HIGH SEASON

Oct 16

And just like that, summer had come and gone. It left behind bittersweet memories and took with it the beautiful chaos of tourism and the demand for aloe vera. I hadn’t posted all summer, mainly because work had been insanely busy. Cruise ships docking, flights arriving, school trips, dive groups, and more all kept the dive shop and our tip jar full.

With August and September came higher winds, almost hurricanes, and some absolutely rocking days on the boat. When I say rocked, I mean everything on the boat was swaying from side to side, up and down—all at the same time. Mooring lines broke, surprise squalls and thunderstorms roared in, shaking us 18 meters down. I definitely gained some solid experience and unforgettable memories.

The best part of hurricane season was that we never actually got hit. I truly felt blessed not to have to shut down the shop and was treated to rainbows almost every day. We had the most incredible, jaw-dropping sunset-rainbow combo of my life the other week, featured below.

As the season drew to a close, the shop’s dive master trainees graduated their snorkel tests, bookings started to slow down, and that cool, crisp air greeted us on the drive to work in the mornings. Now that the skies have cleared, the stars are visible again, allowing us to stargaze on the beach and enjoy the breathtaking sunsets this place has to offer.

We somehow ended up having an end-of-season staff party every week during that final month. We were spoiled by members who filled our summer with epic dives and even better food. One night turned into a full-blown, last-minute hurricane party—complete with questionable dance moves and drinking games I’m honestly glad never made it onto camera. On our final day, Alaric and I were treated to the clearest skies and calmest water we’d seen all season. A perfect send-off in my books.

You’re probably wondering what’s next for us now that the season has ended. Well, good news! We were invited back next summer and are so happy that all our sad goodbyes have now turned into exciting see-you-laters. The wonderfully goofy, beautiful people we worked with this season will all be back and ready for round two next summer. We were truly blessed with the team we had this season, and I’m lucky that they’ve become not only mentors but friends.

Enjoy the beautiful chaos captured in the photos below—date nights, dives, adventures, boat shenanigans, and all those little moments in between that make this life the best gift I’ve ever received.