Divers in Training

Here are just a few shots of some of the divers I have had the wonderful pleasure of introducing the magical underwater world to.  Each class has been so different and I am so grateful for all the people I have met and all the different backgrounds.  It has been an amazing ride!

My Advanced OW divers.  This was a weekend that we will never forget.  We had a call that there was a missing diver that never made it home to his wife.  We were the only boat out there and when we heard it over the radio, our Captain made the call to go look for him.  Out of respect for him and his family, all I will say is that on this day I am thankful that we were able to bring closure to the Heber Moulton family.  On this day, Heber left this world wrapped up in the gentle embrace of the Pacific Ocean.  He happened to be LDS and I was able to attend the service.  His family and dear sweet wife will remain in my prayers... forever. 

Before going in for our night dive.  I absolutely LOOOOOOOVE night diving.  It might be my favorite.

Do you know what happens to an egg at 100 ft below the surface?  You can crack the shell open and the entire egg stays intact.  You can separate the white from the yolk and play around with it, like some foreign blob.

Ascending back up the line for our safety stop at the end of our deep dive.  

Pause.... Rewind... Play

I really can't believe that it is already September.   I know I know I know... pathetic.  I'm finally feeling like I'm coming through and getting a little better balance in my life.  Not that I'm complaining that I spend more time out on the water, or under the water than I do on top!  I'm still trying to figure out a way I can eat under the water.  That needs to happen, and quick!  It's bad when I see crabs, lobster, eels and fish and get hungry to the point that I can actually taste them!  Not good!  lol...

Some highlights from these past couple months:

My Dad and Mom came out to visit me in August and I was able to certify my own Dad!  It was a pretty cool experience.  In 2007 I remember exactly where I was in Albania when I found out that my Dad had cancer.  I was scared that I would never see him again.  I can remember pleading with God to keep my Dad safe so that I can see him again.  Our first dive was to Kahe Point Beach Park, or Electric Beach, and we were the only ones out in the water.  We were out near the reef and after swimming around a bit, we spotted a turtle.  We dropped on the sand and just waited for it to see what he would do.  Well, that little turtle swam right up to my Dad!  Right in front of him.  I could hear my Dad chuckling under the water and it brought tears to my eyes!  What a special moment.  I closed my eyes and thanked God that we could share that moment together.  Here is my Dad and another one of my divers, Ken Baber from Mt. Vernon, WA on the surface interval before their final check out dive.

My wonderful Mom and I.  They got to come out on the boat with me for the day!  It was so much fun having them there and getting to share my world with them.

Starting the Pool work with my Dad.  It was just the two of us.  Perfect!

Heading in to Electric Beach.  What a wonderful moment this was.  Great viz, lots of fish, just us and the turtle :).

 On our way out.  A great 30 min dive and we survived!

 My wonderful parents enjoying the sunset after checking out the Black Pearl at Ko Olina.

 This was Dive # 2 for my Dad's cert up at Shark's Cove.  This dive was... interesting.  I'll let my Dad explain this one!  We came out alive.... hahhahah.

 Dole Whip at the Dole Plantation. This stuff is ridiculously delicious.

Me... in the office... in my uniform :o).

My girls that I work with.  From L-R: Jo, Chanelle, Me and Krystal.

Looks like I'm lucky to get in about 1 post per month at the rate I'm going! So much is happening and so fast! Here are some snapshots of some of my 'days off' and how I get to spend them. This first one was a great day. My friend Seana let me stay at her hotel while she was visiting another island. Since the hotel was already paid for, parking and all, she insisted I stay there. It was the Hilton Hawaiian Village of all places and was so nice to unplug and hide out. The first day, as soon as I got off work, I went directly to the beach and parked it. I don't remember much other than rolling over and pulling my spare towel over me. I laid there for almost 5 hours! The sun was setting and I got chilly, but didn't move I was so tired. When I woke up, this is the view I saw. I woke up smiling.

Driving around the island.
One of my days off, I was overwhelmed with all the wonderful opportunities at my finger tips and how I should spend my day. I went kayaking, running, swimming and hiking. This is the view from my hike.




Succulents. My favorite. And they are all over this island. They make me so happy.
This picture was taken by a random couple I stopped and asked if they could snap a photo of me. We ended up talking for almost an hour! Their names were Katie and Derek. They had just gotten engaged in Carmel and came out here to celebrate. What a small world. They were such a sweet couple and were asking for recommendations on what to do, where to go and what restaurants to try / avoid. I did what I could to point them in the right direction. I love meeting new people.

This is Spitting Caves near my house. My good friends from back in Cali came out to visit and we came here after eating at Kona Brewery, a great place on the water next to my house with live music and excellent food. It was great to catch up with them and to have some familiar faces!
Marcie, me and Evelyn.
Me and Angela... my roomie.


Stay tuned for sailboat races, a day on the Admiral's Barge and other random stories! All in all, things here are going well. I did hurt my ear drum and have been out of the water for 2 weeks, which is frustrating. I can't dive for another 2 weeks, but at least I got cleared to get in the water. Which means surfing of stand up paddling this week :o)