Well, i realise i´ve not updated the blog in a while but i´ve been pretty bus and had pretty sporadic internet connection so its not really been possible. To update you all I´ve now started my GVI expedition in Mahahual, Mexico and been there now for the past 2 1/2 weeks. The base camp is a 40 minute taxi ride from the town of Mahahual and we are situated on a private stretch of beach named Punta Gruesa, in an old hotel which was largely destroyed by Hurricane Dean last August. Our sleeping arrangements are pretty basic in little wooden huts, with bunk beds and the obligatory moskito nets (these have been our saviours!!). So myself along with another 24 people (some who have been here for the previous 5 weeks too, then some who joined with me as 5 weekers) call this place home for the moment, and its been going well so far despite the cold showers which we´re allowed every 3 days and the complete lack of meat or dairy due to lack of fridge - our diet consists of vegetables, rice, pasta, beans and porridge!! Oh yes, and least i forgot the electricity only comes on at 5.30pm for 4 hours - what a life!!

We had a pretty slow start with the diving because the weather has been pretty windy coming out of the hurricane season which officially ends on 1st Dec, but we have managed about 10 dives in the past 2 and a bit weeks - a few less than the 12 per week which is expected!! The weather has actually been fine though, its just that the base is located in a lagoon which means that we need to get out of the lagoon for the dives and cross the base which has been the problem. This past week in particular has been an interesting one although not necessarily in the best way. On tuesday last week we ventured out for some dives as the weather had appeared to have calmed down, only to get caught in some strong waves which caused the anchor to fly into the air and puncture a hole in the boat!! Pretty scary as we all though we were going to be thrown off. Then the next day we went out for a snorkel in the lagoon, and once again as we were on our way back to base we got caught by a wave and the boat almost capsized!! Our instructor got thrown off the boat, and the rest of us were just a bit battered and bruised, and shocked!! We had to bail the water out before the boat would start to sink but luckily everyone was ok. The best bit though was that we radioed base to tell them about the wave and they thought we were joking - got knows what would have happened if we'd have been in serious trouble!!!

Anyway, friday was much better because we had an amazing dive then on the way back into base we passed by a pod of wild dolphins. We all got our snorkel gear on quickly and then got back into the water and swam with them for about 25 minutes whilst they played around us and came up so close we could almost touch them. Some of the guys got some photos with their underwater cameras so i'll put the photos on FB when i can.

The weather got worse again though over the weekend so on sunday night they suggested to us that we might like to leave base for a bit to dive elsewhere, which is what some of us have done. Myself and 5 of the other 5-weekers have come up to Tulum to do some cenote dives (which are like underwater caves). We´ve done 2 this morning and now just making the most of the hot water showers and comfy beds before we head back to base tomorrow.