Up to last year I never believed I could scuba dive. I have always had problems clearing my left ear and the pressure was not pleasant when I snorkeled if I tried to dive below 5-10 feet. So what changed?

We went on a cruise in 2012 and one of the port of calls was Rotan Honduras. There was an excursion offered called "snuba" - it promised the fun of scuba diving without the need to certify before you dove. So I went. What it turned out to be was all of the typical scuba diving apparatus without a tank on your back. They had long hoses coming from tanks in a small dingy. What that meant was the dive master didn't have to worry about anyone getting away on him and going too deep or getting lost. I fell in love and I found I could clear my ears.

When we returned to Panama I began looking for someone to teach me how to dive safely. It turned out that the person who rented us a house in Portobelo was married to a dive master and instructor. How perfect. Rey & Dawn Sanchez operate GoldenFrog Scuba in Portobelo. Rey was in the US Navy as a diver for years and is a patient and professional diver. He's taken me through the PADI certification of Open Water and Advanced Open Water.

If you want to see what underwater looks like at its best check out Catlin Seaview Surveys -http://catlinseaviewsurvey.com/  this is a group doing some incredible underwater survey/photography. You have a chance to go underwater and look around without ever leaving your couch.

This year on our cruise I decided to dive in Bonaire. I am sure there will be many more dives to come so here are some pictures from some of the dives

Here is what started it all - this is "snuba" in Rotan Honduras - notice no tank and the line from the regulator to the tank on the surface in a dingy.
My instructor and dive master Rey Sanchez	Golden Frog Scuba in Portobelo	Golden Frogs boat operated by Bill
Sept 2012 - first real dive	First encounter Sept 2012	Second encounter Sept 2012
Lion fish - Jan 2013	large school 2013	Jan 2013 with Rey in Portobelo
Diving Bonaire
The cruise line offered a 2 tank dive in Bonaire - I've been snorkeling in Bonaire several times and it is amazing - the drop off from the shore is breathtaking - the water is so clear the visibility is over 100 feet easily - I met Juan Jose from Panama on this dive and I used my new little GoPro Hero 3 - I had to do some reading to find out why my photos had no real color.
using my GoPro again in Portobelo - found out I needed either large external light or red filter		diving with Allen and Ana Victoria in Portobelo March 2013
Back in Portobelo May 2013 with Juan Jose and Rey
	Rey with his lobster that got away
some old sailboat		juan jose
Coiba 2014