DAY 5

Tuesday, May 7

Dominic L

Well, I’ve done it at last. This morning I finally became a real scuba diver by having my first dive in the sea.

It took place at the John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park near Key Largo. The area is named after the newspaperman who campaigned for the Reef to be preserved and for a park to be established, and it is a wonderful place which had all the facilities we needed and even had a wheelchair route right to the water’s edge.

We should have been out at sea, but again the waters were too choppy and for safety’s sake it was decided that we would go into the water from the shore. It didn’t matter to me how I got in, I just wanted to dive in the sea and though it wasn’t very deep, I was able to use the Pegasus Thruster to get around, with Ray, Ted and Merissa always close by.

I really can’t thank them and Fraser enough for what they have done for me over the past few days. It has been an absolutely fantastic experience for me to dive and I can’t tell you much better I feel.

Yes, the weather was disappointing but hopefully there will be more trips to come and I will get the chance to go deeper.

Earlier this evening we were all invited to the beautiful home of Mr Hugo Vihlen right on the ocean shore. Mr Vihlen and his wife Johnnie – yep, that’s her name and she is a lovely lady who just happens to be a former US Marine like her husband – cooked up a wonderful barbeque and we all had a whale of a time.

Major General Tommy Dyches from the Pentagon lives locally and he came along and gave a rousing speech and a toast to us all. It’s not often you get the chance to meet a Major General so I had a good chat with him, and then after the meal I had the chance to relax in a hammock. I found it very comfortable and I must think about getting one for my new accommodation later in the year.

It was typical of the generosity of the local people here that Hugo and Johnnie opened their home for us. Last night I was presented with a lovely quilt from the local Quilter’s Guild when we had dinner at Sharkey’s, and again we had a brilliant time with all the American veterans.

Tomorrow we are going to the Island Dolphin Care centre in Key Largo where I will get the chance to swim with dolphins. I can’t wait!