Isla San Pedro sits off the north coast of Belize, very close to southern Mexico. It is reputed to be the island that Madonna sings about in her song “La Isla Bonita”. And it is bonita indeed. Very pretty.
We learn to scuba dive here. Chuck and Robbie’s dive shop is within walking distance of our hotel, the Casa Cayes, and seems friendly and safe. Derek Angel, our dive master, is from Kindersley Saskatchewan! He is a bit of a task master and frequently scolds me for not paying attention. Nevertheless, I do my 4 open water dives to complete my PADI certification and then do three more dives.
The last dive is with a large group, 12 divers, and only 2 dive masters. I’m a bit nervous and no doubt it shows, as the senior dive master, who is nicknamed “big sexy” (and big he is!) stays close by and is very attentive.
Apart from puking on the dive boat and the accompanying nausea, I am hooked on diving. The reefs, the fish, the silence … all are entrancing.
