Working through THE LIST (or My Captain Needs a Lobotomy)

Repositioned the SSB antenna on the backstay

Everybody has one whether you’re a landlubber or cruiser.   Some are short and consist of relatively mundane tasks, while others seem to grow to insurmountable lengths. The routine maintenance chores get done with little effort.  However, the “FIX or REPLACE” punch list take a lot more planning and doing especially when the boat is located off of an unspoiled island in the Caribbean.

We didn’t have much of a TO-DO LIST until we were within sight of Bonaire this June and discovered that all three portholes in the starboard side hull were leaking after a three day sail on a port tack. Shortly after that, we had a problem with the transmission- the subject of our blog in June “FORWARD…NEUTRAL…REVERSE…”.  Since then one of the heads has been finicky, then one water maker pump chimed in with its own need for attention, and finally, the boat engine’s fresh water circulating pump and a hose wore out.

Added mosquito netting on the wind scoop.

The good news is: the necessary parts can be ordered while in paradise.  The bad news is: they will get delivered E V E N T U A L LY.  And just how long do you think “eventually” is?  Well, we can inform you that it varies, but things usually get shipped in before your six months of time allowed in Bonaire-if you’re an American- expires.  More good news:  if the parts don’t arrive, the officials at Customs & Immigration DO accept that as a valid reason to extend your stay.

As First & Last Mate of the good ship EXIT STRATEGY, I am quite skilled in wiping out mildew, scrubbing the deck and waterline, handling sewing projects and repairs, washing and waxing the hull, and shining the stainless fittings with the Captain’s permission, of course.



Checked and braided new lines
 on some of our safety equipment.

But all plumbing, electrical, mechanical tasks fall into Captain Dan’s realm of expertise.  I’m more than happy to help in anyway I can, and try to stay within earshot when he’s up to his elbows or fanny working on a complicated fix in the engine compartment or the deep recesses of a locker.

Occasionally, an inordinate amount of grumbling is heard with an all too familiar French tone (ie, F***ING  USELESS PIECE of S***!!!)  and I ask, “What do you need?”

“A lobotomy,” he would blankly respond.

Twenty years ago, I used to laugh when he said this. Ten years ago, I just sighed and waited for him to tell me how I could really be helpful.  A few years ago, I started encouraging him to hire professionals to handle the tough fixes.


The old rubber hose with it's many curves.

     
Today a part finally arrived for our Volvo engine which we needed to install before heading northward.  The Captain immediately arranged the necessary tools and opened the engine compartment.  It took some doing to wrangle the old broken rubber hose out of its place in the engine, as other engine parts impeded its removal.  A few nuts and bolts were removed (dropped and retrieved- SON of a B****!) and a wire or two were inadvertently disconnected (G D M F*****!!!).

“What’s the matter?  What do you need? !” I cried.

“A lobotomy,” he hissed. 

Yes, that IS a hammer in the Captain's hand...

He was having great difficulty with getting a nut screwed back onto the hose’s clamp that was tucked in between the engine components.  I was able to use my thinner, longer fingers to accomplish the task with ease.

A lobotomy.  Really?  He’s been asking for one for years, maybe My Captain is serious.  Christmas is right around the corner, but do you think Medicare would cover that?

 

PEER PRESSURE

This diver stayed at the wreck too long. (Gabrielle's photo)

    

As a novice scuba diver, I’m very green around the gills, so to speak.  It’s not a sickly green, but rather a tender, emotional need to take every step required for diving with caution.  I have only eleven dives under my weight belt and that includes five easy dives under the close supervision of expert PADI Instructors. 


Rose (at top) and Dan (below) behind the rigging.(Gabrielle's photo)

Soon after I finished my course, our Swiss friends, Thomas and Gabrielle (sv MASELLE), instigated a dive of a wreck located near Bonaire's Something Special dive site. Being well-seasoned and skilled divers, they said that it would be good for me to experience a wreck dive.   They assured me that the wreck was not very deep and that we would not enter the structure.  That dive went well and I felt proud when they commented how relaxed I seemed in the water diving at that depth (49 feet).

Quite a variety of fish at this wreck.(Gabrielle's photo)

     

A few days later, we made plans with them to go on another dive just south of town called 18 Palms.  Before we descended, I made  it clear that I wasn’t comfortable diving deeper than 60 feet.  Gabrielle and Thomas said, “Oh- no worry.  Once you get down to 60 feet, 90 is nothing more.”  I kept an eye on my depth meter, but was distracted by the sea creatures and reef and reached a depth of 96 feet without realizing it and had no difficulty.

18 Palms Dive (Gabrielle's photo) 

  

This week the supermoon rose on Monday and that meant that we had an opportunity to do a NIGHT DIVE and see the Ostracod Phenomenon (see blog entry of 10-26-16, Sparks DO Fly During Sex).  A few days after last month’s full moon, our Swiss friends arranged a night dive to witness the Ostracod Phenomenon.  I snorkeled during that trip and saw huge tarpon gliding around Dan and the other divers near the bottom.  Tarpon are harmless, but I had no desire whatsoever to do a night dive.  But Thomas would not take “No” for an answer and calmly encouraged me to make the dive, as it would further “round out my dive experience.” 

Christmas Tree Worms (Gabrielle's photo)

Although I harbored a degree of anxiety about doing the dive, we joined the group. We met the crews of sv MASELLE and sv SEABORNE (a Swiss flagged catamaran with Nadine, Thomas, and Rosita) at Petrie’s Pillar dive buoy around sunset.  Just before we were to enter the dark water, Rosita accidentally dropped her dive computer (worn like a wrist watch) off the boat.  By the time Dan and I got suited up to help, Thomas surfaced with the computer.  That diversion inadvertently acted as a catalyst to get me into water and then the six of us descended together.

Juvenile Spotted Drum (Gabrielle's photo)

Each of us carried a dive flashlight (Europeans call them a “torch”), but I still tried to stay close to Dan.  Our group of six divers moved slowly along the reef at around a depth of 40 feet using our torches to light our path.  A couple of four foot long tarpons continuously wove their way in and around and over and under us.  Their presence did not bother me, but at one point I was startled by a large lion fish.*

Lion Fish are delicious to eat, but have poisonous spines. (Gabrielle's photo)

A short while later, Gabrielle swam over to me and covered my torch with her hand.  She did so to indicate that it was time to turn off our lights in order to watch the ostracod do their thing.  Suddenly, it was pitch black!  I knew where Dan was a moment before, but now all I could make out was some large darker masses hovering at various levels around me.  I prayed they were my dive buddies.

18 Palms corals and sponges (Gabrielle's photo)

One L O N G  minute later, a few of the divers waved their flashlights at the nearby soft corals for a second or two.  Darkness followed  again briefly, but then- O M GOSH!!!!  Tiny tubular-shaped lights appeared before our eyes as the sex play of the ostracods  began to cause sparks to fly!   Some floated mere inches in front of my face mask.  It was an awesome sight and  I was totally mesmerized!  I felt like I was in the midst of a computer generated film and in the darkness I lost perception of how close I was to the bottom.  The ostracods provided enough light for me to find Dan and we locked arms to hover and enjoy the glow.  When the sex play dimmed, our dive buddies took turns activating the ostracod with a quick wave of their flashlight.  The phenomenom only lasted for about twenty minutes, but I will never forget this unique experience.

Again- THANK YOU, Thomas and Gabrielle, for providing just the right amount of peer pressure to “round out” my diving vitae and get it off to a great start.  

Gabrielle & Thomas

*Gabrielle told me afterward that she saw three lion fish during the dive and that they tend to follow the lights.
  Y I K E S !!!!

PS:  It is next to impossible to take photos that capture the Ostracod lights, so none could be included in this blog.  Gabrielle shared her photos taken during our dives because we don't have a camera that is waterproof below ten metres... yet.

Into the DEEP

French Angelfish

Dan had been keen on scuba diving for a long time and finally got his PADI Certification two years ago during our last stay in Bonaire.  He put it off for decades because I was reluctant to take the plunge with him.  My hesitance stemmed from two issues: 1.) I have a history of ear infections during my teens and twenties that has resulted in problems with clearing my ears at depths greater than 10 feet;  2.) I had NO desire whatsoever to increase my chances for an encounter with a shark!

So while Dan hooked up with other dive buddies, I was happily resigned to snorkel at the surface. Many of our buddies have encouraged me to overcome the ear issue by clearing them early and often.  (Which calls to mind- one day before the general election- the Democratic Party’s voting policy in Chicago…)  So lately, I have been practicing free diving deeper and equalizing my ears with a degree of success.  After a recent dive outing with two other couples, both of the men complimented me on how effortlessly I appeared to swim down and focus on marine life near the bottom. 


That simple encouragement from men younger and stronger than me put me over the top and I began to seriously consider taking the plunge.  To help me decide whether I should take a scuba course, I began reading Dan’s Open Water course book, quizzing myself using the questions that followed each section.  In a few days, I had convinced myself to sign up for the DISCOVER SCUBA course offered through Dive Friends Bonaire whose shop is nearby.






Lion Fish

Greg, from the USA, was my instructor for this half day course.  I was truly dreading a few of the in water skills that were required BEYOND clearing my ears- specifically filling my mask halfway with water followed by emptying it and recovering my lost regulator (breathing mechanism) while I was submerged.  Twenty-something Greg was SO patient and positive with me and carefully guided my success during all the exercises.  He even read my incorrect hand signals correctly.  While diving, the OK hand signal means “OK” or “OK?”  and the Thumbs Up signal means “Go up; end dive now.”  I kept responding to his “OK” with a Thumbs Up- meaning “I’m good” and he intuited that I didn’t want to “end the dive”.



Filefish

Immediately after my lesson with Greg, I signed up for the full PADI Certification course and was given my very own Open Water course book that was revised after Dan’s class.  The first day was individualized intensive book and video work at the dive shop. I paused the video when each short section concluded and completed the study questions and quizzes that followed.  About two hours into it, one of the staff there noticed that I was working through the study questions and said, “Oh, you don’t have to do those.  That is only for yourself, we’re not going to check it.”  When he walked away I whispered, “I AM doing this for myself.  THIS is how I learn!”




During the final two days of the course, Alexandra (Alex)- another twenty-something American- was my instructor.  Shamira, a lovely young woman from Toronto, joined me for this portion of the program which largely focused on the more difficult in water skills.  Alex was just as wonderful as Greg and her calm demeanor numbed my fears in no time flat.  I had high anxiety about completely removing my mask for one minute and then replacing and clearing it underwater. We also had to remove our mask while submerged and swim 50 feet with a buddy’s guidance before replacing it.  But with Alex's helpful suggestions, I got through them.



As a sixty-something woman, it felt GREAT to stretch myself mentally, emotionally, and physically.  At this point, I am grateful to be so much more comfortable with equalizing my ear pressure.  My use of air seems to be good and I believe I’m weighted correctly.  There is much room for improvement on many skills, though, and I am committed to practicing often with my favorite DIVE BUDDY DAN as we venture into the deep. 

Bluestriped Grunts

PS:  I’m still going to steer clear of sharks!