May. Learning to free-dive in the Jumentos Cays of the Bahamas. I have been a scuba diver for fourteen years, yet descending on a single breath hold has always been intimidating. I was finally able to figure out Frenzel equalisation and dive to 33 feet, 10 metres, with excellent coaching (still, lots to practice to gradually grow confidence). Observing the mammalian dive reflex by putting our faces in bowls of cold water and watching our heart rates slow while holding our breath.
Sailing with friends Kristian and Sabrina on their catamaran Nesi. Our first trial was passing through Hog Cay Cut with ten centimetres under the hulls, to reach an area few other boats venture. On the Bahama Bank we had pleasant shallow depths in turquoise water to practice in, with various blue holes to explore. It was unusual dropping anchor in the open ocean, in shallow water, at the edge of one of the holes.
Loggerhead turtles with multiple remoras attached. Remoras free-swimming and trying to tag along with us. A dolphin and her calf swimming with us by the boat for over an hour. Squid changing colours and expressing many emotions. Spotted eagle rays soaring over purple fan coral. A big school of jacks swarming us from out of a blue hole. A nurse shark cruising along an island's underwater rim. Some healthy coral and some bleached coral. Some pristine shores and bits of trash washed up from the sea or rearranged by hurricanes.
Morning breath training and thoracic stretching. Yoga on the foredeck. Squalls and rainbows. Sailing with electric winches. Paddle-boarding through sea caves. Ospreys soaring. Family meals. Surrealist card games.
I read Deep, by James Nestor. Learning all about dolphins and sperm whales communicating in holographic clicks: literally able to visualise pictures from sonar and x-ray our bodies, and likely able to send images to each other via digital click sequences (each click is repeated exactly, with zero variation in the sound, where human speech varies no matter the language). And in the case of the sperm whales, able to stun or paralyse a human with powerful clicks if they chose to.
