Turtles and other things

As always, I've been having an absolutely amazing time here in Koh Tao.

A few days ago I led my first dives with DMT's (not customers). I gave a full dive briefing on depths and times, what we might see, hand signals etc... Then I navigated the sites, and I didn't get lost and came up on a buoy line! I was so happy with myself. And the sites were beautiful, with amazing visibility and just hundreds of fish everywhere. At Chumphon we saw a massive grouper, and just as we started ascending for our safety stop a big school of bat fish just sailed along beneath us. Then at White Roch it was the same good visibility, and as we were coming round the South pinnacle Nyc spotted a turtle tying down under some coral, so we just hung about with this turtle for a while. I lay down on the floor a foot away from this turtle looking it in the eye loving it. Definately one of the best experiences I've had since I've arrived.

On another dive earlier in the week it was Arj, Cameron and myself diving Chumphon and White Rock again, and Cameron was taking photos. He got a bit to close to a trigger fish (they're very terratorial) and it started attacking him which was hysterical. Just going for his fins non-stop and butting out of the way. It was hysterical!

Yesterday is was really really choppy out but we didn't go to Mae Haad where we can get on at a port, and the long-tail crashed into the side of the big boat making two big holes in the side (above sea-level luckily), then when coming off the boat and coming to shore the longtail just run a-ground on the coral and all the divers had to walk accross the coral cutting their feet up in the process with their kit and dry bags (not so dry - they flooded). Nightmare!

Yesterday I also assisted somewhat with my sister's Open Water, buddy-ing up with a Kiwi guy. It was an average dive, but good just hanging around, keeping an eye on the divers, and helping them if they needed to. Aidy - the videographer and guy I'm doing my internship with - watched me on the dive and said that after 5 minutes he could tell I was comfortable in the water enough to get my hands on a camera finally! So that'll be startting Monday.

Last night I worked my first shift at the Tradewinds Bar which is where all the DJL divers and staff hang out. So it's not so much work but serving drinks to friends all night and then getting drinks bought for you at the end of the night. We had ring of fire jenga and swimming, and I had to walk one of the instructors home because he was so drunk. It was hysterical.

I've been loving it, and having the family here is brilliant. Just diving and being able to do my own thing during the day but then having my family here at the end of the night it just amazing.

My heart is so full of happiness.