¡¡A ver a que hora!!

Date: March 19-26, 2005
Destination: Bligh Triangle, Fiji
Returning Passengers: Ivan Salazar, Frida Sacal

Taking a breather from all the dancing at Somosomo Village.

Mucha corriente! Photo: Guillermo Mendoza.	Lionfish Photo: Guillermo Mendoza.

Mafer Carrera and Ivan Salazar at the costume party.

This week shall certainly remain firmly in our memory for a long time to come – 18 crazy Mexicans led by Ivan Salazar landed upon us and sang, danced, dived and fiesta-ed their way through the Fijian waters leaving smiling faces and confusion in their wake. The unstoppable party animals kept the kava flowing and the NAI’A boys singing late into each night. The villagers at Somosomo had no idea what they were in for as our guests showed them a Mexican version of a meke. Without doubt, it was the liveliest village visit we have seen … and one the villagers are probably still talking about.

Oh yeah, and diving – never has NAI’A seen such a keen (albeit on Mexican time) group of divers … especially Maite and Frida who didn’t miss a single chance to blow bubbles. Five dives a day, with up to 16 night divers, all before a suitably late dinner – and what wonderful dives they were. Perfect March weather for the entire seven days, less than 5kts of wind, and total sunshine (with the sunburn to prove it), combined with mild currents, ‘millions’ of fish, and amazing underwater encounters. Even the cuttlefish couldn’t stop coming out to play with our amigos, and pity the poor octopus – a clear favourite who was intruded upon by 2 skiff loads of excitable muchachos.

As if the week wasn’t enough to wear us all out, the last night costume party finished the trip with a bang and saw Henry (our new cadet engineer) initiated into the crew – Fiji style.

Pink anemonefish Photo: Mafer Carrera.	Costume party
Hard corals and scale-fin anthias Photo: Guillermo Mendoza