Sights & Sounds

Last night’s sleep was by far the best. I cuddled up with Woody on the day bed by the beach. It was the first time we’ve been able to cuddle since getting here because it’s been too damn hot at night. I awoke around midnight and took a few moments to take in the scenery. The moon was so bright -- it felt like a spotlight -- and the Milky Way was the thickest I’ve ever seen it. The Big Dipper here looks smaller that what the Little Dipper looks like back home. And the Little Dipper is non-existent. Nobody here even knew there was a Little Dipper.

The waves were so loud as they crashed on the reef about a half kilometer off the shore. The sound reminds me of the train in Bisco that goes past Grandpa’s cottage. And the Ghost Crabs can be heard scuffling along the sand catching a midnight meal, along with the faint splash from the whipping of a fish tail – maybe a herring or a dart fish. I recognize the sounds at night as I learn more and more about the wildlife here. Thankfully, I don’t hear any mosquitoes buzzing around; there don’t seem to be any here.

I woke up at 5am to the boys (Woody and Tazzy) sneaking off on a secret mission. Paul and Candice (managers) asked them to drive up the road before sunrise to the Visitor Centre which had a large pile of fine gravel there we had spotted yesterday. They came back a couple hours later with a trailer full of the stolen gravel and big grins on their faces. Sneaky buggars! It has definitely helped improve the holes on our buggy paths though.

I couldn’t get back to sleep after they left so I stayed up in the lodge and wrote out a big list of things that I need to complete and items that need to be purchased before we open on Tuesday (1 week from now). I showed Candice the list in the morning and she laughed saying, “You’re the only person that has ever come to me with a list, instead of the other way around!” She told Woody last night that she really likes me and thinks I’m a great asset to the team. It was really nice to hear.

While waiting for lunch, I was reading my book, 'The Art of Happiness'. Noah (supervisor) saw the book title and laughed. He said, “You’re already the happiest person around, why are you reading that?” Andrew (dish washer), who was sitting nearby, laughed and agreed. It’s nice to know that people think of me as being a happy person. I hope my positivity is uplifting and contagious because it could be quite easy to be grumpy from all this heat, hard work and lack of sleep.

We just got back from a snorkel trip at Osprey Bay. Woody is itching to get back to town, but I told him to give me ten minutes to write before I forget everything and/or get too busy once we’re in town and fishing takes priority. Most snorkel trips I’ve been trying to keep up with everyone and chasing after turtles and sharks, or practicing my diving and swimming against the current. Today, I just floated with the current, watching the fish interact with each other. The fish come so close to you when you stay still. I was so mesmerized by a giant school of Green Axil Chromis that were lazily drifting with me. There were hundreds of them all radiating the most beautiful colours. They’re tiny little bodies, covered in silver scales, shimmered royal blue when they were at the surface, then turquoise, then green, then yellow as they dove deeper. It was amazing!

Kat was showing me a creature I believe is called the Christmas Tree Worm. Sometimes blue, sometimes yellow, the little creatures stuck to the rocks and looked almost like swaying seaweed, but as we dove down and reached for it, it would retract into itself in defence. I also saw tiny jellyfish about the size of a toonie. I got stung in my armpit by a little one on the third day here and it hurt quite a bit for about 40 minutes, so I was frantically dodging the little buggers this time

around. But then I got curious. I cupped one of them in my hands, doing a slow wave while it drifted across my skin. It didn’t sting at all, surprisingly.

Woody is pacing around the lodge waiting impatiently, so I’m off. Hopefully tonight will be a relaxing night in the A/C, but knowing Woody we’ll be on a massive fishing excursion, followed by beers with friends and a wild night. Always an adventure with this boy!