They announced my name for finishing my Divemaster Certification and one table started cheering “Laura…Laura…Laura”, then another and it was one of the best moments of my life! The table that started it included the people who were in my Front Yard Orientation dive briefing and dive. I also get the award for doing this “Test” in the absolute worst conditions possible – it was so murky that we aborted the dive over on Newman’s wall. I don’t think I could see all six of them and my instructor at the same time. One person told me my flashlight was the only thing they could see – getting a real introduction to the geography of the “front yard” was a pipedream that day.

That same night, one of the two young students I helped certify, Jackson, asked for a picture with me that just warmed my heart! I never realized how protective and worried you get about your students – he was my first I set free.

Because I am in charge of the weight room, I get to meet most of the guests that stay here and because I help out at the lockers/boats, I also socialize with all the scuba staff. I have loved it! What lovely people and it has been fun to be challenged and learn again.

The left pic above is after I was tested doing a boat dive briefing and dive which was for the “Mr Bud Wreck.” My instructor, AJ, and Boat DM and Captain are also shown (Selvin and Jorge) who supported me and helped me practice the dive briefing.

There have been a ton of challenges and a lot of work learning all the skills – truly a lesson in HUMILITY!

• I had a brand new wetsuit and struggled with buoyancy the entire first week also because I learned you should be a little heavy to do skills. I added 6 lbs over my normal 10 lbs this week! The whole first week I was floating around like a mess doing skills – embarrassing.
• Because Equipment Exchange test requires use of a weight belt and other skills require my normal integrated weight system, I was always switching between the two. One day I had been practicing putting my weight pockets in and out, then had breakfast and went out on a skills dive forgetting to put in the 4 lbs in the back so I was super light. During that skills dive, we were also practicing using a lift bag so we had to lug a heavy bag out there. I think I came up with 200 psi and really struggled!
• I arrived DAY 1 to find out I had to do my remaining 2 swim tests that day and they couldn’t be repeated (800 yard snorkel and 100 yard tired diver tow). I had thought I had six weeks to practice….. I went off course in the seagrass during the snorkel and went more than 800 yards. I almost died during the tired diver tow using my snorkel. Went out too fast and barely finished. I ended up having to redo that and used my regulator for air (game changer) and left my weight pockets out – huge difference!
• I spent several mornings before breakfast watching how to demo the basic scuba skills
• I was waiting for breakfast and a bee climbed under my sandal strap and bit me about 5 times before I ripped off my shoe! Normal nooseums tortured me all the time 🙂
• I walked around talking to myself practice dive briefings and the shoutout to the boat captain if you find an unresponsive diver “Captain, captain, unresponsive diver, please recall all divers, prepare emergency oxygen and contact EMS”. The day I did my boat dive briefing, I covered myself with wet sand and wrecked my notes 🙂

• Tropical storm Sara flooded the place and all water activity was cancelled on Roatan for two days. Good thing this coincided with me getting a very bad cold/flu – spent one day in bed and several days congested. Now I truly understand what “sinus squeeze” is as it hit me at 15′ right in the middle of my forehead and I had to abort the dive.
• I kept losing things – lost my mask twice, once during the unresponsive diver rescue when I gathered the equipment I was removing on my arm as I towed and once it fell off my head as we walked out. Excellent lesson to always keep it around your neck if not on your eyes! I gave this lesson to my orientation dive class and after the dive, Jimmy temporarily lost his mask because he didn’t do what I recommended 🙂 I also dropped my flashlight while carrying in items from a shore dive and had to go back in a big storm for a search and rescue mission for it!
• Learning a simple knot (half hitch) then being unable to do it underwater the first time
• Had to ask for help from instructor to put my weight pockets in and to help attach my air hose while pressurized – things a Divemaster should be able to do! Practiced and now I can.
• The 2019 Strongest Man showed up, Martin Licis, although he blew off my carefully constructed photoshoot with the dive crew….boo!!
• Relearned navigation and made a fun map of the Front Yard, held a snake and spent time catsitting a sweet boy! During the big storm, I was also responsible for two dogs including Roadie, the horn dog.

A few fun things happened as well:

• FROGFISH BONANZA! All kinds of trash and sargassum was washed into the water next to the resort. The maintenance team was trained in finding frogfish and we had a big bucket full of them – usually very hard to find.

• My DM partner, Gary and I left some slates attached to the safety stop and found graffiti and the culprit!

• Gear exchange was supposed to be really tricky but it turned out to be fun and not so bad. Although I had practiced with another DM candidate, Gary, and we had it down, he left because of the storm, and I ultimately had to do it with my Instructor AJ with no practice. AJ also changed the order we do it in and we started in our own gear vs. in each others gear – I still got a 4/5.
• Built up credibility with the boat crew by carrying tanks, changing out foot basins, working weights, and whatever else was needed. My husband was busy watching me on the webcam telling me to work harder…..

• I’ve met a ton of great people! Shown below are just a few: Kathy Diemer- future DM intern, my musical friend Jimmy Brandmeier who is demonstrating proper way to wear a mask, my DM buddy Junior, and a sweet note from Margie Barr- who I dove with in the channel.

• I have a new whale shark dive outfit I bought at Dockside Dive Center!
• I learned a ton and feel much more competent with my own gear, buoyancy, and helping others.
• I learned the Patty Grier DM rules: Her DMs do not rise sand at the bottom, her DMs do not kick at safety stops or pressure checks, and her DMS kick kick glide!
• Maybe one of the most rewarding things that was unexpected was the pride I had in the students I helped get certified.

• I helped Junior, another DM candidate, with his English.
• I created my official Seahag photo and held a Boa Constrictor!

I also finally got a Monkey Lala the day I finished all my tests!

I was able to spend time at this beautiful place!

Out of the blue, I also received a note from a former colleague, John Mayle – all of these positive things are just heartwarming:

What a fantastic experience. It’s times like this when you realize you already have everything you are looking for.

Laura the SeaHag (and DM) 🙂