Amed (Open Water PADI SCUBA course time)

Amed. After talking to many divers we settled on going to the north east corner of Bali to the Amed Dive Center. "Make Bubbles No Troubles" is their motto. I am good at least one of those with one of those, especially in the bath tub...

The place is so wonderful above and below of the surface we think we are going to go back there before we leave Bali.

There are a few pics to share.

I loved this. It was my dive boat. It was a NARROW dugout canoe that was about 2 feet deep. Check out the pontoons. They are bamboo logs lashed on with 1/4" nylon cord. For an engine it had what they call a 'long tail'. Basically it is a 4 hp Briggs and Stratton (Honda) engine directly attached to a long shaft that they lift in and out of the water when they want to move forward or stop. No clutch. The engine is mounted on a metal plate with a couple of bolts that allows the whole engine to tilt towards the water...

Maura bought some salt from these kids. A little bag for a dollar. They were happy. It wasn't about the salt.

The woman on the right is Kutu. She was a kitchen manager for our resturant. She and Maura went back to her family compound for a little girl time. They left me to study my dive tables.

Maura hard at work on the beach.

A rice field outside of the village.

Work those dive tables. Who needs a dive computer when you have plastic paper and your own brain (and you don't have an extra $1000 for a new toy).

The local holy volcano in the back drop.

M heading out for a pre dive swim at this wreck from World War II. If you have the time check out this link. It is fairly big but gives you a 360 degree view of the dive we did. You'll can click and drag once it loads.

http://www.panoramas.dk/fullscreen/fullscreen45.html

Wayan my dive saviour (and instructor) When I get back and you want to hear a good story ask me what else he does for a living. Good guy to have on your side above and below the water lines.

Volcano shot