Day 16 Math at 90 feet

Today was, as always, incredibly informative and a really exciting learning environment.   After breakfast and coffee the morning meeting concentrated on deeper diving and considerations of diving to these depths.  We focused in on some of these challenges and put ourselves to the test. We were going to do some math problems that we hadn’t previously seen while multitasking with our time, PSI and depth recording at set intervals. After the dive briefing we analyzed our cylinders, adjusted computers as necessary, geared and partnered up.  We rotate partners and today Dave and I were buddies today.  We headed out to a new site that would hopefully provide some deeper shoreline diving.  We were not disappointed in fact it was one of the most exciting things we’ve seen yet!  We found some amphora! Albania and especially the coastline goes back to very early human history and has passed between multiple foreign countries rule for a lot of their more recent history.  The land is very rich historically. However many small things, such as amphora, have been removed and sold or lost to time.   It was exciting to go below free diving depth and find some still where they landed so very long ago.  I sketched their shape and what details I could on my slate so maybe a time frame could be established later. Sketching is challenging enough for me but underwater mine looks childish.  Even though we were excited we had to keep our minds on our tasks.  Our slates allow you to slide underwater paper in and out and our math problems were on the back of the paper placed in ours.  After we reached the appropriate depth we got neutrally buoyant and flipped over our papers and started working through the math problems.  I got a bit distracted and Dave at one point was kind enough to point out I was causing some siltation.  Oops.  Multitasking does get more challenging at depth, between math and recording depth, PSI, and time at the appropriate intervals I wasn’t paying enough attention to my positioning.  After we completed our problems Dave and I were free to explore and make an appropriate ascent to the float we left on the surface.  We had a good time looking around in a new environment while making a slow ascent.  Though sadly we left the amphora behind.  We did however see new life here, including new types of fish that we have not observed before.  After an appropriate ascent we surfaced at the float, the team eventually all reassembled and we headed back to base. After rising and hanging gear we headed home to eat and prepare the afternoons lesson.  Part of the training is oceanography and it was determined that we the students would prepare a fun lesson for the staff.  Upon their arrival Derek, Chris, and Lee learned that they would be competing in 'Oceanography Jeopardy'.  Good times and many laughs were shared by all.  After the game wrapped up, everyone smarter for it I’m sure, we got to relax for a while before dinner.  A leisurely evening was had from a relaxed dinner to boardwalk strolling and gelato in the warm evening air. It is hard to believe that tomorrow is our last day of diving.  The time has passed so quickly here.Today was also mostly picture free, my camera cannot go below 60 feet so it got left at home.

Effie enjoys gelato and an evening stroll.