- Andrew demonstrates how to impress a girl!
Though the last day aboard was yesterday, I did not get a chance to post. But closure is necessary, I feel, for such a great week, and cannot go without acknowledgement!
It started off as some of the others, a quick breakfast eaten underway. After an easy cleanup, Megan briefed the guys about packing up their gear to get a jump on things. We had one dive planned, then back to the dock for disembarking. Vans from Sea Base would be there around 1pm to drive the guys back to Islamorada (about an hour and a half ride). Someone noticed that our trusty divemaster Jim had not gotten out of his bunk yet, so how was he going to get this info? Pesky boys, knowing this wasn’t Jim’s first rodeo, they also knew that Jim was getting a little tired. Being much older than they (Jim’s 19), he was wearing out! (I’ll take this moment to come to his defense. Jim and Megan do not get any time off. They literally work 7 days a week for Sea Base, saying good bye to one troop on Saturday mornings, and hello to the next group by Saturday afternoon. To heck with labor laws, this is THE BOY SCOUTS OF AMERICA!) Our fine fellows of Troop 31 decided it was time to wake up Jim–he was missing some of their fun! They all quickly and quietly (relatively) piled down the companionway ladder. Fortunately (or not) for Jim, he was no longer in bed, but in the head, taking care of his morning’s ablutions. Were he in bed, I don’t know if the bunk could’ve held them all! Evan planned on spooning! J So change of plan, they all crowded forward into the very small space just outside the head door, and waited. And waited. And waited! But they all stood poised, ready to pounce, breathlessly balanced, trying not to shift and tip off Jim with the noise! Megan passed around some of the little paper party horns we’d had for her birthday. Poor Jim, all he wanted was a private moment! But that’s not likely to happen on a scout trip, Jim!!! Jim scooped us all by finally opening the door, sunglasses on, and stands there unfazed as everyone leans in with a noisemaker unfurled in his face. “Well, see you later!” he says, and unfazed, steps through the crowd of boys. It seems our Jim is unflappable! I’ll post the video I took on youtube, soon. Still with the technical difficulties. At least today I’ll have some time to spend on hold with technical support!
http://www.divespots.com/scuba/view.divespot?spotID=75 The Haystacks at Western Sambos was our dive site. And I need to correct my earlier blog entry, I linked divesites.com, but it should’ve been divespots.com. Ooops! I am going to go back to that post and fix the link.
It was a good last dive, visibility and sea conditions wonderful. It was hot on the deck of the boat, barely a breeze flowing. Spirits were running high, but you could tell the guys were switching gears. Maybe finally getting tired, but I think a little mellow knowing this was their last dive of the trip. We steamed back into the dock, eating some lunch underway.
Once we docked, the guys loaded up their belongings, and helped clean the boat so we would be ready for the next troop to arrive on Sunday. That the way it goes every week on every boat in the Sea Base sailing programs, current participants clean up after themselves (with some guidance and lots of help) so the boats will be somewhat presentable. The guys help swab the decks (fish blood, Pringles, seaweed, and often, but not this week, BARF and etc), clean the head (No, it is not cleaner than what you found it. Yes, you did really make that mess. Remember Denny saying to “sit down, your aim is not as good as you think it is!”—perhaps a lesson you could take home with you…..), disinfect the galley, wipe down the bunks (love those vinyl cushion covers), vacuum the carpets. The guys worked hard, but with many hands it makes for fast work. In about 45 minutes we can bang all that out, and it would take a half day for Denny and I to do it. So thanks, guys, for all your hard work!
Before they began the trip back to base, I insisted they give me a performance of their skit since Denny and I wouldn’t be attending the Luau. My recording is the “out-take reel”, performed on the deck of the boat and with a few flubbed lines—but that made it even better, I think! I have a link here to Megan’s recording of the Luau (she is so far more technologically advanced, I am certain she is farther along on the evolutionary ladder…) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RETevjpAfcg The guys did good! Skits are becoming a thing of the past, especially at Sea Base. Troops are not expected to come up with one anymore. But the creative energies could not be contained by our guys! Put me down for impressed!
So guys, if and when you read this at home, I hope you’ll have fond memories of your week with us. I know I will. Stay tuned for further adventures on the Conch Pearl blog. Remember what I told you about how much I post……Bye for now, Holley