September 27, 2005 - Patience

We did five dives today with most of them being over 100 feet deep. Diving this way is somewhat of an endurance event. But, when you’ve looked forward to this trip so much, sitting a dive out is not an option.

I came to Cocos to see Hammerheads. Today, we say many, many Hammerheads. I also came to photograph them. Today, I did not get a good photo of any. It is hard to believe that these creatures can be so agile in the water, given their unwieldy appearance. They are incredibly fast. So, unless you sneak up on them or ambush them, it is hard to get a decent shot. Then again, for such an efficient predator in his own realm, I’m not sure if you truly want to surprise them. They would likely run, but who knows for sure.

It was a pleasure to watch these creatures roam. This is such a large place and we are quite small. Even the little creatures are grand in their uniqueness. Being a small feather blowing in the wind can be somewhat scary as well. I’m happy that this sport has adopted the buddy system and I’m very fortunate to have Paul as my buddy on this trip. On more than one occasion, he has been my link back to safety and I thank him for that.

Tomorrow, we will slow down a bit and only do four dives. There is a really good chance that we will visit the island itself. That would be very nice, but I still hope for the big fish.