{"id":691,"date":"2025-08-09T09:00:00","date_gmt":"2025-08-09T09:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/explorando.ch\/?p=691"},"modified":"2025-08-01T23:44:54","modified_gmt":"2025-08-01T23:44:54","slug":"ein-tag-wie-jeder-andere-in-utila","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/explorando.ch\/en\/ein-tag-wie-jeder-andere-in-utila\/","title":{"rendered":"A day like any other on Utila"},"content":{"rendered":"\r\n

Our daily routine in Utila<\/h3>\r\n A typical day here starts early\u2014around 6 a.m. By then, the sun is already above the horizon, though it\u2019s not yet beating down the way it will later. It\u2019s still quiet, and the air is just a few fractions of a degree cooler than it will be during the day\u2014if 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.\r\n\r\nThat\u2019s 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\u2014if we\u2019ve managed to get some\u2014passion fruit. A few ice cubes go in, and sometimes a spoonful of peanut butter. The result is a wonderfully cold, fruity-sweet smoothie that\u2019s so thick and creamy from the frozen ingredients, it\u2019s often better eaten with a spoon than drunk. Here in the tropics, a blender and a freezer are the two most important kitchen tools.\r\n\r\nUsually, I\u2019m fully awake after the first smoothie-induced brain freeze\u2014though I\u2019m often up even before the alarm goes off. Sometimes, after delivering Lisa\u2019s smoothie to her in bed, I\u2019ll prepare a sandwich using her wonderfully fragrant homemade bread\u2014topped with avocado and tomato, homemade hummus or pea spread\u2014perfect for a later breakfast out at sea. Often, a slice of fresh or frozen banana bread also gets packed\u2014small, tasty energy boosts never hurt.\r\n\r\nAnd just like that, we\u2019re ready for the day.\r\n\r\n \r\n
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The path to our small flat.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\r\n \r\n
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Out bedroom – luckily with AC<\/figcaption><\/figure>\r\n \r\n
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Without AC, but with stove and oven. Kitchen and sauna can be surprisingly close to each other.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\r\n \r\n
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The store where we bought many of the fruit for the morning smoothie, as well as vegetables for cooking.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\r\n \r\n
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The half-frozen fruit smoothie.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\r\n \r\n
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In Utila I learned that thermos bottles are not only good for keeping hot things hot but also for keeping cold things cold.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\r\n<\/figure>\r\n Between 6:30 and 6:45, we head out\u2014it’s only about a five-minute walk to the marina where UDC\u2019s boats are docked. That\u2019s where the \u201cboat load\u201d 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\u2019re usually already soaked in sweat\u2014because along with the rising sun, the temperature has already climbed, and it\u2019s typically quite still in the mornings.\r\n\r\nThen 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\u2014regulator, BCD, fins, mask, etc.\u2014get everything dive-ready, fill the boat\u2019s drinking water canister, and sign in on the crew manifest (so they can make sure everyone is accounted for when we\u2019re out at sea).\r\n\r\nThere\u2019s usually still a bit of time before the guests and dive students arrive. Sometimes we treat ourselves to a warm pastelito<\/em> (a fried pastry filled with cheese and beans) from the bar, chat with our fellow Divemaster trainees, and sip some tea or coffee.\r\n\r\nThis is usually the moment when Lisa \u2014 absolutely not a morning person  \u2014 finally starts to wake up.\r\n\r\n \r\n
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Alle tanks have to be tested for sufficient pressure (i.e. contained air).<\/figcaption><\/figure>\r\n \r\n
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Then they’re carried onto the boat – everyone gets sweaty here.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\r\n \r\n
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Lisa pushes the boat off the pier – let’s go!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\r\n \r\n
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The equipment room of the UDC is full of regulators, BDCs, diving masks and wetsuits.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\r\n<\/figure>\r\n Around 8 a.m., the captain gives the signal to depart. We untie the lines and head out\u2014depending 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\u2014even in the morning. The UV index regularly hits 12 around midday, which is the highest I\u2019ve ever seen.\r\n\r\n \r\n
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With a giant stride we enter the water.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\r\n \r\n
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Tying up the boat, one has to be careful not to fall in.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\r\n \r\n
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One of the UDC boats – the Captain Tristan.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\r\n \r\n
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Me with Michael – my newfound underwater photography buddy.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\r\n \r\n
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Beautiful Flamingo Tungs.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\r\n \r\n
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On our way to a dive site with Rachel and Michael.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\r\n \r\n
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We use a ladder to climb back onto the boat<\/figcaption><\/figure>\r\n \r\n
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Lisa’s cure for under water boredom.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\r\n \r\n
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A full boat on its way to the dive site.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\r\n<\/figure>\r\n 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\u2019re on our own in the water and have to plan our own dive. This is great because it allows total independence\u2014you don\u2019t have to follow a bigger group.\r\n\r\nLisa 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\u2019s 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.\r\n\r\nThe 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.\r\n\r\n \r\n
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The underwater world of Utila<\/figcaption><\/figure>\r\n \r\n
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Soft corals sway in the currents of the sea.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\r\n \r\n
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Sometimes we meet curious squid, perfect for photography.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\r\n \r\n
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An eagle ray passing.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\r\n \r\n
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Another eagle ray from below, with a remora ( a fish that attaches onto other fish, sometimes even divers) following it.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\r\n \r\n
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A French Angelfish that was trying to eat my bubbles.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\r\n \r\n
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Up, down, everything’s blue.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\r\n \r\n
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One of the few turtles that we saw in Utila.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\r\n \r\n
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Underwater detail<\/figcaption><\/figure>\r\n \r\n
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Sun rays pierce through the shallow water and illuminate the reef.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\r\n \r\n
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Studying brains<\/figcaption><\/figure>\r\n \r\n
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Lisa with a seahorse<\/figcaption><\/figure>\r\n \r\n
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When Lisa took over the camera<\/figcaption><\/figure>\r\n<\/figure>\r\n Then comes a (for me, at least) unpleasant but important part: waddling back along the blazing hot street to the UDC\u2014especially painful if you\u2019ve forgotten your flip-flops\u2014and 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\u2019s time for a well-deserved lunch, so to speak.\r\n\r\nSometimes 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<\/em> (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.\r\n\r\nAfternoons 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\u2014where the internet is more stable and the atmosphere nicely quiet. Around 5:15 p.m., we return to UDC for boat signup\u2014the moment you register to dive the next day.\r\n\r\nIn the evenings, we either eat a cozy meal at home or meet dive friends at one of Utila\u2019s many restaurants. Most nights, we\u2019re dead tired by around 9:30 p.m.\u2014the 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\u2014ready to start this simple, intense, and beautiful rhythm all over again the next morning.\r\n\r\n \r\n
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Full house at boat signup – everyone wants to go diving the next day!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\r\n \r\n
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On the viewing platform at UDC<\/figcaption><\/figure>\r\n \r\n
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Deadbeat after a day of diving in paradise<\/figcaption><\/figure>\r\n \r\n
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Swimming in the bay<\/figcaption><\/figure>\r\n \r\n
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Dramatic sunset<\/figcaption><\/figure>\r\n<\/figure>\r\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Usually still half asleep, I blend this smoothie from frozen bananas, papaya, pineapple, watermelon, and sometimes\u2014if we managed to get some\u2014passion fruit (maracuya). Then I add a few ice cubes and sometimes a bit of peanut butter. The result is a wonderfully cold, fruity-sweet smoothie that\u2019s often better eaten with a spoon than drunk, thanks to its creamy texture from the frozen ingredients.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":673,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"iawp_total_views":15,"footnotes":""},"categories":[10,25],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-691","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-travel","category-tauchen"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/explorando.ch\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/691","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/explorando.ch\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/explorando.ch\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/explorando.ch\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/explorando.ch\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=691"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/explorando.ch\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/691\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":694,"href":"https:\/\/explorando.ch\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/691\/revisions\/694"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/explorando.ch\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/673"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/explorando.ch\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=691"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/explorando.ch\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=691"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/explorando.ch\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=691"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}