Sunday, 16-Apr-2017

It was wonderful, waking up feeling fresh and less tired than I had on the past few mornings! After having a small breakfast (orange juice and a banana), I settled down to watch the Bahrain F1 Grand Prix, until leaving the hotel at 12:15.

I made my way to the Babel Café (on Avenida Tulum) for a Banana and Nutella Waffle, accompanied by a Pineapple and Coconut Smoothie! And very nice they were, except the smoothie tasted like Pineapple and Cereal!

The plan was for all of us to meet at 17:00, so I decided to stay the few remaining hours at the Babel Café that afternoon, and watch the world go by! However, I received a WhatsApp message informing me that the eight volunteers who went to Valladolid, had been delayed an hour, due to the bus that they were due to take, had broken down before its arrival at Valladolid!

I left the café at 17:30 in search of a money exchange bureau, to change the Sterling notes I had in my wallet. Hopefully, it would be enough to avoid me visiting another cash machine before my departure.

Photo MX-082

The bus from Valladolid finally arrived at 19:00, from which the eight volunteers disembarked. It had been arranged that Luis would take us back to Pez Maya, but he was nowhere to be seen! In the end, we returned via a large taxi, which cost 200 MXP (£8.33) each. Arriving at base 21:15, I went straight to bed!

Photo MX-083

Photo MX-084

Photo MX-085

Monday, 17-Apr-2017

This morning's duty was Boats; the fuel tanks were topped-up (where needed), and duly placed (along with the life jackets) into the front of the boats. Along with Jack, I volunteered to go to the compressors to fill the air tanks. Surprisingly, because of the number of tanks, we were there for almost two hours!

After lunch, I spent more time studying, until Wave 4, when it was time to dive for another coral spot (Photo MX-086). On our way to the Barracuda Jazz site (GPS N20° 02' 21.91", W87° 27' 59.40"), I didn't feel very well again; this time due to the rough sea, and thus getting thoroughly soaked. That might sound strange from a diver, but my face was continually being pounded by the sea spray; very uncomfortable! I thought that all would be well, once I was in the water, and under the surface. And yes, it was - to a certain degree. As for the coral spot, I got about 50% right (or wrong)!

Back at the surface, I fed the fish again; either because of my stomach, or because of the large waves; I think it was because of my stomach. One thing I did know (for sure) was that the muscles in my back were painful, so too was my right thumb! I came to the conclusion that diving requires a lot of stamina and strength (as well as technical know-how), and that injuries "just mysteriously happen"!

Photo MX-086

I hardly had any dinner that evening, due to my stomach still not feeling better. I told those planning tomorrow's dive sessions that I did not want to be part of the plan, in case I was unable to dive.

Tuesday, 18-Apr-2017

This morning's duty was Kitchen and being Tuesday, it was cereal day, which means that the kitchen staff could get straignt into preparing lunch: pasta with an 'onion, courgette and tomatoe' sauce. There was an added touch of pineapple and lime juice!

My stomach didn't feel any better, so I confirmed that I would not dive today. I'd had enough of learning the numerous corals; one's brain can only take so much! Instead, I spent my free time completing the Excel spreadsheets for Charlie. He had left for a two-week holiday, and I thought it would be good to have eveything ready for his return. However, I had difficulty in creating the formula for an automatic entry in the Comments column.

Back in the kitchen, one male member of the team preferred to chat for more than an hour, rather than help prepare dinner; it didn't go unnoticed! After dinner, the pots, pans and cooker were cleaned, leaving the floor for that person - who later said "I've done the floor". Well, it didn't look like it, especially around the sink area! Oh, some of the younger generation of today have so much to learn; and I was not the only person to think and say that!

Photo MX-087

Wednesday, 19-Apr-2017

I awoke to the sound of thunder! On my way to the Communial Area (for this morning's sweeping duties), the sky was heavy with cumulonimbus Charlie Bravo (CB) clouds; in aviation/Meteorological Office talk!

After breakfast (pancakes), the Heavens opened, as captured in Video MX-010, which delayed the departure of the Wave 1 divers.

Thundery Rain at Pez Maya Video MX-010 [0 minutes, 18 seconds]

A few of us took to clearing the excess water from the Communial and Kitting Areas. Once we had finished that, Friso gave four of us an hour's introduction to Octocorallian Polyps, sponges and other soft corals, which I found very informative!

I went back to my hut to wash my clothes. Following that, I returned to my Excel formula problem. Thanks must go to Sabine (Bine), who (after lunch) was able to provide the correct syntax to the formula that had been giving me trouble!

The destination board for the weekend was made available. I was undecided what to do/where to go this weekend. Although I would have liked to visit Mérida and Bacalar, they were too far for a 2-day weekend. I even thought about staying at the base! Bedtime was preceded by playing a few card games.

Thursday, 20-Apr-2017

I was woken (at about 03:30) by a call of nature, in the middle of a tropical downpour! The accompanying thunder and lightning kept me (and others) awake for more than an hour!

This morning's duty was Grounds, which I would have normally done in a T-shirt. But in view of the weather (it was cool and windy), I actually put my coat on, complete with its inner fleece! The sea was rough, with many 'white horses'. I thought it doubtful that we would be diving today; certainly not this morning. However, after breakfast, the wind dropped noticably, and the boats were prepared for diving.

I did some more studying with Rob and, while manning the radio for Wave 2, re-took Coral Exercise 1. I hoped I had attained the 95% pass mark, but unfortunately I didn't! I only got 78% and felt disappointed and quite demotivated.

Because I had left them out to dry overnight, the clothes that I washed yesterday were soaked during the night's storm! Fortunately, by the afternoon, the clouds had disappeared and the heat returned, and dried the clothes!

I was well enough to do two dives that afternoon; Waves 3 and 4! The first dive (with Rob and Emma A) was another coral spot, which went very well. Unrelated, I had problems with my mask continually allowing water to get in. I can only guess that the strap around my head was not properly fitted.

I had been nominated to lead the Wave 4 dive, with Tom and Rob. We decided to make it a fun dive, with me towing the SMB (as can probably be seen in Photo MX-088 and Photo MX-089. Tom made some great bubbles/rings, in a way that I had never seen before! Watch Video MX-011 and you'll see what I mean.

Thankfully, throughout the dive, my mask didn't give me any trouble!

Photo MX-088	Photo MX-089
Blowing Bubbles and Rings Video MX-011 [2 minutes, 15 seconds]

For about a week, there had not been any beer at the base. At last, Emma F returned (at 22:00) with the food for the week, and some cases of beer!

Friday, 21-Apr-2017

I had a good uninterupted night's sleep, until my alarm went off at 06:40; I was probably tired from the two dives yesterday afternoon. The weather had improved, as seen in Photo MX-090 and Photo MX-091. This morning's duty was Boats, when I helped Namate with the emergency boxes, and filled the rinse tubs with water from the well.

We went for another beach clean at 08:30. Two Puffer Fish had been washed up onto the beach. Sabine disected them, to see if they contained any pieces of (micro-)plastic. No, they didn't, but the smell was awful. All of the gory action can be seen in Video MX-012.

Talking about fish of the region, the Lionfish (Pterois) is an invasive species, (in the Caribbean Seas), having no preditors! The following quote has been taken from the Wikipedia article about the Pterois:
While culling by marine protection agencies and volunteer divers is an important element of control efforts, development of market-based approaches, which create commercial incentives for removals, has been seen as a means to sustain control efforts.

To that end, the Wave 1 volunteer divers (including Jack and Brais) went on a Lionfish hunt, as captured by Sabine in this YouTube video clip; Video MX-013.

Checking for Micro-plastics Video MX-012 [4 minutes, 46 seconds]

Lionfish Hunt Video MX-013 [7 minutes, 26 seconds]

After lunch, Jack and I attended to the compressor. We both agreed that the seven weeks since we both arrived, had flown by! At 14:30, Friso gave a tutorial on Monitoring, on how to set up a monitoring site, and then how to record the fish/coral data.

Wave 3 was a fun dive with Sabine and Florian, who had a video and still cameras respectively. Photo MX-092 and Photo MX-093 (both of me towing an SMB) have been taken from Sabine's video clip, Video MX-014.

Photo MX-090	Photo MX-091	Photo MX-092	Photo MX-093
Fun Dive at Hang Ten Video MX-014 [2 minutes, 57 seconds]

Apart from last Saturday in Tulum, I had my first beer (Corona) at the base in weeks! It tasted a lot better than sea water! Tonight's dinner, prepared by the staff, was Tortias with soya and brocolli, followed by the usual Friday Night Party; the theme, of which, was 'Super Heros'.

Saturday, 22-Apr-2017

Lie-in Morning! Sophie and Sabine decided to hitch-hike into Tulum, to return later that evening. Taylor and I remained at the base. The rest were taken into Tulum by Luis.

As the sky was cloudless, I attended to doing some laundry. I think the volunteers are in a better situation (than the staff) for getting clothes dry. With the sun passing overhead, all clothes can dry. However, because the staff washing line(s) tend to be facing the sea (and the east), they do not get the benefit of the afternoon sun. Just a thought!

Photo MX-094

Photo MX-095

Photo MX-096

Photo MX-097

I really took it easy today, including trying to get more Vitamin D from the sun! At the end of the afternoon, I walked to the bridge where I heard and saw thunder and lighning (respectively), over what might have been Tulum.

By the time I got back to the base, the cloud had worked it's way across the sky. So too had the thunder associated with it. Therefore, I went and collected my clothes from the line. It was a good move, as, shortly after Sophie and Sabine returned from Tulum, the Heavens opened yet again!

We (Sabine, Sophie, Taylor, Tommy and I) played "Go Fish" and then the most hilarious game of Cards Against Humanity I had ever played! Just before I retired to bed (at 21:30), Tommy chased away a racoon from the food waste bins.

Related Links: Go Fish On-Line! Go Fish [Bicycle] Go Fish [Wikipedia] ------------------------ Lionfish [Wikipedia] ------------------------ Easygoing.Guide