In the time since arriving in Utila, I've gotten two dives away to getting my open water certification. It's been pretty brutal with lots of reading, videos, lectures, and early mornings. Steph had the good sense to avoid the hassle and actually enjoy Island life instead of paying someone to wake you up early and put your life at risk. I've been slogging ahead but can barely keep my eyes open (more on nightlife later). As I said, this afternoon are the last two dives for the course. The big issue I have to resolve now is that I have to chose between two fun dives and an adventure dive (this includes more reading and lecture), or $25 off the Advanced Certification. The problem is I have to be on the boat for the dives tomorrow morning at 7am!!! That in Charles language means a big screaming no way. Especially since there's supposed to be a big shindig this afternoon.

As for the island itself, Utila looks and feels different from Roatan in many ways. For one, it's much smaller. There's only the one village that consists of houses along one main road going along the shore and one more that loops around a few hundred meters to the interior. There is still a strong feel of island life which I think is largely due to the strong character of the islanders. Also, the foreigners that come here, while significant in numbers, are more low impact travellers that come here to dive. While this tourism is important here, the town remains functional beyond the tourism sphere of influence.

I would be irresponsible if I didn't mention the food and the nightlife on the island. By far the best thing you could do for yourself is go just about anywhere and have some fresh fish. The grouper, Red Snapper, Kingfish, Tuna, barracuda, and Shark are particular favorites around here. Steph and I had some barracuda we just couldn't get enough of last night. Our nocturnal activities have been centered on the Coco Loco. This is your typical open air bar on a deck over the water where it isn't unusual for folks to - intentionally? accidentally? perhaps enthusiastically? - find themselves leaving the dock for the clear waters below. It should be noted however, that a few meters toward shore on the same deck are the men and women's bathrooms. To be more accurate, the women have a bathroom, gents are instructed to "piss off the deck" as the sign reads. The ladies room provides a little privacy and a platform with a hole and a toilet seat, but the concept remains the same. Tonight we head to the "Bar in the Bush". This is Utila's biggest, loudest, craziest place and as the name suggests, it's located inland away from town so as to relieve the residents of any ancillary nuisances normally associated with proximity to nocturnal centers. It remains to be seen whether or not the 7am dives will materialize.

I hope I can make it because its been fantastic so far. Yesterday we got a massive downpour of stinging rain as we were loading the equipment in the boat. It was looking very nasty and I though we might have to cancel or postpone. We made our way to the dive site anyway and once in the water, everything changed. We had about 80ft visibility with the water at about 81F. We were doing our skills (its more like dogs performing tricks) and then swimming around the reef at close to 40ft before I realized that we were doing it: breathing underwater with the surface far far above.