Experience is what you get when you didn't get what you wanted. And experience is often the most valuable thing you have to offer. — Randy Pausch

Basking in the cool morning air, I long for more sleep but I find that I am dragging myself out of bed at the sound of my alarm. It is 6am and the newest graduating class of open water divers from Parrots is heading to the northside of the island in search of catching a glimpse of the migrating whale sharks. As the sleepiness begins to wear off, we grab our gear from the small wooden equipment shack and begin our pre-departure check and assembly. My tank, hoses, BCD, mask, and, of course, my flippy floppies are all in order and soon, I’m on a boat. Cruising slowly, the harbor begins to come alive in the early morning hours, and before I know it we are past the no wake zone and the throttle is released jolting me back against Krista. Eeeew, I am officially disgusted for the morning and think I threw up just a little in my mouth. The smell of sex panther and shame now cover me thanks to the laws of transference. Bahaha, it’s ok I heart you too top hat.

The last of our two free fun dives is Joshua’s Swash, and I have now completed a total of eight dives in five days. Get me to the bow of a boat because I’m king of the world! Through my underwater adventures I’ve held a cleaner shrimp, batted around the top side of a jelly fish, chased Parrot fish, poured sand from the bottom of the ocean floor through my hands, and have seen more than I can name. The experiences of this incredible journey continue to amaze me and I cannot help but be thankful for what else life has in store for me.

