Boarding day

Overcast & rainy morning, spent preparing my cameras. After a quick hamburger lunch (14$) at Denny's, a road side restaurant right next to my Super 8 motel, and a slow afternoon spent in the motel's lobby, I take a taxi (15$) to Jim Abernethy's Scuba Adventures, located in the New Port Cove Marine Center, just a 10' ride away.

Once there, I immediately unpack and set up my dive gear, as space on the ship is so limited that non-foldable bags can't be stowed anywhere on board. Some more paperwork & money business later (Bahamas tourist tax: 60$, Fuel surcharge: 175$, Nitrox: 100$), I get assigned one of the six bunk beds in the ship's bow. Besides these, there are also three small cabins with two berths each.


Soon, everybody's there: four American crew members and eight German divers, besides my Belgian self. Shark diving trips are always led by Jim himself. Assisting him this week are Ed, second captain & dive master, Zach, third captain & dive master, and Wade, the cook. After an extended boat briefing by Wade, most of us call it a day. Tonight we'll be crossing over to the Bahamas!