Greetings from Pez Maya!
After weeks of rain, cloudy days, wind and
storms, we finally got the big storm and base was evacuated due to rising water
on the roads. This proved a strange end to the phase and we said our damp
goodbyes to the Dive Master interns as they headed off to exciting new
challenges at their dive shops (It was rain not tears, I swear!).
Our new phase started in an exciting way, as
everyone got to know each other while being squeezed in with the travel bags
and groceries and crossed the flooded roads. We looked out for fish and crocs on the road
and were amused when some local people on a motor cycle who we were feeling
sorry for them having to walk through thigh high water, stopped to laugh and
take photos of us.
Once we got to base, we did a clean up and the
new volunteers were introduced to a newly sunny Pez Maya. We surveyed our beach
and were greeted by 15 meters of thick seagrass, weeds, whole trees, branches,
and rubbish. Clearing the smelly brown mess took hours, and we got to know each
other quickly as we worked to clear a path for our boats in to the sea.
With everything cleaned, fixed, moved,
repainted or raked, it was time to get back in the water! Since the start of
phase we have had 2 weeks of fantastic diving, with 2 new Open Water divers
certified and 9 people set to finish their Advanced Open Water course tomorrow.
Everyone is learning their fish and coral quickly and keen to start practice
monitoring on their dives.
Life on base is very busy, with just enough
time for a quick beer in the hammocks in the evenings. Feels like paradise!
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