The next morning we meet up again at Felipe Diving Center, Tim and Lew have already gotten acquainted with Felipe and were gearing up. I, unfortunately I was unable to dive on this trip and had too much work to do in my three and a half days in OPI. I was shocked to see about 15 other people also there, a group of mostly new divers from Bogotá. Fortunately it was there last day so Lew and Tim only had one day of crowded newbies. I chat a bit with Tim and Lew, took some pictures and seen them off for their first dive.
I was learning what a great historian Tim is on OPI and although there is not much official history on OPI, I have done some research and know the basics, one day I will probable be asking Tim for history facts of OPI. I encouraged Tim to talk with some of the local old timers to get the best history stories. They are more that welcome to share their knowledge with anyone interested. Tim had also found an old chart of the reefs surrounding OPI, scanned it, colored it, blew it up and laminated it then gave a copy of it to Felipe as a gift. It seemed to be quit accurate for such an old chart. I can’t wait to gat a copy of it myself.
I return to Freshwater Bay to spend a few hours in the calm waters with my son. While teaching my son to swim I see the boats returning for there surface interval. Tim and Lew join me in the shallow waters telling me about their first dive. Tim was having a problem with his camera so he did not get any pics but did say how wonderful the dive was, Lew gladly agree as they proceeded to tell me the details. On their boat trip back to Freshwater Bay they were introduced to Sweet Mango, which only grows on Old Providence Island. Still picking their teeth of the stringy fruit, the locals were having a laugh, you gringo have to learn to eat the sweet mango, mon. Tim and Lew mentioned they were going to rent motos and tour the island for the second half of the day but when they returned from there second dive Picci, Felipe’s brother, offered to take them on a third dive without the crowds and friendly jester for there patients diving with the crowds. Of coarse they jumped at the offer so was left to journey out on my own with my son for a topside foto opt. of the island, no worries, my new friends were having a great time also. I did not catch up with them later that evening not sure if it was a just missing each other or they were just chillin after there first day of diving. I spent the rest of the evening chillin with some locals listening to some of the old times stories and watching my usually dominate son being totally dominated by the opposite sex, at three years old. When I asked him about his girl friend in America, Hayet, he said his girlfriend is not Hayet it is Tamara in OPI.