19/08/11 Week Seven at Cap Ternay

We have survived our first week here at Cap Ternay. After a study-filled week, our fish exams are finally behind us. We all passed our Advance Open Water (hurray!!), and our fish theory (hurray bis!!). Plus, the week started well as the running water is back on base, meaning a welcome end to bucket showers and the infamous ‘flush bucket’.

Our first weekend here on the Seychelles was very welcome. Some of the volunteers used the free time to go to Victoria and get some supplies for the week to come or to relax on base, and some went to visit others beaches and spots in this piece of Paradise.. We were part of the group that got into a taxi and headed south to Takamaka. Lovely beach, great place to stay and amazing food, with meat, and probably the best smoked fish salad ever (dixit Dani). On Sunday we even had a special treat as we tasted the Creole buffet served at Chez Baptista. But, as always, the weekend passed by quickly and a new week started with lots of activities waiting to be done.

As for the diving, still no whale sharks but we did see a lovely baby white tip shark and some turtles. The diving is amazing and it is quite interesting to be able to identify under water all the fishes we’ve spent a week learning, even though it would be easier if they remained still for a few seconds. During these dives, time seems to stop, it is peaceful and all the stress prior to diving is released as soon as we slowly begin our descent.

That’s all for now, this coming weekend will be dedicated to a fundraiser in favour of the children’s orphanage in Port Glaud. ‘The Amazing Race’ will be a two day event seeing eight teams of volunteers and staff travelling all over Mahe island completing different challenges. So if you wish to help to improve the life of these children (getting toys, school material and so on) do not hesitate to visit the webpage www.justgiving.com/Chris-Mason-ParkerO

Laura and Dani

19/08/11 Week Seven at Cap Ternay