Getting High Under the Ocean (Ja Mon, Jah Rules the Deep)

It's Independence Day in Panamá, and there are flags festooning the streets of Bocas del Toro. It's a curious independence as mentioned in the paper today, because it was dependent on U.S. naval intervention (and the subsequent annexation, "lease" of the canal zone), although there were separatist movements in Panamá dating back 1830. There was a parade earlier with marching bands, and tonight should be interesting, although it's been raining, why I'm trying to stay dry by writing. No fireworks that I've seen yet, just noisemakers for sale, so I'm not sure if that's part of the fiesta.

So, back to the dives, since that's literally all I've done this week besides eat at good restaurants and watch cable. It's taken until today that I've started to do that feeling-relaxed vacation thing.

As part of the Advanced Open Water certification, my first dive was the deep dive, to 29.4 meters, or approximately 96 feet. I scarcely remember the fauna we saw, but part of the dive was an experiment that closely relates to the topic of my "I watch too much teevee."

The dive instructor E. wrote on a slate a multiple-digit multiplication problem and an addition problem, which I was to attempt at that depth. I got the multiplication problem wrong, the addition right, and beat E. at best-of-two tic-tac-toe.

Where I started to notice the effects of nitrogen narcosis, was when E. wrote "Escriba su dirección al reves." I found that hilariously funny for no reason, laughing through my regulator, and proceeded to write the mirror image letters for my address. Yep, folks, I was high on nitro gas.