Snorkling near the surface

The sun light penetrates to the shallower regions 

and one can see the colours of the corals.

SCUBA diving in the BVIs

If you've never been 15 meters under the surface you owe it to yourself to try it once.
Just once and you will be hooked.
Captain David gave me meticulous instructions, including the warning to follow his hand signals without hesitation or delay.
The first time under water, with the air supply coming from a bottle on your back, is a real Adrenalin rush. 
Your breathing is fast and laboured and as an amateur you use twice the air of a professional.
David checked my air meter frequently and finally gave me the "up to the surface" sign, which, of course I followed promptly.

In the area of this rock-island it is said that the diving is very good.

So we headed there and tried our luck.

Andy at the Wheel and Peter just enjoying the breeze.

Andy and Peter, just having left the Zodiak

are getting ready for their first dive.

.

This is my Captain cum Diving Instructor, David.

Please note the cool and controlled breathing.

Hardly an air bubble 

Here, surrounded by masses of air bubbles, 

is the amateur breathing hard.

.

I had a small Nikon Underwater camera,

but no underwater light source.

Therefore the wonderful reds, oranges and yellows

are lost in those images.

a large "Brain Coral"

Each time we went down, things became a bit easier, until finally I could make a bottle of air last almost as long as David.

( I said " almost" )

At a depth of between 10 and 15 meters

you float in utter silence and without effort.

The British Virgin Islands

It was some time ago that we chartered a sailing vessel and with it we cruised the waters of the Virgin Islands. 
The island of Tortola was our starting point and for 7 days we lived on the "Onghiara", a one master, sleek boat.
Throughout this wonderful time we experienced almost nothing but blue skies and relatively calm seas. Except for one day, when we successfully outran a storm, just making it into a sheltered bay, before the howling winds caught up with us.
These were wonderful days. We were under the expert guidance of "David" our very experienced Captain and the "First Mate" who actually was David's wife, a superb, gourmet cook.
The Onghiara comfortably accommodated 6 of us, plus the Captain and First Mate.

Snorkeling and Scuba Diving were two new, never before experienced adventures.
But why am I just talking about this ? 
Let me show you some pictures.

The blue waters around the island of Tortola

Our "home away from home" for 7 glorious days.

David, our Captain , leans into the tilt of the  boat.

A heavy breeze disturbs the calm waters of the Sea.

To take this picture, you had better hang on tightly

On one of the many small islands there is the 

"Soggy Dollar Bar".

As you step from the boat into the deceptively deep water, the water level 

rises to beyond your back pants pocket, thereby wetting your walet

and the Dollars it contains.

A line is strung along the counter of the bar, onto which, with colour marked cloth's pins,

you fasten your paper money for drying.

You order a drink and the bar keeper takes the appropriate, now dried bill as payment.

Tomorrow, David promised, we shall go SCUBA diving.

different strokes for different folks

a Teasel and a Bee

Tarpon Springs, Florida: Spunge Diver's Harvest

Ready for Take Off

Ready for Landing

HOW TRUE IS THIS !

AGE is an issue of mind over matter !

If you don't mind,

   it doesn't    matter !

*****************

Mark Twain said this to 

Bertstravels

and others

Mark Twain said this ?

If you find a half starved dog  and feed him to recovery and health, he will not bite you!
This is the essential difference between man and dog.
                             **************
and then he said this:

Get your facts first, then you can distort them 
as you please !

******************

and then he issued this pearl of wisdom:

"The lack of money is the root of all evil"

Bertstravel

thinks the first and last are true,

the middle one is funny.

The Long Night of the Dance...

The town of Bleiburg simply never fails to astonish me.
Yesterday, they featured "Music and Dancing" in a series of performances under the title :

"The Long Night of the Dance."

Fourty Artists, performing thirty shows in ten locations.
I saw two of the shows and, let me tell you, I was impressed.
Gloria Benedict performed a Solo Dance piece and later, in the "Culturni Dom" the "Zita Swoon Group" and the dancer Simon Mayer performed music and dance in the  "Indie Rock and Dance" style.
I regret that I lack a sound track on this Blog, or you could have heard "Indie Rock" loud and clear.

Without a sound track, you just have to be satisfied with the pictures:

The Solo Dancer Gloria Benedikt

All Men and Women are born free and equal in dignity and rights.

I truly regret that I cannot show you the fluid motions 

of the dancing, nor can I let you hear the lilting music

to which this lovely, graceful woman performed.

********************

The Zita Swoon Group, 

and the dancer Simon Mayer

Under very dark lighting conditions

and, of course,  without flash,

with ISO betweern 4000 and 6400

This 7 person band played "Indie Rock" with utmost enthusiasm

and utmost amplification.

Simon Mayer, the dancer !

The whole Band rocked and swayed

to their own music,

carried away by the movements of the dancer.