The deal was that he would take us out personally, on his big new boat, the first day.
After that, we would have to fit into the flow of the business. Diving with one of his regular dive leaders and going out on the boat that made most sense based on the size of the various different groups.
Despite having been in the Navy, I am not really a boat guy. So, I can't tell you a whole lot about that new boat. Except, that it was really big for a dive boat (48ft if I remember right), very shiny, mostly white, sparklingly clean and generally very pretty.
It was a boat plenty big enough to accommodate 25ish divers very comfortably.
We go out for our first day of diving (Jay, Sue, Linda, me and Danielle, who was 6 at the time) with Hugh as the captain and Tony working as the mate.
Hugh was a very big man, maybe as big as 400lbs. Tony is a local guy with a hairdo very reminiscent of Darnell from "My Name is Earl".
We had a great day of diving and are treated wonderfully, while we were on the boat.
Although, Tony did take a little getting used to. His idea of a long conversation was to slug you on the arm (no really, slug not tap) point and growl something like "doll feen" to indicate the passing pod of dolphins.
Danielle like all 6 year olds liked to commemorate the best events of her life by drawing a picture. So, the next morning, on our way down to the dock, she shows me a lovingly drawn picture that is dominated by two figures, a huuuuuge round man (bigger than the boat in the picture) and a very black man with even blacker wild, wild hair.
She is quite proud of what she had drawn and I am a little scared of the reaction it might get.
We met up with Captain Hugh on the dock, as this was to be the day that he assigned us to one of the smaller boats.
With much fanfare she presents her work to Captain Hugh who studied and then called Tony over to have a look.
After just a few tense moments they both broke into huge smiles, marched into the dive shop with Danielle in tow, took down a very nice photograph of the world famous Blue Hole and hung Danielle's drawing in it's place.
When they came back out, Captain Hugh announced that there would be no changing of boats. The four of us, and of course Danielle, would dive on the big boat for the rest of the week.
Turns out, the very scary Tony had 6 kids of his own. So, while Hugh took the four of us underwater Tony and Danielle would go snorkeling or lay on the deck in the wheel house and color.
We had agreed prior to the trip that each of us would take a turn at not diving to watch Danielle. But now that Tony had become her guardian, we all dove our brains out.
This also solved another big problem for us. Even at 6, Danielle swam so well that none of her "regular adults" could keep up with her.
Tony, being a local guy, raised in the water swam like a fish.... and took very good care of her, as they explored the reef.
No comments:
Post a Comment