I probably don’t say this enough, but many of the life benefits I enjoy were due to the connection my exwife and I had during our long marriage. Janet and I shared a passion for computers and tech, which resulted in both of us changing careers to become computer programmers. We both loved to garden, and had gorgeous columbine beds in our first house in Montrose, and colorful flower gardens in the early years living in this house, especially in back where the kids played. My then wife and I took country dance lessons together, and eventually became very skilled at dancing down at the Rose, which is the point I am trying to make. I just continued on with it when we parted, and learned to dance with ladies of varying skill levels.

On a different subject I dodged a bullet yesterday evening. As I have explained several times previously, I pull a inflatable yellow buoy behind me for safety and to contain extra cameras and other gear. (always an extra snorkel in case mine breaks). Just before 5pm, which is a half hour before sunset, I was taking my time photographing some clownfish on anemones out from a rocky point down at the end of the beach, a long ways from where I am staying. I decided to switch cameras and stood up in the yard deep water to get it, and then realized my yellow buoy was gone. I searched the horizon for it and did not see it. I put the floating underwater camera and housing I was holding and saw that the current would have carried it to the north, the direction the camera floated. Since I could not see the yellow buoy with my green backpack tied to the top of it, I exited to the beach as quick as I could, and walked to the north. There was still no sign of it. I was very upset and once again angry at myself for not being more watchful and careful. By the time I got to the Happy Gecko I still had not found it, and was starting to think it might have drifted to shore where someone picked it up and took it inside.

The buoy didn’t matter to me - I have an another one with me. What did matter is the two extra cameras that were inside it and in the backpack. I try hard not to make stupid mistakes which might divert from the wonderful trip and adventure I am having, and this was a huge one.

When I got to the Happy Gecko one of the cooks came out to say hi, and three of the four divers were down in the restaurant area. I asked the cook where Willeke was?; I was going to see if she had some binoculars to scan the sea for my floating buoy. Willeke was up at her house at the top of the hill. One of the divers heard my concern, and I asked her if she can see anything yellow out there floating. She thought she did, and described where it was to me. I could not see a thing. I walked down to the beach with another diver, and before I started the long swim out to intercept what might be my buoy, I asked him to point me in the right direction, since he could also see it. He asked me if there was something dark on top of it. I said yes, my green backpack is tied to it.