Bahamas Update by Sarah Perry

We started this week with our usual Saturday night party at Timmy’s bar, everyone seemed to have a good night, and there were a lot of laughs Sunday evening, we all went to Small Hope Bay for a gorgeous meal, courtesy of Stewart's parents. Everyone was loving not having to cook and having proper steak and crab instead of our ‘delicious’ turkey mince. It was a really nice, chilled out evening made even better by the fact we got to go in the hot tub under the stars and overlooking the beach. I don’t think anybody wanted to get out, the prospect of not having any more warm water for the rest of our time here was definitely on my mind and I’m sure it occurred to a few of the others as well!

Monday we all got on with fish I.D class, which we seem to be making some progress in, especially Mike who passed his fish test this week, which is ace! In the afternoon we got to get out and do some snorkelling in Stanyard Pass. Jason managed to get us two fish to cook for dinner, which we had a delicious paella, as he’d earned a forfeit for something and in return had to ‘make us all a treat!’

Tuesday we got on with more classes, it’s funny being in the Bahamas and seeing everyone wrapped up in hats and hoodies like we were back in England. In the evening a couple of the lads went night fishing in the creek but didn’t catch anything, I think next time the girls will go along to show them how its done!

By Wednesday the weather had picked up and it has been beautiful and hot since. We started diving on that day and by the weekend almost everyone has passed their PADI Open Water diving qualification, which we are all really pleased and excited about! We got to see some amazing fish and corals on the training dives, including seeing my first barracuda, which isn’t actually as scary as I thought it was going to be. Its an amazing feeling being 14m down under water, you feel so small looking up to see the boat above you but also feel really calm and content, it’s a surreal feeling and I cant wait to get back in the water to do more! Some of the volunteers saw two nurse sharks today which they were pretty hyped up about.

By far the highlight of this week has got to be when we got to swim with wild dolphins on Friday! IT WAS INCREDIBLE! The ocean was perfectly still and turquoise and we spotted some fins, never have I seen us all get ready and get in the water so fast. We must have been less than a metre away from them, that is an experience I will never forget.

So to end our week we’re having a Valentines party at Timmy’s, where we are having a three legged night and all dressing up as different things, me and Dean are going as wizards, so it should be another interesting night!