Pacific Odyssey - Leg 5

It is very quiet on the ship; only Karen and Antony, myself and the 4 y=
oungest kids are here.  The rest have all gone either dancing or to a film.=
  Having several rental cars has made a big difference to how many trainees=
 stay around the ship.  I must admit though that where we are tied up is no=
t a particularly inviting   place to hang out and definitely doesn=92t lend=
 itself to =91coziness.=92  And this morning it got even worse.  We were as=
ked last night to move for a 200 foot fishing boat that was entering the ha=
rbour in the morning.  We did and Skipper wasn=92t too pleased about the bo=
llard and mooring line situation, they were badly situated.  The fish boat =
however didn=92t think he had enough room and in the end asked us to move a=
way from the dock until he had tied up and then we could come in behind him=
.  Once he was along the dock, he admitted there wasn=92t really room for t=
he two of us but we could tie alongside.  So now we are on the outside of a=
 huge ugly steel fish boat.  The worst of it is that it leaves its generato=
rs running all day and all night.  It is incredibly loud and we can=92t hea=
r each other talk when we=92re on deck.  Skipper has been in touch with the=
 shipping agent and they are trying to work things out.  Today was a day mu=
ch like yesterday with the trainees traveling around the island doing vario=
us things and the Grace quite empty.  Brailey spent some time reorganizing =
her bunk; something we all have to do regularly, especially when we are tie=
d up or at anchor and sleeping on deck.  Our bunks very quickly become a du=
mping ground.  Everyone is enjoying their time here, we all love the chance=
 to get together again at breakfast or late in the night to exchange storie=
s of our day.  Several trainees have been enjoying a night or two, or three=
 in a hotel . . . clean sheets and towels, big beds, showers, swimming pool=
s, room service etc.   Jacob, Graham, Raven and Sarah L finished the first =
two dives of their course today.  The wind was strong and there was quite a=
 bit of current, but Brian, the instructor said they did well.  Tomorrow th=
ey will do 2 more dives that will take them deeper and where they=92ll be a=
ble to see more interesting sea life.  Yesterday Sara R., Sean, Scott and C=
hase dove through a hole 120 feet below the surface.  They said it was amaz=
ing and that the visibility was the best so far; they could see 150 ft in a=
ll directions.  Late in the afternoon we had several rainsqualls; there was=
 a beautiful and complete rainbow.  I went with Skipper to try to send the =
logs from one of the posh hotels where we were told the internet should be =
good.  It was excellent.  These grand hotels are amazing, a totally differe=
nt league from how we travel and move about.  It was astounding to see and =
especially, to be inside, quite overwhelming . . . again, something that ma=
kes one think.  I swam in the pool with Noah and Simon while Skipper worked=
.  I think it was probably the most beautiful pool I have ever swam in; the=
 tiles were dark blue and the water was so clear that I could see easily wi=
thout a mask.  The bottom shone and it almost felt as if it was really some=
one=92s front hall floor and the water had somehow filled the house.  It hu=
ng on the edge of a hill and from eye level in the pool, the edge of the po=
ol melded into the ocean further away.   It was very windy and so not many =
people were swimming.  We are used to swimming in all kinds of water and we=
re thrilled with the opportunity to swim in such a beautiful place.  It is =
late, until tomorrow, good night, Bonice.