By now I am certain that everyone has heard that we had a significant earthquake here 4 days ago. While the actual event was very dramatic and quite terrifying, we have come out of it fairly well. Most homes suffered only minor damage, and although some of our treasured possessions were lost or damaged, there were no serious injuries or deaths. Homes and condos at lower elevations seemed to fare quite well. I visited a couple of condos that only had a picture or two that were crooked. Homes farther up the mountain exhibited more evidence that a major event had occurred and will require some repair of cracks in the plaster, damaged rock walls, and broken windows and mirrors, but overall, we are doing very well. All stores and restaurants are open and it’s business as usual. We all now have some stories to tell, and the major topic of conversation is to recount where we were and what we were doing when it hit. It has certainly reminded us all of nature’s power.

Manta Rays!

David and I have continued to dive almost every weekend and we have now earned our Advanced Open Water Diving Certificates. I believe the highlight of our diving so far has been the Manta Ray night dive, which is rated as one of the ten best in the world. The dive location is just off shore near the airport at Garden Eel Cove. Large lights are set up on the ocean floor at a depth of about 40 feet and are turned on as twilight falls. Once it is fully dark, the divers enter the water and sit on the bottom in a circle around the lights, much like you’d sit around a campfire. While we each hold lights and shine them upward, snorkelers on the surface hold lights pointing downward to create a large column of light. As plankton rolls in response to the light, the Manta Rays begin to follow in search of a hearty plankton meal.

On the night of our dive, 11 giant mantas with wingspans up to 18 feet appeared and began to swoop over our heads with their mouths wide open. It was an incredibly beautiful ballet and a surreal experience. After observing the mantas for an extended period, we swam off to look for eels and other marine life that prefer the nighttime environment to hunt. It was fascinating to watch their behavior. When it was time to return to the boat, we surfaced to a dark sky spread thick with brilliant stars and the Milky Way blazing its trail across the sky. The experience was one of those magical moments in life that I am very glad to have experienced.

Manta Ray

We did not take pictures on our night dive, but David took these on an afternoon dive earlier this week when we were visited by another Manta Ray cruising by. This one had been injured by fishing line about a month ago, but seems to be doing well now. Note the notch in the Manta’s right “wing”, or pectoral fin, and the left sided damage to the horn. Mantas are very gentle creatures, in spite of their size, which can range up to a 25 feet wingspan.