It’s been an action packed November teaching, taking DMC’s out on ECO dives and then doing lots of land work as I’ve been out of the water with an deep infection in my leg.  I don’t know how I got it, maybe I might picked something but I don’t remember but now I’m paying and Simon is paying for it as I’m out of the water for another week, poor ole Si has to do ALL my water work for my courses Small but deep but now it’s itchy, so it’s on the mend. 

This is what we’ve been up to in pictures.

I’ve had a lovely girl called Michaella doing some ECO courses with me and now it’s at the stage where she’s organising the DMC’s (Dive Master Candidates) to do eco activities and dives which as I am out of the water has been brilliant.  We’ve/she’s been making cement bottle nurseries which will be deployed at our artificial reef Junkyard and then at a later date filled with coral fragments.  A fun job but hard work mixing cement by hand in the heat.

I taught a couple of students the ‘Dive Against Debris Specialty’ in which they organize, brief a dive, collected marine debris and come back and record /report it helping to improve waste management by helping convince individuals, governments and businesses to act on marine debris.

So with Simon running about, filming, sorting everything for our new eco boat, doing the waterworks of my courses, fixing other peoples laptops, Self Reliant teaching, he’s been dealing with major issues with his laptop as it’s stopped charging ..for the 2nd time ..not having the greatest of times …we are both looking forward to coming home for a break 😀 

When this old speedboat was first deployed, it was so buoyant that Simon had to pull it down.    Now that it’s been in the water for a week or so, it’s a little heavier and Simon and a team were able to move it with the use of lift bags to it’s final resting place.  All that’s needed now is for it to be populated with coral 😀

This is my maiden voyage in the ECO speedboat.  We had a little cruise around Maehaad before dropping a  couple divers off at Junkyard and then we powered back to shore.  I was the deckhand, responsible for hooking up and tying off 😀     The boats coming out of the water today as it needs to be equipped with lights, tank rack, new name, anti-fouling paint  etc  ..but once done and we’re back in January, it’s going to be amazing to be able to go out when we want, do what we want and not have to rely on anyone.  The boat will be named ‘Cuthbert’ ..after our ECO mascot 😀

Another land activity which students can go for a ‘water testing’ fun dive and then I can do testing with them on their return 😀 

We are missing you all and send lots of love

XOXOX

Hi everyone!    We hope that everyone is very well and that you’re slowly getting used to the cold weather.   You’ll be glad to know that it’s not all sun sea and sand here.  We’ve had stupid amounts of rain, wind and it’s got rather chilly.  Im still walking around in shorts and tshirs ..oh and a rain jacket but everything is damp ;-(   It’s a tough life LOL

We have some exciting news.  We’ve got a boat for ECO!!!  It’s 23ft and 140 hp ..it’ll will seat about 10 people but after we’ve made some adjustments, so it can hold scuba tanks, it should be comfortable for 4-6 people.  Two friends kindly donated the money for the boat who are passionate about ECO.  I think Simon and I are still in shock 😀   

It arrived a couple of days ago and one of the first jobs Simon did was to is to install a bilge pump.  Thank goodness he did as we’ve had torrential rain ever since.  The bilge pump is manual, so with it being the new boat and not knowing how much waters has been taken on, poor Simon, acting our captain has been constantly getting wet, having swim out, board, turn the bilge pump on and empty the water.    The wind has also been horrendous, so that hasn’t helped.

Tomalina, 
You’re such a handsome dude!!
Happy Birthday!!!
Go out and have a few on us 😀 We’ll celebrate when we’re back 😀
Love Jenny Wren & Sid
XXX