Fig. 1: My birthday was even better than this hippo’s.

Wednesday was my 35th and it was head ’splodingly awesome.  Let me tell you how much.

Wednesday morning, Abeni and I took the Osprey to Carriacou (pop. <5,000), a part of the nation of Grenada (the NDC won, so new people are in charge now, btw) and the largest of the Grenadine islands. I have no idea if the islands have anything to do with the cherry syrup, so don’t ask.

We got there and found a bus to take us to the southern end of the island where, in the Alexis grocery, we met Beverly, proprietress of several shops and 4 guest cottages. She gave us the key for the one we were renting. Location was key: we were just a short walk from Lumbadive with whom we had booked for two dives on Thursday.

We got to the cottage, unpacked, and walked down the hill to the Lazy Turtle, a really good little Italian food spot, and there we ate delicious calzones bigger than your head. I made all gone because it was my birthday eve and because it was delicious. Then we were sleepy.

It’s a lot hotter in Carriacou (maybe because of all the volcanos — see Fig. 2), so we went to the cottage, turned on the A/C, watched TV for the first time since January (it still sucks, to my lack of surprise) and had naps.  Sweet.

Fig. 2: This is Kick ‘Em Jenny. It’s underwater between Grenada and Carriacou. If you’re driving a boat that way, you have to avoid it. It makes the water nice and warm and bubbly even miles away.

Then we showered and went back to the Lazy Turtle for dinner and desert. I had creme brulee and Johnny Walker Green Label (best Scotch they had available, and in the upper half of nearly any selection anywhere, so no complaints).

The next morning we went on two dives, one to Mabouya that had a little tugboat wreck where a big school of yellowtails lives…

Fig. 3: There were lots of these. They are delicious.

…and some parrotfish (not exactly this kind, but you get the idea)…

Fig. 4: These guys are colorful. Some captions are obvious.

…and a couple spotted morays doing their best Jimmy Durante impersonations.

Fig, 5: Hot-cha-cha!

Then we had to surface because, you know: air. Before we could dive again, we had to float around topside for a while so our blood wouldn’t get too nitrogen-ey. So we went to a beach. Booo-ring!

Fig. 6: Boring.

Then we went to the next dive site, two uninhabitable rocky islands called the Sisters. These islands are volcanic, and much more obviously so than any of the dive sites around Grenada proper (that we’ve been to so far, anyway), with steep thermoclines, and shimmery areas where the temperature was 10 or more degrees Farenheit warmer than that only a few feet away. Also, the sea floor literally bubbled from volcanic gasses releasing from the vasty depths beneath the vasty deep.

But the fish we saw there is the most awesome part. First off, dozens of barracuda:

Fig. 7: Yeah, dude: dozens of these.

I used to be terrified of barracuda. They’re pretty menacing. Thing is, even when they get to full size (about 6 feet long), they’re so skinny you’re not really frightened of them any more, fearsome maw or no. Plus, they really don’t care about divers. If anything, they might think you’re a bigger, badder predator (and if you have a spear gun, you are) and they might follow you around in the hopes of picking up some leavings.

We also saw the biggest trunkfish we’ve ever seen, some 18 inches, easy. These guys are a new favorite, and it’s easy to see why:

Fig. 8: The one we saw was way bigger, and had horns over its eyes. This one is just a baby, I think. These guys are like the big fat fuzzy yellow bumblebees of the sea.

Then, the good stuff. Sharks. First time I’ve seen any sharks. Sharks are cool as anything. Sharks are an awesome reason to dive. They are beautiful in the water. And majorly awesome. We saw a nurse shark. They’re like little kitty-cats. They’ll even let you pet them. The one we saw was a little over 3 feet long, and a foot across at its gills.

Fig. 9: They’re pretty much like a giant plecostamus. It’s a good first shark to encounter.

Then we saw real Blacktip Sharks. Two of them swimming in tandem. The big one was 6 feet, easy (maybe 6 1/2 feet) and the “little” one was over 4 feet. I first confused these for great big barracuda, but then our guide Blaine (who is from County Cork, Ireland, but was dragged along to Carriacou by his parents at the age of 15) pointed to them excitedly and put his hand up in the signal for “shark”.

Fig. 10: Turns out these guys can be pretty aggressive towards divers sometimes. Good to know.

The second dive finished up soon after, and we were well pleased. We will be back.

The ride back on the ferry was not as pleasant as the ride up, mainly because we chose to sit in the cabin rather than on the top deck, because it looked like rain. There was no rain and the cabin was stuffy and full of seasick children.  Shrug.

The plan was to go see Iron Man (it just got to Grenada) when we got back, but the last showing was as soon as we got home, basically, so showers and Manhattan cocktails took its place. That’s fine. Any more awesome and I’d need a bigger backpack to carry it all around in anyway. In the meantime, however, I declare my birthday not over until I see this, so there’s still time to send gifts!

Fig. 11: My birthday is so not over until I see this.

To guide your last minute shopping: I like cash, fine pencils, and Esterbrook fountain pens.

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