A day like any other on Utila

Our daily routine in Utila

A typical day here starts early—around 6 a.m. By then, the sun is already above the horizon, though it’s not yet beating down the way it will later. It’s still quiet, and the air is just a few fractions of a degree cooler than it will be during the day—if that. Heat and overheating are a big issue here on Utila (especially for me, since I handle heat far worse than Lisa). The moment you step out of the AC-cooled bedroom into the kitchen, it feels like your sweat glands kick in instantly. That’s one reason we almost always start the day with an ice-cold smoothie. Still half-asleep, I usually throw it together from frozen bananas, papaya, pineapple, watermelon, and—if we’ve managed to get some—passion fruit. A few ice cubes go in, and sometimes a spoonful of peanut butter. The result is a wonderfully cold, fruity-sweet smoothie that’s so thick and creamy from the frozen ingredients, it’s often better eaten with a spoon than drunk. Here in the tropics, a blender and a freezer are the two most important kitchen tools. Usually, I’m fully awake after the first smoothie-induced brain freeze—though I’m often up even before the alarm goes off. Sometimes, after delivering Lisa’s smoothie to her in bed, I’ll prepare a sandwich using her wonderfully fragrant homemade bread—topped with avocado and tomato, homemade hummus or pea spread—perfect for a later breakfast out at sea. Often, a slice of fresh or frozen banana bread also gets packed—small, tasty energy boosts never hurt. And just like that, we’re ready for the day.

Between 6:30 and 6:45, we head out—it’s only about a five-minute walk to the marina where UDC’s boats are docked. That’s where the “boat load” begins: once all the instructors, Divemasters, and Divemaster trainees have arrived, we grab the correct number of filled scuba tanks from the storage area, check their pressure, and carry them onto the boat. By this point, you’re usually already soaked in sweat—because along with the rising sun, the temperature has already climbed, and it’s typically quite still in the mornings. Then we slowly chug over to the UDC dive center, about five minutes away, where we tie up our blue-and-yellow boat again. There, we collect our personal gear—regulator, BCD, fins, mask, etc.—get everything dive-ready, fill the boat’s drinking water canister, and sign in on the crew manifest (so they can make sure everyone is accounted for when we’re out at sea). There’s usually still a bit of time before the guests and dive students arrive. Sometimes we treat ourselves to a warm pastelito (a fried pastry filled with cheese and beans) from the bar, chat with our fellow Divemaster trainees, and sip some tea or coffee. This is usually the moment when Lisa — absolutely not a morning person  — finally starts to wake up.

Around 8 a.m., the captain gives the signal to depart. We untie the lines and head out—depending on the dive site, the ride can take anywhere from 20 minutes to an hour. Often, we sit up front on the bow, enjoying the breeze, chatting with the others, or just letting our eyes and thoughts drift across the horizon. Sunscreen is a must, because out at sea the sun is relentless—even in the morning. The UV index regularly hits 12 around midday, which is the highest I’ve ever seen.

When we arrive at the dive site, the boat is secured to a buoy. We help the course participants and fun divers get into the water, then prepare ourselves for our dive. As Divemaster trainees, we’re on our own in the water and have to plan our own dive. This is great because it allows total independence—you don’t have to follow a bigger group. Lisa and I often dive just the two of us, sometimes joined by our friends Michael (who also takes photos) and/or Rachel (who, like Lisa, has a knack for spotting cool things). It’s a pretty good mix since we all share similar ideas of what makes a great dive. After 45 to 60 minutes underwater, we climb back onto the boat and head to the next dive site. Usually, that ride takes no more than 15 minutes. The same routine repeats there. The return trip to UDC starts between 11 a.m. and 12:30 p.m., depending on the group size, dive site, and course schedule. After dropping off guests and course participants, we cruise back to the marina and unload the empty tanks.

Then comes a (for me, at least) unpleasant but important part: waddling back along the blazing hot street to the UDC—especially painful if you’ve forgotten your flip-flops—and thoroughly rinsing your gear in the rinse bins. Saltwater is brutally corrosive, which unfortunately shows on my camera housing after just a few weeks with some surface rust. After that, it’s time for a well-deserved lunch, so to speak. Sometimes we do leftovers at home, a fresh salad, or quesadillas. On other days, for about three lempiras, we treat ourselves to one or two of the large baleadas (tortillas filled with beans, egg, avocado, salad, tomatoes, cheese, and spicy sauce, folded in half) at one of the small, simple local restaurants like Mama Rosa or La Casita, or a tasty rice bowl at UDC for about five lempiras. Afternoons vary: sometimes we go on a little excursion, take a swim in the sea, or get some computer work done. Since our home Wi-Fi is totally unreliable, we often sit in one of the air-conditioned classrooms at UDC—where the internet is more stable and the atmosphere nicely quiet. Around 5:15 p.m., we return to UDC for boat signup—the moment you register to dive the next day. In the evenings, we either eat a cozy meal at home or meet dive friends at one of Utila’s many restaurants. Most nights, we’re dead tired by around 9:30 p.m.—the combination of early mornings, blazing sun, saltwater, physical activity, and excess nitrogen in the blood from diving takes its toll. Once the AC cools the room to a bearable temperature, we fall asleep—ready to start this simple, intense, and beautiful rhythm all over again the next morning.