Well, it’s an exciting time as I’ve been out on Crystal 1 (small boat) and have removed the buoy lines from Junkyard (our artificial reef) as it’s about time we did some repairs and closed off some of the domes that we put down so people stop swimming through with inexperienced divers and breaking the corals that we’ve taken time an effort to transplant. It’s so annoying!!

So, I had a crew of about 6 people who helped.   Trying to explain to the captain exactly what was happening was very hard  …my acting skills are pretty poor 😀

Anyway, there are 2 buoy lines at Junkyard of which the first was very easy to remove and take back to the boat.  Before removing the 2nd line, we went for a dive and transplanted all the pieces of broken coral back onto the domes and cleaned them free of ascidians (they compete for space with the coral) ready for more transplants.

After the dive, we surfaced only to find another 2 boat tied up to our boat.   All dive schools were warned that ‘Junkyard’ was closing but the ‘idiot’ instructors claimed that they thought it was only for 1 day  DOH!!!     So as there were a lot of people already in the water, waiting to go down, I let them go for a short dive.  I made sure that I was waiting at the line ready for them to surface, so I could immediately remove the buoy and dive down, taking the rope down to wrap around the cement block, so that when we do repairs etc, we can locate the block, bring up the line so that Crystal 1 can moor up.  I’ve also got a Thai written message that I can give to the captain, so he knows that no one can tie up on the back of the boat

Simon has been working flat out looking after ‘Crystal Images’ as Steve is on a visa run to Hong Kong and is not back for another week.  Crystal is at it’s busiest   …the videographers that are working at the moment are inexperienced but they’re trying  …if only they had a little more common sense and were potty trained  Simon life would be so much easier 😀

New Years Eve was a busy one.  I was in the office teaching in the morning and on the afternoon boat doing a Reef Check Survey with my current students William, Tifany and Will, who was kind enough to help out as he’s already Reef Check certified.  Simon was working hard in the office overseeing the video boys with their courses.
By the time we’d finished it was pretty late and we were both shattered, so decided not to go home to shower/changed.  I think most people had a hectic day and the majority of people gathered of what’s left of the bar and celebrated until 11:30pm and then people headed off (staggered would be more accurate) into Sairee for the NY festivities.   Simon and I were shattered and very tipsy, so we wobbled very slowly back home, where we warmed up some leftovers and went to bed immediately after midnight.  We’re such party animals these days!   I went to bed with a headache and woke with an even worse one.  Lovely Si, as always, looked after me, popped out to get some pills and a bundle of provisions as he was making pitta, salad, potato salad, hummus and all sorts as Tina and Carsten came over for a games evening (Settlers of Catan. Heads Up & car chases) 

&
TODAY is 
Roberts 22nd Birthday!
Many Happy Returns!!!!

Sending lots of feet tickles (even though your feet are really smelly!!)

Love & Hugs

Jenny Wren & Simone X X X X

MERRY CHRISTMAS !!!

Have a wonderful festive time.
We’ll be thinking of you all.
Lots of love,
Jenny & Simone
X X X