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June 08, 2005
WE'RE GONNA NEED A BIGGER BOAT!!
After years of thinking that I liked them, from watching TV, but not actually knowing cos I'd never seen one in the flesh.......I can finally say that I love em! Love their black eyes, love their mythology, and love their power and reputation. Yesterday, I saw two White Tip Reef Sharks!!! In a cave!!! The feeling was amazing - all the movies and stories ran through my head, but I stayed still and watched these two things swim right in front of me, as I hung out about 6 feet inside the entrance of their cave, 32 feet below the surface of the ocean. One was about 3 and 1/2 feet long and one was about 5-6 feet long. I'm sure that a professional diver wouldn't think anything of it, but for me - I was certified yesterday (congrats Billy!!) - it was a huge rush. If all goes well, Jen will be certified today – I am on my way down to join her on her two dives right now. Its been a really fun experience doing this whole thing together.
What else – well……. Its been very relaxing, lots of nice meals (except last night, but we’ll get to that!!) and lots of diving. Just what the doctor ordered. Last night, we decided to leave the hotel and drive up the coast to find something to eat. So we pull in at some high class Mall and start wandering around. Jen spies this place in the corner and we go over to investigate. Now, call me stupid, but when a place has a black and white tiled floor, offers breakfast, lunch and dinner, and has a view of a building site, I might be tempted to give it a miss. But Jen insisted we try it, probably because I was so hungry that I had entered ‘The Grumpy Zone’!! Once in that place, you had better get me some food quick!!. So, always one to make the wife happy, we go inside. 20 mins later, and $100 lighter, we leave!! The place was called Longhi’s – do NOT eat there!!!
After the dinner debacle, we went back to our hotel (The Grand Wailea) and grabbed some coffee in the lobby bar, and sat under the stars (cos the lobby bar has an open ceiling) and listened to some really bad Hawaiian music. The bar employs a couple of dodgy looking locals, and one plays bass and the other plays guitar to a backing track.
An hour or so later we called it a night. By the way, this guy lives right outside our room. Not sure what he's doing but he seems very happy to be doing it!!
OK – what have we got from you guys? Let me see……
Matt – Actually we didn’t do any dives from Laguna. The four open water dives necessary for certification here have been shore dives. But we do have a couple of boat dives booked for later in the week.
Kim – Great idea!! I am down for the GTA in London thing!! Set it in South London and I’ll be the Rock FM DJ voice – YES!! Now everyone write to Rockstar Games, please!!
Jay – Correct. It was indeed Mr Cantrell’s voice on the Thin Lizzy track, Jailbreak. Billy Duffy supplied the lead guitar and Dave and I took care of all the other guitars.
Yes, you will hear me do a lead vocal on the Freddy album – a Clash song, to be precise. You will also hear me do the lead guitar solo through God Save The Queen – a personal highlight for me. And I handle a lot of the backing vocals on the record as well.
Willd – I have done a few sessions, but I don’t consider myself a ‘session cat’ …..I am just not that good!! But if I am asked, and it seems like a cool thing to do, I love doing it. Tommy’s album, the Robbie stuff I did with him a few years back in New York, Ashley Hamiltons song …..always fun to play on other peoples stuff.
Leon – I don’t take a guitar on vacation. I play one most days at home, so I wanna keep things non musical when I am away. But a few lyric ideas always spring to mind when I am relaxing.
Pony – My personal favourite in my guitar collection so far has to be my black Les Paul Standard. Its my first proper Les Paul (it’s a 1990 – 15 years old now!!) although the 72 Deluxe is a nice guitar as well. But I have kept that original – the black Standard has been morphed over the years into a special ‘personal’ guitar. Plus it plays like a dream!!
Cori – Its my first time in Hawaii – we are on Maui, and its beautiful. We already plan to return, to Dive the island of Lanai – there are amazing ‘lava cathedrals’ that you can swim through there. This time, though its just the island of Maui.
OK – time to go. Have a great day everyone and I’ll check back soon.
Peace
Billy
Posted by vivelerock at June 8, 2005 03:34 PM
Comments
Billy-Congrats on being certified! Sharks are pretty cool. However, that's the one thing that is always in the back of my mind when I am surfing. Glad you are having fun.......
Posted by: Brett at June 8, 2005 04:06 PM
I have a friend who works at the grand wailea, he's one of the cooks in one of the restaurants.
Posted by: tangerine at June 8, 2005 05:29 PM
yikes, all I can hear in the back of my mind is the music from jaws... I'm a certified wuzz. But glad to hear you enjoyed it. I love the pics...
Posted by: Wendybird at June 8, 2005 08:09 PM
Those are amazing pics!! Are you filming any of your underwater adventures or just taking still shots? It would be cool to see you actually swimming amongst the sharks and such. Be careful!! And have fun!!
~Bonita
Posted by: Bonita at June 8, 2005 08:18 PM
Cool pics Billy - sure looks like you're having fun in the last one lol!
Advice on swimming with sharks....
DON'T PEE IN THE WATER!
This is my theory on why sharks will swim by some legs & attack others...the ones attacked have peed in their wetsuits. You can test my theory if you like but I hope you just take my word for it:)
I just discovered this radio station on the www a couple of days ago & now I'm 'sharing mana‘o' with you! LG!
http://www.manaoradio.com/
Mahalo nui loa for taking time to share your world with us - you ROCK!
Posted by: laurie tuttle at June 8, 2005 11:21 PM
The pictures are lovely and it sounds like you're having a fun, relaxing time. Wendy I'm with you, when you mention shark the first thing that runs through my mind is Jaws and I actually hear *that* music. LOL
I'm back people, all moved into my new place. Very happy to have that chore done and all I lost was 1 box... now I have no cutlery so I need to go shopping. What a strange thing to lose. lol
Billy missed CFR saturday night but I finally heard Jailbreak and it is amazing. From that one track I know the rest of the album is going to be fantastic. Can't wait until it comes out.
I just noticed something. In this day and age, I still refer to albums instead of CD. Geez now I know I'm old. ;)
hugs,
tina
Posted by: tina at June 9, 2005 04:15 AM
Awesome pic of that shark, I'm surprised your hands weren't shaking...in a CAVE, you say? aaaaackk!!
I love the shirt you are wearing, but you look kinda serious, was that your 'hungry' look?
Have fun diving today, remember, pics of you both underwater,I picture you finding a fellow tourist whilst diving, and asking him to take a pic of you, haha
love
jezzi
Posted by: jezebel at June 9, 2005 07:58 AM
Very pretty - glad you're having a good time.
Congrats on your certification!
Posted by: Theresa at June 9, 2005 10:47 AM
ROFL...exactly how fast was your heart beating when those sharks swam by!?!?
The main reason I won't dive...scared to death I'm gonna see a shark and have a heart attack right then and there...or panic, come up too fast trying to get away and die from that! lol
Thanks so much for the neat pics and info...planning my first trip to Hawaii later this year and it is soooo hard to decide where to go!
Any plans to attend a luau??? Maybe get in a little hula lesson??? :D
Posted by: Cori at June 9, 2005 12:38 PM
Surely the little statue guy was saying "Look over there everyone it's Billy and his lovely wife" wasn't he?
Peace
RP
x
Posted by: RecklessPrincess at June 12, 2005 02:57 PM