Just two days ago, really only a day and a half out of the water, Sara and I took our final exam’s and turned in our final projects for our Dive Master program. It is hard to believe that we are finished.
Time has a way of both speeding up and slowing down all at the same time when you are focused on something the way we have been focused on this program. The program not only deserved our full attention, but demanded it both physically and mentally. This is not two and a half months of “fun diving” as some might expect before they get here. It is a concise program designed to challenge you and develop you into a “Dive professional” . Learning about the different aspects of the “Dive Industry” as well as developing our own dive skills.
I can honestly say that we are not the same diver’s who started this program. I can honestly say too, that we are not nor will we ever be done developing and learning as a diver’s. There is and will always be room for improvement and more knowledge as we continue down this road we have chosen.
I state all of this with a serious tone because while what we do is so much fun, those who participate in it with out giving it the respect it deserves are playing a dangerous game. For those who participate and respect the waters and conditions we choose to enter, the rewards are nothing less than magical.
In the last few months, we have found our selves in the water and in close proximity too some true wonders of the sea. Swimming along with whale sharks, Mola Mola’s, gigantic 100 year old sea turtles, huge manta ray’s and to many others to list. We have also dove on our first sunken ship wreck and learned how to enter a wreck in the safest manor possible.
The people who have entered our lives as a result of our decision to pursue this challenge have been another gift. Whether they were other dive professionals or just divers on holiday, we have enjoyed meeting others 
from around the globe who share our passion for the sea. It has been so great to see in person that no matter where we come from or what language we may speak, in general we are all the same good natured people who get inspired and love life. Maybe we should take all the leaders of the worlds countries out diving together. Give them all a camera and an I-pad. Then later on that evening, put them all in a dining hall with their I-pads and watch as they go back and forth showing each other what they saw and captured on film. I have seen it almost every night, strangers becoming friends as they show each other pictures from that day’s dives, different languages, but at least one thing in common to start and as they quickly find out, so much more in common than they ever might have thought.
For Sara and I, it is now been a day and half out of the water. We decided to go out surfing with our last full day on Nusa Lembongan. The good byes have been said and as they say in Bahasa (the Indonesian language) “jalan jalan” “our journey continues” and “the road unfolds in front of us”. We are off Nusa Lembongan as I write this but I will never be far fro the sea or the memories and lessons gained during our time as DMT’s (Dive Master in Training).
Aloha
Tim & Sara
