Humpback Whale Spotting in the Ono Channel

Sorry for not posting lately.  I’ve been working hard, playing hard, and going to bed dead tired.  Jason started giving me more responsibilities lately so he can have more time to do the “important” stuff.  One of the jobs is to lead the waterfall adventure in Kavala Bay.  My first go at it was on Tuesday or Monday with some people from Toronto/Aussie.  The trip went off without a single casualty EXCEPT for me.  I was standing on a few mossy rocks and slipped.  Something gashed my big toe pretty good…probably a rock if I had to guess.  Thankfully my Dad told me to use Neosporin.  I thought I was going to have to amputate the poor guy.  I’ll spare you the picture of the injury.

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The next day on the way to pick up our weekly supplies, we spotted two humpback whales on the Ono Channel.  Kuki saw the air from the blowhole far off near Kadavu so Jason turned the boat and headed in that direction.  They jumped out of the water 3 times and then came within 10 feet of the boat to check us out.  These photos were actually from Robbie and Pete who saw them in the same spot the very next day.  One white and one black.  I only wish I had a snorkel and mask to jump in the day before to swim with them.  Videos will be available soon.

Saw a Fijian guy at the ferry with a NWO hat on for those of you who remember the dark days when the WCW broke into the good guys (WCW) and the bad guys (NWO), then morphed into the WWF and whatever the hell else.  Also saw a guy with a Lakers jersey on too…24 or 4…who is that? Lebron? Or Tiger?

Then the next day, Thursday, I went with Kuki to Vunisea to pick up a family of four from Phoenix, AZ.  The trip down to the airport was fairly dry and as we pulled into the last bay, a family or pack or whatever of dolphins surfaced at the bow of the boat long enough for me to run to the front and look straight down at 15 of the bastards.  15!  All shiny and smooth just 5 feet away.  I let out a WHAAHOOOO from pure excitement and they left.  Maybe that was the wrong thing to say to dolphins.  Unfortunately, the trip back to Mai Dive with the family was the worst transfer trip ever.  By the time we got back to the resort (1.5 hours), we were all soaking wet from the rain and the waves.  It’s moments like those that I learn to be strong, tough, and patient because I know in the back of my mind there is a hot shower waiting for me at the resort. And as Jason says, “Back to normal.”

Friday was easy then I got the nod to head to Vunisea again on Saturday.  But this time I drove most of the way to learn about the lines to make and how to look out for the reef in certain parts.  As we dropped the guests off, the mother gave me my first tip–$20.  That felt good.

Then the big day finally came on Sunday.  Jason and I were eating lunch in between organizing the stock room.  We started talking about some great fishing spots and the fish he sees when he goes diving, but then suddenly stopped long enough to think of this sentence. “Let’s get some shit done, then I’ll take you out for a dive.”  And just like that, I ramped into high gear, finished my work, and got all the scuba stuff ready.  We took our regulators in and out. Cleared our masks.  Then went for a 15 meter dive around the north side the reef right in front of the resort.  I don’t know how to describe the whole experience, except that I was cold most of the time.  In the next week, I’ll do the whole certification!