Lets Go Diving!!!

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Well they let me take a turn today. C-face did not have her heart in yesterday so I will try to give a little more detail.

Hey Dad -Whats that man doing blowing Bubbles in my face!!!!!

From my small world I was hanging in NYC last Friday when the “storm of the year” hit. We were making office party bets I was SOL with over ½ foot on the ground and LGA canceling all but 29 flights for the day. Our limo “crapped out” calling” all roads at a stand still”. So my boss, Jeff, called for journeyman, Joe, to drive us to the airport. Poor guy- we made it 5 miles in the first hour. He looked liked the pilot in “Airport” on landing in the storm. After five miles we bailed from the highway and made better time on the back roads. What should have been a 45 minute drive lasted 3 hours-- but we still made it 60 minutes before the flight. A figured the airport would be a war zone but surprisingly it was empty. Made it through TSA only having to forfeit my one leftover beer. I felt sorry for the 60 folks in the standby line as I boarded. Made it to ATL by midnight and found family Baker alive and well at the Hyatt Place bedded down.

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Up at 7 and off to the airport at 8.  Holy Crap what a War Zone. Over a two hour “TSA queue from hell.” We made it and the flight was on time for a afternoon arrival. This place is the island where you see the jets “sandblasting “the beach goers on short final. Film to follow.

The airport is up to speed and we were “in country” in thirty minutes. Now the rental car. You say big deal. Well it is! Two systems – Airport Hertz and folks and the Locals hanging outside the terminal. You know me –cheapskate. So here I am in the rental car lobby and ten guys are screaming for me to buy their car. However I was looking for my bud , Steve, who I had called two days ago in order to save 80 bucks for the week. So we waited and no Steve. The Hertz gang fell on me like vultures. I called Steve and his side kick Nathan came out of nowhere to pull me away from the hordes. We went to a side parking lot -signed a contract and packed five bags and four adults in a Hyundai equivalent of a micro Fiat.

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Made it to the Condo by six-- Ahhh life is good. So Christa fills you in well at this point from day one. From my side seeing my youngest drive us around the island was priceless. Great training for her spring break four years from now. St Martin is a island with no laws. If they pull you over and they see you not drinking they will give you a warning and hand you a Heineken. So needless to say we did our best to fit in.

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After an easy night we were up at seven for diving game time. At the boat with Nimo our Brazilian dive master and Erik his French assistant. Big A- plus for good guys- Very safe.

The economy is hurting down here so we had our private boat for the day. A Forty- five footer with crew of four for only 7 bucks.

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And we needed every foot of it. The seas were 4 to 6 so the girls had that “Oh Shit” look on their face as we left port. After a ten minute run to a 65 foot wreak we got our stuff on and hit the water. Lauren and Christa were having their first rough water dive break in. Lauren jumped in without her weight belt. Thank God we had four instructors around her to save the day. Christa was feeling bad and had mask leaking problems so she cut out early. We made it back safe and sound with Lauren swearing she would never dive again. We will see.

We motored over to a cove where we had an easy 20 foot dive with no waves. I nice break. At noon we were done and the crew started the Rum Punch Party. We all needed it at this point and were all smiles by the time we got back to the dock at one.

We hit the local Beach Front restaurant for a informal “There I was-” of story telling. We made it home by 3 to hit the beach. The sun is wicked down here. Looks tame -but in two hours you are fried. Even Lauren a Professional tanner was benched. We made it to the Hotel Manager Party Night to feast on all the wine and ribs you could eat singing  carols  to the tunes of a Jamaican steel drum band. We called it a night early at ten since we want to try if we can do better again tomorrow with another dive trip.

We got the Skype going so give us a call. For you FVO folk I am checking email so let me know if any issues. Ok 11 oclock bed time for Nick