had a real good time. Friday, I did my second boat dive and we had to do some purposeful mistakes for Jame´s open water skills test. However I made his life pretty hard by doing several other mistakes for him to correct. Oops!
We then went for a little recreational dive, I really like Yellow Mountain (the dive site) we saw a sting ray, lots of trumpet fish, arrow crabs, lots of baby bandtail puffers and the other usuals.
We didn’t have a very successful few days on the organisational side of things but living and learning!

Friday evening we went out for a meal at the Aberdeen Steakhouse (when in Tenerife) and we then went on to a karaoke bar where a guy in a shiny shirt was doing a Tom Jones tribute which was suitably cringey. After Eric’s beautiful rendition of Metallica I was convinced to sing Mama mia with a couple of others. We got to bed at 3am and both Melissa and I got up pretty early on the Saturday anyway and had a very productive morning of cleaning the apartment, swimming, baking and going over scuba skills all before midday.

In the afternoon we headed off to the hotel pool to give free try dives which I think was a little painful for Eric and then in the evening Melissa and I had a go at learning the dance to Takata. There is a lot to be done and I am doing lots of running about, carrying tanks, preparing kit and diving.

Who needs a fitness camp when there are diving internships to be done! I’m having a real good time though!

Hannah

Sting Rays everywhere :)

This week Gary Stiven and I have all made lots of progress on our PADI Divemaster course. We had a pool skills session with Pete who marked us. This showed us we still have some way to go in some skills but in others we managed to score some top marks, which was encouraging.  We also did the 800-metre snorkel and 100 metre diver tow. We did these tests in the Marina and in the afternoon I watched Stiven doing his PADI Rescue confined water stage. It was interesting to see someone else being instructed and was a useful refresher for Gary and I. It was a long day but it was worth it.

This week I have also done 2 dives where I was trained in the Surface Marker Buoy which I enjoyed doing.

We dived at the sub site with customers Fergus, Aidan and Dan. We were really lucky to see 4 large Rays sleeping on the floor of a small ravine. Later in the dive we saw another 2 Rays, which was fantastic .The second of those looked very large. The sleeping rays we were able to get really close to.  They eventually moved and were so powerful and graceful to watch. It was definitely a high for me.

We also dived at the Moon Pools where we saw lots of fish. It was a brilliant day and the light in the pools was amazing. You approach these pools through a series of swim throughs. I did my Fish identification dive at the site and recorded 36 different species. There were still others that I did not get a chance to record but it shows how much life there is in these waters.

At Yellow Mountain we dived with Dan, Steve, Aidan and Fergus .We saw a small Common ray which had teamed up with a small Sting ray. They were happily following one another around and did not seem at all bothered by our presence. They seemed to be playing a game of tag, which was funny to watch.

The weather this week has been 25 degrees plus. The sea temperature is still 21 degrees and the sea has been the calmest that I have seen it since I have been here.

On Saturday Gary, Stiven Melissa and I were all off for the day. Gary drove us round the north of the Island and we ended up at Teide just before sunset. The light really seemed to bring the colour out of the rocks and we all had a great day. It was nice to see parts of the Island that I have not been to before.

“ This is a fantastic time of the year to come diving here so what are you waiting for. “

Patrick    

Its my Birthday............ and i was late again!

Third Week, Gary leave me alone… He escapes for holidays! But Sam a PADI Divemaster who done his internship here arrive for two weeks. Is Spanish but he live in London and actually he look like an English because of the whiteness off his skin!!!! ahahaahh poor him!

So Pete bring Alice and I to El Delphin place, deep diving so a bit anxious …the deep blue was waiting me…30 meters is quite a bit off water on you… and quite far off the superficial!

But when I arrive on the bottom was so amazing all those big fish everywhere…and all marine blue colours, no horizon just infinite water… we have seen plenty fish.

The same day at the second dive we went to another site.
He was a new dive site for me and we have seen this strange fish a Streaked Gurnard, the can walk as a spider on the bottom swim as a any other fish in water and fly over the sea with those gorgeous blue pectoral fins… look like a butterfly…Super beautiful !!!

Sam had done the scuba tuned up!!! Naughty English skin Spanish guy ahahahhahah!!!
Joke…because I am mad ahahah!!! 
After we went straight away in Abades with Melissa  We enjoy a lot the dives Sam is very friendly and I like to speak a bit in Spanish with im to not forget… we seen a massive starfish something like 30 cm length.

Day next we went to Puerto De La Cruz, to met others divers. Jackie, Phil and Isidro to show us the new diving place off the area. Punta Teno this is the place where the north of the island meets the south, just super stunning landscape…. And Garachico, just amazing.

We did a 50-min dive! The longest time ever for me as i am not good with my air.
It was very amazing dive! I enjoy it a lot. We have seen big zebra bream and cow bream everywhere in shoal.

Furthermore as the sherry on the top of the cake we have seen a super massive round stingray over 2m of span … yes it was huge!
I was talking and screaming underwater even I had the regulator on the mouth!!!
Something Like: “OMG, Super beautiful…”

ITS MY BIRTHDAY!!!!!!!! Getting older nooo…!
So 27 years old like a dinosaur… so good!

The day starts very well, other me late yet again nooo!,  Melissa Pete and Alice offer me one birthday card each… so cute! Thank you SUPER very much for your cards… lovely!

We went to Montaña Amarilla and Crocodile Rock with Julie and Gerhard south African, They not talk much on trip but i make up for its!
We have seen tiny brown scorpion fish and sharp nose puffer.
We were surrounded by cow breams and sharped nose bream; swimming very close to us… such good feeling!

In the afternoon I baked the best chocolate birthday cake ever for the team without any recipe just my eyes …I am the boss off cooking yeah!

I have fallen back on the reading of my books and am very behind which cause many problems to get courses done. It is such a tiring day and at night i prefer to relax instead of study, i will get it done..... some time soon ahahahhahah!!!

To finish week i late again, i just can never be right time anywhere, but weekend finish with a great dive with Melissa and Sam we have seen the a big grouper for the first time so happy!!!

Dolphins and Divemasters

Diving everyday, how does that sound?
Two months ago sounded just like a dream, but now it's this week's reality.
Combine that with new dive sites and crazy dolphins and you have magical, add some happy customers with the completion of 60 dives and the stamina tests left for being a PADI Divemaster then it's rewarding.
Simply put, productive, amazing and beautiful week!

I started this week with 54 dives in my logbook. Alice took us to the new dive site to start our day with 3 dives.
The weather was just perfect, we saw the sun rising on the horizon and took some pictures and we were kitted up and ready to go very quickly.
We had three lovely dives, on the first we had a close encounter with a very curious octopus, it kept swimming gracefully like a jet from one rock to the next while watching us.
On the next dive Dennis realized that he had dropped his knife, so using his slate we planned a search and recovery technique by positioning us 4 divers horizontally next to each other going back with the same speed and looking for it.
Andreas found the knife, his buoyancy control is now very impressive, he always spots amazing creatures and now he found the knife as he usually glides at shallower depths to have a broader view of what's around him.

I was leading the third dive, we entered the water from the right most point of the coast. We saw a huge starfish and a cuttle fish next to each other, as we got closer the cuttle fish swam very fast till it disappeared in the distance. We then had a relaxing dive where we saw some scorpion fish, red lipped blennies, another octopus and some trumpet fish.

The next day we went to one of my most favourite dive sites. Poco Naufragio where the huge rays are.  So we took the boat, descended instantly to the deepest point of the site where the small wreck is waited for a couple of minutes and this huge ray was coming from the distance.
I had a look on Alice and she was covered with hundreds of fish so Pete decided we take a cruise around the site. It was the first time we do that here at Poco Naufragio, we always descend stay for a while with minimum movement then ascend back up.

But this time was really interesting because it gave me an idea of what is really around. We saw an octopus hiding under a rock. Pete was playing with his hand in front of the octopus trying to "talk" to it and it worked, the octopus' tentacles were trying to reach for Pete's hand!
Pretty impressive. On the distance, we found huge spurts of octopus ink everywhere around us.
We saw one black moray eel coming out of a rock, then from the same rock a brown moray appeared, then another Fangtooth moray appeared with some spider crabs in the same hole.
It was absolutely magical to see all three morays next to each other. We stayed there for some time taking pictures and watching them.
Then it was time for us to make our safety stop and go back on the boat.

Dennis had to choose the next dive site of the day since it was his 60th dive! We all went to yellow mountain and had an amazing dive there.
We took the tour around Alien rock from the opposite direction which is always interesting. There were so many divers around which was quite unusual.
After the dive and before we were ready to go Pete spotted what seemed like a pack of dolphins hunting on the opposite direction from the marina. But of course that doesn't matter.
When we went there, there were at least 7-9 dolphins.
They surfaced higher than usual, sometime almost jumping out of the water and so close you can hear them breathe. A mother and it's calf were the highlight of the pack.
We kept watching this happen for some time until three stupid jet skies were coming from the distance and ruined the situation.

The next day we went to Las Eras some customers.
It's always nice to go there because the rock formations are so beautiful. It was my 60th dive.
The next dive was to the pipeline and this still remains another one of my most favorite sites in Tenerife.

Lydia was doing her wreck diver speciality so we all went to Tabaiba for two amazing wreck dives. Congratulations for Alice for teaching her first wreck diver speciality course and for Lydia for becoming a new wreck diver specialist!
It was my first wreck dive and I absolutely loved it. It's relatively a big boat 6 years ago and already surrounded by loads of aquatic life. Being there underwater around the wreck is just a great privilege and you feel humbled by the size of this thing and the moment you are experience it.
Between the dives we saw a pack of dolphins hunting close to the shore. This time they were not surrounded by any boats so they felt free to jump as high as they can above the water!

Our last two dives of the week were boat dives at El Delfin and Pequeno Valle.
On the first, we descended in deeper water and went looking for angel sharks.
Just great! I could see his eyes watching us. Then we reached the rock formations. And it was packed with wildlife, we then had a relaxed dive looking around and taking pictures.

Back next week.

La vuelta de Marruecos

Adal aka Gary aka Gary Pineapple

Esta fue otra semana corta, porque llegué el viernes y solo pude trabajar dos días.

Nada más llegar a Tenerife el viernes de mis vacaciones, de vuelta a la gloriosa luz del sol y como algunos amigos querían ir de caminata a las Montañas de Anaga. Fue aterrizar, dejar mis maletas en casa, descansar un momentito e ir de pateo desde el Restaurante Casa Carlos a Taborno y vuelta al Restaurante, en el norte de la Isla.

Un pateo agradable con buenas vistas y un tiempo relajante para coger fuerzas pare el resto de la semana y recuperar algo de fuerza para la vuelta al trabajo.

Así que el Sábado empezamos con una session de piscine con Simon, Connor, Deborah y Lucy de Brighton que estaban haciendo su experiencia de Discover Scuba Diving con Pete, Alice, Sam y yo. Ellos lo hicieron bien y eran avidos snorkellers, las chicas contentas con la session de piscine, pero decidieron solo acompañar en el barco.

Más tarde Simon, Connor, Sam, Alice y yo buceamos en Montaña amarilla y ellos disfrutaron de las inmersiones y Debora y Lucy disfrutaron su viaje en barco, así que todo fue bastante bien. Como siempre, había bastante pescado, unos pocos pez trompeta, las pequeñas gallinitas, tamboriles y sargos dejandose ver, pasando junto a las anguilas jardineras. Todos disfrutamos de las inmersiones.

Este a sido mi primer DSD completo desde el principio hasta el final, con las inmersiones actuando como ayudante, me encantaría poder enseñar la experiencia de DSD por mi cuenta .

El domingo tuvimos un par de inmersiones en Roca Alienigena y otra en la Roca Cocodrilo con Molly y Dan, de Estados Unidos de Norteamerica que vivían en Londres y Jean Pierre de Bélgica y Che de Reino Unido. Alice lidero las inmersiones y yo acompañaba a Sam. Las inmersiones fueron muy agradables y pudimos ver algunos de esto reefs y bastante pescado incluyendo algún pulpo y algunos lady escarlatas y poder observar y comprender de qué manera los erizos diadema(erizos de lima o erizos de puas largas) destruyen el entorno para otras especies.

Después las actividades para un día normal y también realizar la segunda medida de mis 400 metros a nado, actividad en la que realmente tengo que mejorar desde ahora hasta que termine las prácticas.
Parece que sigo liandola un poco con la cuerda para atracar el barco, pero al menos ya voy haciendolo bastante mejor con el ancla.

Fue una buena experiencia conocer a Sam, un Divemaster español que hizo sus practices hace dos años, está trabajando en Londres y volvió para disfrutar del sol y las sensasiones de bucear. Buenas charlas y otro compañero que trabaja duro.

Además para despedir a Sam, al terminar el día Sam, Peter y yo nos tomamos algo ya que Sam volvía a las frias tierras inglesas antes del miercoles cuando yo volvería a mis labores de buceo. Peter es un nuevo compañero en practices  que va a empezar este lunes y que a partir de ahora se llamará Patrick y que es demasiado joven para juvilarse de su actividad anterior.

Sigo leyendo mi libro de rescate de buceo



que espero terminar pronto, de manera que pueda empezar con primeros auxilios, nadar y otras actividades que tengo que mejorar estas semanas. De cualquier manera mejorando, pero mucho camino aún .

Y creo que esto es todo de momento,
Salu2 y mucha suerte,
Adal aka Gary aka Gary Pineapple ;)

" They think my name is Patrick"

I started my internship on April fools day and realised that I may have enlisted in a far flung outpost of the French Foreign legion.
The reason being that every intern here is given a new name when they start which is very amusing. Mine is now Patrick!

I received a very warm welcome from Pete, Melissa and Alice when I arrived and they have continued to make learning and development an enjoyable experience.

I have been very impressed with Alice who has been my instructor at the very calm, clear and patient manner that she has with the interns and the customers.

I have also started to bond well with Gary who is a Canarian intern.We are fast become a team and good friends. He has already been here a month and is showing me the ropes.

This week I have done 12 dives and I have done my deep dive adventure dive to the Submarine site just outside the Marina.

There Pete showed me a pregnant Ray in some rocks and a Fangtooth Moray Eel which was sharing a hole with a Black Moray eel. I have also done some shore Abades with Alice, Gary and a customer Kat who is a newly qualified PADI open water diver. There we saw numerous fish of different types which included Parrot fish, Blue fin Damsel fish,ornate wrasse to name a few.

This week I have met some very nice customers and we have all enjoyed the diving that has been on offer.

At Yellow Mountain I saw an octopus,trumpet fish, white bream and fire worms. At Alien Rock with Pete we saw a large shoal of Barracuda near the surface. There has also been octopus, white bream and great weavers and lots of other fish.

At The Swim through site we also saw grey mullets, octopus and lots of interesting coloured coral.

The weather here has been fantastic this last week with clear blue skies and temperatures in the mid 20's. The diving conditions have been fantastic with the sea temperature being 20 degrees and visibility being up to 20 metres.

"So what are you waiting for get out here"

Patrick

Ps Just off to feed my camel now. Yes they really do have camels here on Tenerife!

Second week: A really short one

Second week: A really short one
Adal aka Gary

This week have being really short as i worked on my teaching duties in La Laguna Monday, Tuesday and Friday and also didn’t have to go on Thursday.
At last I finished the chapters of my Adventure Book and on Wednesday we went to Pequeño Valle and Moon Pools with a Dutch couple Jan (instructor) and Eleonora and had two relaxed dives, the first one was special for Jan, as he made his 400 dives and we where able to see a round ray and also we saw Alice wake a sleeping sting ray that was covered with sand and so many things, because the visibility was really good and we enjoyed going around this great places.

Then we had 2 Irish guys Niall and Emmett going for their Discover Scuba Diving (DSD) and my first time with Alice in the pool giving the DSD.
After the pool session and as Emelyne was going to meet her uncle, Pete, Alice the Irish guys and I went to the Marina for their first dives on Yellow Mountain.

On Sunday first Alice, Emelyne and I went to the pool and practiced our skills for a while, I think it looked much better than the first time we went to the pool but still lot of work to be done, and there are so many things on my to do list to get to PADI Divemaster, but hopefully will get over there in sometime ;).

Afterwards Melissa drove us to Abades and when we where getting ready for the dives Alice found another nickname for me as Gary Pineapple because I decide to put my hair on top, instead on my back.

This day Emelyne and I walked around the parking for a while, looking at our compass in a strange and crazy manner, also trying don’t be hite by cars as it where going to be our navigation dive.

We did two dives over there in the first one Alice Lead half ot the way and then Emelyne took as back to the meeting point, and then was our Fish Identification Dive in which we where able to see loads of fish, like Parrotfish, Blue-fin Damselfish, Atlantic Damselfish, White Bream, Black Bream, Ornate Wrasse, Diamond Lizardfish, Atlantic Lizardfish, Sharpnose Puffer, Bandtail Puffer, Wide-eyed Flounder, Blue Starfish, Arrow Crab, Spiny Fan-mussel Cotton Spinner, Fire worms, Sea Urchins, and much more.

Also this day Emelyne’s and I did our first try at briefing, hopefully it will get to be briefings in some time, as this is something we will really need to work as this first time we had done with many gaps and not in a proper order, but anyway our first leading dives that we both did ok, not like our navigation dive in which because one of my mistakes was a bit chaotic, but anyway where 3 nice dives around there with lots seeing and also first time seeing a dive club or whatever with a quite crowded moment’s underwater in our second dive.

This was a really nice week where the clients where really nice and helpful and it also was a strange week as i will be away for nearly two weeks as next Monday and Tuesday I'm on my teaching duties and on Wednesday i begun my sort of holidays, with some days in Madrid and my first time to the Africa main land visiting Marroco.

Adal aka Gary aka Gary Pineapple ;)

Wreck Diving and Sting Rays in Tenerife

Back with my blog again.

Today I have a day off. I think it is better this way because I've got somewhat of a hangover from last night. Yesterday we all went out for dinner and a musical. We had a really good time with everybody from the shop and a couple of Pete and Melissa’s friends. so today I am just relaxing trying to get my head straight for tomorrow’s dives.

This has been a truly amazing week. This week I finally became a fully certified PADI Divemaster, Wohoo! It feels great to wear my Divemaster t-shirt down in the shop.

The dives this week has been fantastic. We've been to completely new places for me and I finally went diving at Tabaiba after being there twice without diving.

The first dive I had this week was with Alice, Lydia, Mahmoud and Dennis, just outside the marina. We've only been there once before during last week, so we really enjoyed seeing some new stuff.

The next dive was the famous Tabaiba.
I've been really excited to go diving here, because it is a really nice place, so I could only imagine that it must be nice under water as well. Besides that, there is of course the wreck.

Having never seen a wreck before I was looking forward to see it. We went there so that Lydia could do her wreck speciality and the dive went so well. I loved the site so much.
It is the deepest dive I have had, I think about 31 meters, and the wreck was so cool.
Besides it is always going to be a great day when you can stand on a beach where you are going diving and just of the coast you see Dolphins jumping out of the water. truly a nice view.

Next day we had a new dive site for me as well.
We were going to El Delphin, which is actually in the middle of nowhere between the marina and Yellow Mountain.
At first we went down at a really deep place. I think there might have been about 40 meters of water, but we just had a fairly long swim in midwater, trying to spot some Angel sharks.

I saw a huge Ray lying on the bottom. It must have been 3 meters across the wings. When we got to the dive site it was really good.
Out there all the regular fish are bigger and we get to see some new species that I haven't seen before. For example a saw two very big Canarian Lobsters and loads of other cool stuff.

This week I also went to Las Eras. 
I like the rock formations and of course the pipeline where there is always a huge diversity in life and it is kinda funny to just drift along the pipeline looking into every crack wondering what you're going to see.
We found some Morays, which is always nice to see, but unfortunately no Rays or Octopus.

That's it for this week. Now I'm going to return to my duties of sunbathing and drinking coke.

Talk to ya after christmas.

PADI Instructors, PADI Divemaster's and Cava!

Welcome back to Tenerife!

This week has been a blast. Christmas is close (at least in the head of Melissa), everybody went and got drunk, Pete and Melissa has been off for a couple of days and a lot of great dives has been logged.

My first dive this week was the weirdest thing in the history of man. At least my history. Santa Dive. It sounds a bit weird, which it most certainly is. Imagine Pete, Melissa, Alice, Dennis, Lydia Mahmoud and me, all dressed like Santa Clause cruising into the waves on the RIB, off to Yellow Mountain where everyone is diving fully equipped with Santa clothes, beards, scuba equipment, dive computers, knives and whatever else fits the modern day Santa Clause.

We had two amazing dives.
Back in the marina no one could say we didn't pulled our share of attention and comments.
I think one of the funniest things about the dive, was the second one where the interns and I were on our way back to the boat. On the way to the boat we actually encountered two other divers. This happens kinda rare because Yellow Mountain is a fairly big place.
Anyhow what those divers saw that day at Yellow Mountain, no one will ever believe. The two divers descented and swam for Alien Rock, when out of the distance four shapes comes close. At first they won't believe their own eyes, but as the silhouettes come close they can see the red hats, the beards and when one of the four dives pulls out his 'slade' and writes "HO HO HO" they are certain. Santa Clause moved to Tenerife and became a diver.

After the Christmas dive everybody went out one day to celebrate Alice's new PADI instructor certificate and Lydia's completion of her PADI Divemaster course. We had so much fun and were practically laughing almost constantly from we arrived at the bar till we went home.
The next day Pete and Melissa was preparing for their holiday. None of us were up to much so we wasn't diving, but in the afternoon Dennis, Mahmoud and me went snorkling. I've never bother much for snorkling before I came here, but this was really cool. We found a great spot with loads of beautiful fish and because it is a lot quieter to snorkel than to scuba dive, we also saw a lot of fish that we don't usually see much of.

Anyway, after that day, Alice has been in charge of the shop. Fearing the worst, Pete and Melissa found it right two rent a car so we wouldn't be bored and go destroying the shop trying to find something to do. Up until now we have had three amazing days.
We have been diving everyday. First dive was at Abades. The dives was a lot of fun as everybody is getting used to each other underwater. Alice is a great dive leader and finds a lot of nice critters and such to look at. Of course it help a lot that i won the competition of spotting the "biggest" fish and that earn me a bottle of cava at the end of the day.

Our second dive was at Las Eras. Despite of a very strong current i enjoyed the dive a lot. This place is a really beautiful dive with kinda like huge steps into the deep. On the third dive that day Alice told me to lead us to the pipeline which of course was no problem for a skilled diver like me.
At the pipeline we saw so many fish and everything that I nearly don't remember them all. I saw five or six Moray's  A Common Ray and loads of other cool stuff.

The dive we had today was a Project AWARE-dive where we got to pick up rubbish. Wohoo!!!... Though I can easily hear how it sounds it was actually quite good. It helps a lot when you have to pick up garbage surrounded be turtles and pretty fish. We made a competition out of it and though I'm not really sure who won, I'm pretty sure I did again.

I think that is it for this week. Now i want to return to my recharging for tomorrow which involves me and Dennis sitting in our balcony playing guitar and drinking well deserved cava. Dives, dive certifications, good friends, warmth, what more could you ask for.

Till next week, Don't do anything I wouldn't do.