Divin the reef :)

Word got back to me today that starting the day without Sailboats and Kitty Litter is like waking up and not having your morning newspaper.  I'll take that as a compliment, and a kick in the Kiester.

Well, we actually dove the reef three days ago, on Saturday.  I have been remiss in getting the blog entries done.  See, we McDaniel's live by the credo, Work Hard, PLAY HARDER.  It's just how we roll.  Vacations with us are not for the faint of heart, as some of you can well attest. We are balls to the walls, full throttle kind of people.  We don't let any grass grow under our feet, no sirrrreeeee Bob! Saturday and Sunday were Ellen's last days here so we mapped out a plan of all we wanted to see, do, and eat (these things are important) in her last 48 hours in the Keys. By late Sunday afternoon our friends, Mike and Susan were due in from Indiana.  Suffice it to say we have hit the ground running ever since.  In fact, I have had just 2 1/2 hours sleep in the last 24, but hey, I'll catch up on sleep when I'm dead.  Let me back up to Saturday...

Kenny was kind enough to offer his fishing boat for us to go dive the reef.  To take Marquesa from the Gulf side out to Sombrero Reef is potentially an all day and into the evening kind of affair.  We are "blow boaters" afterall, and don't like to use Bessie unless it's absolutely necessary (like running away from a storm or a much bigger boat ;)  Donnie and Kenny have been snorkeling for lobster, and Kenny had a refresher course on scuba with Cap'n here in the pool at Banana Bay.  Since I am still gimpy with broken toes (dern cat), I was on bubble watch while the three of them played in the water. If you remember, it's been an equally frustrating winter season for our friend Kenny, too.  His 25' center console fishing boat has been in and out of the shop, he's been caught out with a dead engine twice and had to be towed in, blah, blah, blah.  When the boat was up and running, the weather has not cooperated and it has been unusually cool and blustery winds, which is not good for fishing.  The plan was to take Ellie for a dive, then go off the protected grounds and do a little spear fishing.  That brings me up to Saturday at about 9am...

This photo has not been edited.  The water at the reef is just that beautiful.  In fact, this photo doesn't really do the colors justice.  Sombrero Reef is a perfect snorkel dive, or for an inexperienced scuba diver.  It's a great introduction to open water ocean diving.  The depth is from 8-30', it's full of tropical fish, and there are some 'canyons' to swim through and ledges to peek into :)  You never know what you might find out there...

Cap'n spoils us girls by setting up all of our dive gear for us :)  Kenny's boat really made for a good dive boat.





Ellie bug shows you how a back roll entry is done- you go, girlie!

Look who was waiting for her under the boat- about a 4 foot barracuda!

A beautiful French angelfish, blue striped grunt, and a tang.

Selfies underwater, lol

An example of what the swim-throughs are like- awesome!

A pipefish- to think I used to be scared of these.  Ridiculous.

I'm still not crazy about encountering a green moray eel, or any eel for that matter.  They look and move too much like a snake (this one was about 6 feet long).  They also have razor sharp teeth that cost Donnie 14 stiches in two fingers on a dive in Cozumel years ago.  I will say, he does have beautiful blue eyes though- they look electric.

Sis always has to plop herself down on the ocean floor.  Tah-dah!

Squirrelfish on the left, blue striped grunt on the right.

A beautiful blue tang!

An up close and personal look at a barracuda.

Look closely, you'll see a little blue spotted chromis in the center of the sponges. They are just a few inches long.

The reef is full of yellowtail snappers.  That's some good eatin'!  Kenny and I fed them pretzels up top.

I love sergeant majors, too, they are about 4-6 inches long.

A queen angelfish, and a bicolor damselfish.

A cool shot of Donnie; he's an awesome diver.  I swear, he's part fish.

A school of 'cudas passed through...

Sissy showing off her buoyancy control :)

Donnie went on a chase to capture my most favorite little tropical fish of all- the fairy basslet.  Only a few inches long, they are a brilliant blue-violet and electric yellow.  I love them :)

I never tire of looking at all the shades of blue and green in the ocean- especially on a reef.  Simply gorgeous.

 

The wind picked up, the waves kicked up, (2-3's and an occasional 4') so it was time to pull anchor...

...and say goodbye to the reef for another day.  Unfortunately it was a long, slow goodbye.  Yep, you guessed it, Kenny's engine had issues yet AGAIN.  I felt so bad for him.  We KNOW that frustration all too well.  It would run for 30 seconds, sound an alarm, and cut out...over, and over, and over again.  Somebody will be getting an earful Monday morning, that's for sure.  He's paid his own share of B.O.A.T.S., and it was supposed to have been fixed.

The water on the reef was only 73 degrees, as we've had a cold north wind for weeks, it seems.  It wasa chilly ride back in for sure. (Well, not me, I didn't get wet- broken toes and all- dern cat.) However, I also got chilled as the wind turned from the north yet again and started to really blow.  By the time we got back to Banana Bay, Ellie and Donnie went up to the hot tub and pool to thaw out, and I did some laundry, and also hung out at the pool.  We all met a really nice couple from Spain- Carlos- by way of Argentina, and Vicki- by way of England, not 30 km from where our daughter Jennessa lived when she was in the USAF.  It really is a small world.  We invited them out for a sunset sail with us.

Isn't she lovely?

Our neighbors and best marina buddies, Dan and Biddi from Biddi and the Beast.  They stood in for Carlos and Vicki who didn't show....did we get our times mixed up?

Uncle Danny was up to his usual rotten self ;)

In spite of no green flash, it was still a beautiful sunset to share with friends.

Who was waiting for s on the dock? Carlos and Vicki!  We felt terrible about leaving them behind.  Carlos had taken Dramamine when they went on their snorkel trip and it made him terribly sleepy.  No matter- we had them stay for dinner instead- Grilled pork chops and fresh lobster, baked potatoes, fresh broccoli, corn, and salad.  Thrown in some beverages and great conversation and it made for a really lovely evening.  We've been invited to Spain, and they've been invited to the Love Shack in Indiana :)

It was a jam-packed full day, and we had for things to conquer for Sunday- all before 3:00pm for Mike and Susan's arrival.  We called it a night after midnight, as AIS was 8:45am Sunday morning.  Stay tuned to see where we ended up next.  G'nite, y'all!