We asked at the front desk how long it would take to get to the dive shop and were told it would be between 20-30 minutes walking or a 3 minute drive. I don't mind the walk there, but I knew that I wouldn't want to walk back after that dive, I'm usually tired and dehydrated after diving - this was only a one tank dive, so it should be ok, but I'd rather not walk it afterwards if I can help it, and I can.
We arrived at the dive sight after just one wrong turn and got all set up with our equipment. The water is about 20 degrees so we had full 5mm suits with hoods and booties. There were 2 other pairs diving and 2 singles, so in total we had 4 sets of buddies. We headed out on the boat to an island, the idea was that we would circle the small island one way and then turn and circle it the other way.
When I jumped into the water and made my way over to the line to wait for everyone to be ready I noticed that the back strap on my fins had popped loose, both of them, so the dive instructor who was to be trailing the group helped me to put them back on and tighten them onto the heel of the booties as I floated on my back. Just before we were set to descend the dive instructor who was to be leading the group told everyone that he would ask to see their pressure gauge at the half way mark and when he does to count out the pressure remaining (air remaining) to him with your hands. I don't really have anything to worry about there because on almost all my dives I come up with more air remaining than anyone else, including the instructors. But, we hadn't put our equipment all together ourselves or even put it on ourselves, the instructors had strapped us all in just before we jumped in the water, so I couldn't find my gauge, it was all tucked up into my BCD. So the instructor that had helped me with the fins then helped me with the gauge as I laughed and said "I'm a mess!".
We descended, and I always have a hard time descending (I'm bouyant..you figure out why), so I look a little frantic while I wave my arms, palms up, trying to get to the bottom while everyone else just raises their BCD air deflator over their heads and releases the air out and descends gently like angels descending from the heavens. Then, once all the air is out of my BCD the weight belt always kicks in and I have to inflate my BCD until I find the right balance between the weight belt, the depth (the deeper you are the more you sink) and my natural bouyancy. I'm used to this, it just takes me a minute or two to figure it out and when I do I give the instructor the OK sign and start a nice relaxed breath through the rest of my dive. After about 5 minutes I felt my right fin pop off completely and sink to the bottom - but we're only about 4 ft above the bottom so no big deal. The instructor helped me to put it on again and we continued on. After a few minutes all I can think of is that my left fin feels weird. We followed the natural contour of the island and started to descend a little further so I needed to inflate my BCD a little more because I started to sink a little - I don't know if I didn't click it properly or if it didn't inflate properly but my first little short 1 second injection of air I was expecting didn't happen, so I stopped, repositioned my hand on the button and did it again and it worked just fine..then I was a little too bouyant and went to eject air and nothing happened. And again, might not have been above my head enough but I started to panic. I realized immediately that I wasn't going to recover (I probably tried to talk myself out of it for about 10 seconds) and there was nothing that was going to stop what was about to happen so I swam over to the instructor and told him I had to go up. He could tell that in the 15 seconds it took him to register that this normal looking person had told him to she needed to go up to the surface that it had escalated as now I was hyperventilating into my regulator. He checked with Jason to make sure he was coming up too (as my buddy) and we ascended. He was trying to slow down our ascent, because a quick ascent can be very dangerous, but I just needed to get to the top - I'm probably lucky one of my fins fell off again because it naturally slowed me down a bit. Also, we weren't that deep yet and I hadn't been down very long so I was at no real risk of ascending quickly. I kept telling myself in my head, slow your breathing, you're fine, but all I could think about was getting to the surface and taking a breath of air as I gasped in my regulator. The moment my head broke the surface I was fine. The moment. It was so weird to know there were two parts of my brain battling, the one that knew I was just fine and that all I had to do was calm down and breathe slowly and the part that just needed to breathe at the surface and couldn't calm. I have never had a panic attack before, ever. It sucked a lot.
Jay and I and the instructor made our way back to the boat (it wasn't far) and Jay and I got up and out of our equipment while the instructor went back down to finish the dive with the group. We were probably on the boat for about 25 - 30 minutes before the group returned and once everyone was unburdened of their equipment we headed back for the 30 minute boat ride back to the dive shop. Two of the girls, who were travelling together, were from Finland, they had already been to Split (which is where we are going tomorrow) and said it was very nice, but small so the 2 days we have planned there will be perfect. They're also going to Plitvice to the National Park in a few days on a bus tour and one of the other girls, from England, had already been to Plitvice and said it was beautiful.
Once we got back to the hotel we texted Mark. Yesterday we had vouchers delivered to our room for the private beach club, to reserve 3 chairs we went to the concierge last night and let them know we would be coming today. Its just around the bend from the beach and pool area and we can see it from our balcony.
I'm not sure why we got it, I think because we booked a Jr. Suite. Mark texted back and said that he was there and had our 3 chairs together so we met him there. It was right around lunch time, but Mark had had a later breakfast than us and had booked a massage for 1pm, so Jay and I decided to split a club sandwich with fries as a snack, Jay would work out while Mark was having his massage and we would all grab lunch after, we decided we could probably have a beverage though so Mark and I got pina coladas and Jay had a strawberry daquiri (how the frig do you spell that? I had it red underlined yesterday too - I'm just too lazy to check) (turns out its daiquiri). I spent the next 5 hours pretty much in this position...
Or this one...
It was nice to relax and chill out and read. While yesterday at the pool was not that relaxing because it was so busy, today was just what we needed. Mark likes to sit in the sun, so Jay and I used the two umbrellas to constantly shift ourselves into the shade. At one point the top of Jay's umbrella came loose and flew up and into the air landing 15 feet away on the other side of the next set of chairs (which were also occupied!).
Its just before 7pm now, so we'll head out in a few minutes to get dinner, walking over to the same area we were in yesterday. I'm looking forward to another mojito, so I'm sure I can convince the boys to stop on the way if there any tables available.
So this evening was A LOT of fun - and I'm sorry if its disjointed and not at all funny to you, but I promise its funny to me and its my vacation after all... After our stop at Aloha Bar for the worlds' strongest mojito Mark is trying to find his way to where he was walking around last night so that he can take us to this 'great back alley where there are lots of great restaurants' but every time we almost turn down a dark, sketchy alley he said "no, maybe its the next one". I lost faith after the second one.
Then, he gets a FaceTime call from Delores - and everything stops when there is a FaceTime from Delores (in a good way Delores), so Jay and I decide to keep walking and sit down on a nice comfy little bench in the alley because I don't want to make the ultimate call on a restaurant in a sketchy back alley...
It's not that sketchy.
and are soon approached by the waiter who works for the establishment who owns said bench. Okee dokee, I text Mark, we're down the alley having a drink at the wine bar whenever you're finished. The waiter came over and I asked him if he served prosecco..he said "I only serve Croatian wine, prosecco is Italian so you must think you're in a different country" Ok then, how about I try a Croatian wine..you pick. It was a white, it was lovely.
Jay and I are chatting away waiting for Mark and contemplating how old he is and is becoming - he has a great big rubbed scab on his knee from soccer and he's trying to imagine what he'll do in 10 years from now when he's 50 (and I'm 49 ;) for an activity and says "I'll have to eat clean, I mean we'll have to eat clean" - - "we eat fairly clean now actually, its just the drinking" I say..."maybe we should go on a break..." (don't even bother finishing that sentence).."Yeah ok, its summer time, talk to me in October..I'll balance it out by not drinking in the winter and drinking whatever I want in the summer"..and that was the end of that.
Mark made his way down the alley and found us and he and Delores were still FaceTiming, but didn't have great reception so Mark would answer her by sliding the answer bar across the screen and then when it didn't connect right away would hit the red button in the middle while saying "Hey Delores"...and Jay and I are both saying "DON'T HIT THE RED BUTTON!" haha. We also set up his phone with the thumb print recognition while we were at dinner - he's never going to be able to access his phone again! (even though we used his thumb print). I also taught him how to put his phone on airplane mode at night, because he has had calls he last two night from people not realizing he is away, by swiping up and hitting the little airplane and the setting the alarm by hitting the little spedometer thing and setting the time. He said he'll call the front desk for a wake up call in the morning. Very frustrating! Lol.
I got up to take a photo and when I came back Mark's hand was on my seat of the bench, I said "move your hand or I'm going to sit on it" so he positioned it from face down to face up - I said "watch out, I'm a handful!" . I'm pretty sure he said 'Don't I know it", after all he's been Jay's business partner for 5 years and been on vacation with us for 4 days! After the first glass of wine I had one of my little sneezing fits - like 6 short sneezes in a row and then its done. Mark said "You sneeze like me"...I said "I sneeze like you? Come on, you sound like an elephant throwing up 6 times when you sneeze"...not cute at all like me.
Mark's looking at a condo and that's why Delores had called earlier - he said for storage he would get a unit - Jay and I said in unison I "you are a unit." (these were a lot funnier when i wrote the notes, but then of course I had had a mega mojito at the Aloha Bar and now a couple of glasses of wine at the wine bar). Delores then commented on FaceTime that she had seen a lot of units in Toronto..but Jay and I couldn't let it go and said to Mark "how many units have you seen?" - - "A lot of units" and Jay said "that's what all the boys say..." It was a whole series of unfortunate events.
Finally Mark was off the phone and we asked the server at the wine bar to recommend a restaurant so he recommended next door. A Manchester chef with a Croatian flare is what the hostess had told us earlier, but we didn't trust her because she worked there. Our server was named Rocco, and he was awesome. Mark and I shared prosecco (thank you Delores)
Jay and I are chatting away waiting for Mark and contemplating how old he is and is becoming - he has a great big rubbed scab on his knee from soccer and he's trying to imagine what he'll do in 10 years from now when he's 50 (and I'm 49 ;) for an activity and says "I'll have to eat clean, I mean we'll have to eat clean" - - "we eat fairly clean now actually, its just the drinking" I say..."maybe we should go on a break..." (don't even bother finishing that sentence).."Yeah ok, its summer time, talk to me in October..I'll balance it out by not drinking in the winter and drinking whatever I want in the summer"..and that was the end of that.
Mark made his way down the alley and found us and he and Delores were still FaceTiming, but didn't have great reception so Mark would answer her by sliding the answer bar across the screen and then when it didn't connect right away would hit the red button in the middle while saying "Hey Delores"...and Jay and I are both saying "DON'T HIT THE RED BUTTON!" haha. We also set up his phone with the thumb print recognition while we were at dinner - he's never going to be able to access his phone again! (even though we used his thumb print). I also taught him how to put his phone on airplane mode at night, because he has had calls he last two night from people not realizing he is away, by swiping up and hitting the little airplane and the setting the alarm by hitting the little spedometer thing and setting the time. He said he'll call the front desk for a wake up call in the morning. Very frustrating! Lol.
I got up to take a photo and when I came back Mark's hand was on my seat of the bench, I said "move your hand or I'm going to sit on it" so he positioned it from face down to face up - I said "watch out, I'm a handful!" . I'm pretty sure he said 'Don't I know it", after all he's been Jay's business partner for 5 years and been on vacation with us for 4 days! After the first glass of wine I had one of my little sneezing fits - like 6 short sneezes in a row and then its done. Mark said "You sneeze like me"...I said "I sneeze like you? Come on, you sound like an elephant throwing up 6 times when you sneeze"...not cute at all like me.
Mark's looking at a condo and that's why Delores had called earlier - he said for storage he would get a unit - Jay and I said in unison I "you are a unit." (these were a lot funnier when i wrote the notes, but then of course I had had a mega mojito at the Aloha Bar and now a couple of glasses of wine at the wine bar). Delores then commented on FaceTime that she had seen a lot of units in Toronto..but Jay and I couldn't let it go and said to Mark "how many units have you seen?" - - "A lot of units" and Jay said "that's what all the boys say..." It was a whole series of unfortunate events.
Finally Mark was off the phone and we asked the server at the wine bar to recommend a restaurant so he recommended next door. A Manchester chef with a Croatian flare is what the hostess had told us earlier, but we didn't trust her because she worked there. Our server was named Rocco, and he was awesome. Mark and I shared prosecco (thank you Delores)
while Jay had a beer. Mark and I shared the chef special appetizer of pasta with beef and wild mushrooms and a second appetizer of tuna tartar and beef carpaccio while Jay had an asian tuna appetizer. Then we all had steak, but Jay and Mark had the rib eye while I had the tenderloin - they were all delicious. At one point Jay said to Rocco - "see what I have to put up with?" (about me) and Rocco said "I feel sorry for your sir" - - "Hey, I'm the one with the money!" - - "You are a lucky man, sir" (that's more like it!) Rocco was fun. At the end of the dinner after we had paid we were just standing up to leave and he brought us 3 b52 shots to do. He set them on fire and we blew them out and used the straws to suck them up..lol...he said we're either supposed to blow them out quickly and shoot it or leave it flaming and use the straw...I said "I did it wrong then, I need another one!". Rocco said "What's your name?" "Dana".."I like you Dana"...
After dinner we walked down the pier and Mark was pointing at all the boats in the harbour, he pointed at a sailboat and I said "Hey, Delores could Captain that and you can be First Mate!" Mark wasn't impressed, he doesn't want to be First Mate, but Delores is the sailor - and totally Captain material, even though I don't know her that well.
When we got down to the gelato place that Mark wanted to go to Jay said to me "Can I have some money?" - - "What for?" - - "I want some money.." so I pulled 20 kn out of my phone and said "here you go, don't spend it all in one place!" Its about $4 but made him happy - Mark paid for the gelato and Jay handed me back the money anyway! They had already decided between the two of them that because they brought equal amounts here that we'll just spend it whoever has cash on hand and at the end of the vacation whatever is left will get split.
On our walk back to the hotel I had to stop at the Aloha bar to use the bathroom - no one knows what you're asking if you ask if there is a washroom so at a couple of places I was like "Do you have a washroom? A bathroom? A toilet?" Ah, no, no toilet - F&@k, I need a toilet.
Next door to Aloha is a cigar place so Mark got a cigar, he smoked it along the boardwalk back to the hotel and then wondered if he could have it in the elevator. Another guest said he didn't mind, then when the doors closed he said "ah, there is a no smoking sign here so I'll have to report you" I said, "but its not illuminated, so it doesn't count.."
Now I'm sitting on the balcony finishing off my blog and I think that the espresso martini that I didn't have at the restaurant wasn't decaf...I really wanted it, I think its acting as a plecebo...
After dinner we walked down the pier and Mark was pointing at all the boats in the harbour, he pointed at a sailboat and I said "Hey, Delores could Captain that and you can be First Mate!" Mark wasn't impressed, he doesn't want to be First Mate, but Delores is the sailor - and totally Captain material, even though I don't know her that well.
When we got down to the gelato place that Mark wanted to go to Jay said to me "Can I have some money?" - - "What for?" - - "I want some money.." so I pulled 20 kn out of my phone and said "here you go, don't spend it all in one place!" Its about $4 but made him happy - Mark paid for the gelato and Jay handed me back the money anyway! They had already decided between the two of them that because they brought equal amounts here that we'll just spend it whoever has cash on hand and at the end of the vacation whatever is left will get split.
On our walk back to the hotel I had to stop at the Aloha bar to use the bathroom - no one knows what you're asking if you ask if there is a washroom so at a couple of places I was like "Do you have a washroom? A bathroom? A toilet?" Ah, no, no toilet - F&@k, I need a toilet.
Next door to Aloha is a cigar place so Mark got a cigar, he smoked it along the boardwalk back to the hotel and then wondered if he could have it in the elevator. Another guest said he didn't mind, then when the doors closed he said "ah, there is a no smoking sign here so I'll have to report you" I said, "but its not illuminated, so it doesn't count.."
Now I'm sitting on the balcony finishing off my blog and I think that the espresso martini that I didn't have at the restaurant wasn't decaf...I really wanted it, I think its acting as a plecebo...
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