Patrick from Austin

Small Hope Bay Lodge
Andros Island, Bahamas
http://www.smallhope.com/

I enjoyed diving with Patrick from Austin. Videograph by Rich Torkington in Bahamas 2005

Dive Journal: We offgas at a really shallow dive site called Ledges, consisting of several raised ridges of rock that various sealife calls home. Linda and Janel stay on the boat, claiming to be “too lazy” to dive again, so I buddy-pair with young Patrick from Austin.

We cruise around a lot, running into some pretty brown chromis and some tilefish. We spy another new fish, some kind of blenny or goby, but couldn’t identify it later. Our long rounded path eventually brings us back to the boat, and I’m pleased to have navigated it well.

Still having some minutes of air left, we again vector away from the boat. About five minutes later, Patrick looks at me and asks where the boat is. I know it is roughly behind him, but at first I just gently shrug to indicate some imprecision. He quickly signals that he’ll surface to get a bearing and off he goes.

The guests and crew onboard see Patrick, of course, and then we get a ration of good-natured ribbing about our navigational skills later.

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