Location: Christmas Island
Just kidding, no fire on Argo today, but that was unknown to the crew and me as we woke up to the sounds of fire alarms. As we rushed from our early morning stupor to muster in the cockpit, we realized that the fire alarms had been set off as a result of our chef team making bacon and pancakes, not fire on board. After this jump start, we were ready to start the day those of us who went on land yesterday dove today, and visa versa. Christmas Island is continuing to treat us all well.
Those of us who dove got to experience the crystal clear waters in Flying Fish Cove as we continued to work on our certifications. We were treated to incredibly colorful reefs teeming with life. We saw turtles, octopuses, and sharks, as well as a huge variety of fish, each more vivid than the last. Divers are working on their Advanced Open Water certification dove down to 100 feet, where some got to experience the effects of nitrogen narcosis for their first dive before venturing out without instructors on our navigation dive. Those working on their Rescue Diver certification had a blast taking turns simulating someone panicking while others worked on saving them. At lunchtime, we were treated to another fire alarm while the chefs prepared a delicious feast of veggie burgers on white bread with Ceasar salad. After all our dives, we had some time to relax and do homework before a dinner of fried rice with chicken.
Those that went on land also had a busy day. Lisa, the tour guide, took us all over the island while she explained a lot about the island’s history and culture. We learned that the island’s main source of income is a phosphate mine that has been active for over a hundred years but will soon close for three months because the A-grade phosphate is running out and is not guaranteed to reopen. We ALSO learned about a now-abandoned resort and casino that was supposed to be the future of Christmas Island’s economy but unfortunately had to close in the late ’80s after the Asian stock market crash severely reduced the number of potential guests. This has put a strain on the island’s economy and really helped put our short visit in perspective. We also got to visit a beautiful temple overlooking the water while learning about the various cultural groups on the island, which is a very eclectic mix of Chinese, Malaysian, and Australian cultures.