Dive Tests at Sunset

Today we got up and ate another great breakfast, then headed to the front desk to ask our buddy, Pierre, if it was worth the time given up on Bora Bora to head over to Papeetee earlier so we can try to catch some of the Billabong International Surf Competition. Pierre told us that the atmosphere was awesome and that we should definitely go check it out. He said that we would have to rent a car then drive about 45 minutes to the other side of the island. From there, we would take a water taxi over to the reef and that is where everyone hangs out all day and waits for the surfers to surf. Sounded great to us, so we changed our plane tickets from leaving Bora Bora at 5pm to leaving at 8:15am – early, but we think it will be a great time to experience, though we are taking a chance because if the waves are small, there will be no surfing. Next, we headed to our room to relax on the deck of the bungalow as Jen prepared for her dive at 2pm.

At 2pm, the dive boat arrived to pick us up and we were off. This was supposed to be for Jen’s final instructional dive to receive her Open Water certification. Once we were out in the water, the dive instructor began talking to Jen and told her that she was not going to receive the Open Water certification since she still had to take several tests and a final exam that would take several hours. Jen was not having that after spending so much time on our honeymoon studying for this certification. After much going back and forth and the instructors speaking French fast and furious, Jen got a different dive instructor who said that if Jen agreed to take the tests for chapters 4 and 5 (10 questions each) and a 50 question final exam, she would be certified after two more open water dives tomorrow (which TJ could also participate in). (As an aside, the instructor said this seldom happened because no one wants to study and take tests while they are on vacation – imagine that). Anyway, the instructional dive was quick and painless and Jen passed as flying colors as TJ sat on the boat taking pictures – especially of Jen’s first attempt at a backward fall entry into the water off the side of the boat. Jen saw a few cool fish but they only stayed in the water long enough for the exercises, so nothing too exciting.

Tonight was our only night that we scheduled time to see a sunset on Bora Bora. Since the sun set on the other side of Bora Bora opposite of the motu our hotel was on, it was more difficult to catch an actual sunseting into the water than it was in Moorea. As Jen was taking her various exams, TJ was assisting by drinking many cocktails at happy hour. As it became obvious that Jen would not finish reviewing her test with the instructor before sunset, her instructor suggested that she come with us to the beach (not far from the hotel we were at) for the sunset.

So TJ, Jen and the dive instructor head to the beach for a romantic sunset and some instructional dive theory. (by the way, Jen passed with an 82 on the test!) it was actually helpful to have the instructor there so she could take some pictures of us at the sunset. After the sunset and Jen finished reviewing her test, the instructor left and Jen and TJ enjoyed the rest of the bottle of wine at the beach. We then walked a few blocks down the beach to have dinner at Café Matira Beach for dinner, which was delicious! Jen had John Dorry filet (no TJ, it is not a steak) and TJ had lobster risotto. We also split the lemon souflee topped with raspberry which was delicious! We then headed back to the hotel for a good night sleep since our dives started at 8am tomorrow morning!