Day
5
Phoebe
and Anna had the foresight to bring quite a few kid games
which Sawyer delighted in whenever there was a lull in the
watersports. By the time I came up for breakfast they were
immersed in a "fishing game", shrieking and laughing
with every plastic fish caught. The early morning divers have
already surfaced from Marilyn's Cut. Over a hot breakfast
of French toast and eggs they describe huge barrel sponges,
along with myriad other sponges in fascinating colors. The
photography discussions heat up as Franklin explains the best
way to capture the deep colors of the yellow and purple tube
sponges on film. The discussions have spurred the passionate
and with breakfast barely digested the "photography crazed"
are back on the dive deck preparing to blow through another
36 exposures.
 This
afternoon we re-visit Mixing Bowl and then bed down on the
mooring at Cumbers Cave. The night dive didn't get under way
until after 9pm by the time dinner was finished and surface
intervals from a long day of diving were clear. While the
nocturnal were out hunting, most of the day creatures were
sleeping. Pastel Parrotfish were tucked safely inside their
mucus cocoons. Not wanting to disturb them with bright lights,
Franklin uses a red aiming light to assist his AF Nikon N90s
camera. The final picture requires a quick burst of strobe
light, but the Parrotfish usually does not startle or displace
its protective cocoon. Moving on, the divers encountered
a bold Spiny Lobster, fearless, as he stalked his prey in
the dark. After an hour the regulator yawns became annoying
so the divers once again returned to the LCDII to end another
great day of diving in Little Cayman.
Day
6
Our
last day in Bloody Bay Marine Park, the guests can make two
dives this morning before the LCDII heads back to the Brac
at noon. After a quick meeting at the breakfast table it was
unanimously decided to end the week of diving on Mixing Bowl.
Staying in the shallows of Three Fathom Wall (though I suspect
some may have peered over the wall), the photography passionate
manage to get in two nice long dives this morning. Escorting
their parents, along with Sawyer in his boat, Phoebe and Anna
snorkeled all the way into shore. It was with much reluctance
that divers and snorkelers surfaced one last time. All gear
was handed up to Andy who rinsed it and placed it on the sun
deck to dry.
As Capt. Ossama starts the engines to begin
our trip home to the Brac, I explain to Sawyer that his boat
would have to be dried, deflated and packed just like his
father's toys. His big brown eyes brimmed with tears as he
asked me, "why can't we LIVE on the ocean?" That
was a question I vowed to pursue and resolve
this year. For now, it is once again time to say good-bye
to Bloody Bay and Little Cayman. With the resolve of a four-year-old
Sawyer looked out at the trailing seas and yelled "I'll
be back!"
Viola Family
Kathy delivered twin girls in November. All five Viola's are
currently visiting coastal towns in America to determine where
"on the ocean" they will live.
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