Wrecks: Buy One, Get One Free

Ah, yeah, well, we did get that wreck dive yesterday. It was pretty nice actually. A huge ship sitting on a sandy bottom at about 110 feet. Nice.

That second wreck though? Not so much.

It was still fairly rough weather. We could get in and out of the dive boat, and it had calmed considerably but there was still some large swells. Peter and I actually did this dive together while Soren stayed behind with the girls at the dive shop. On our way back from the dive, as we came back by boat via a narrow channel in the reef, our boat hit the reef. The large surf had hidden some of the channel markers. It was a fairly slow motion accident. One minute we were cruising along. The next minute we were just sitting on the reef. No dramatic crash. But then we were stuck and the waves were coming crashing into us. It was dicey for a few minutes as everyone scrambled to grab hold of something and tried to keep all the gear from floating away as the waves started pouring into the boat.
This went on for awhile as they tried to time a run of the engine with an incoming wave. But it soon became clear that we weren't going anywhere. Fortunately, we were in sight of the docks. And we were mostly able to re-locate fins and masks. Most of us swam for shore. Peter, of course, stayed to help free the boat.

Several other boats had come out to help and there was all sort of manly grunting and hemming and hawing going on. Eventually they inflated our BCDs and floated the rest of the gear to shore and then all got off the boat. And then the other boats tried again to tow it. That worked. But unfortunately, as soon as the boat was off the reef it capsized. More manly grunting and groaning, but in spite of all their best efforts they couldn't right the boat again. And today it is still sitting in the bay, about 80% submerged.

No one was hurt. Well, other than the boat. But it sure made for an adverturous day. It is all the talk of this small village today.
This afternoon I'm going snorkeling with dolphins!!! Can't wait. We fly home tomorrow, already.