During my time in Monterey, I had the opportunity to dive multiple times a day for many days in a row. Unfortunately, we could not dive from the beach due to a sea lion takeover (as pictured above); however, we ended up having wonderful boat dives. The extensive time in the water allowed me a lot more practice with my camera and Backscatter generously allowed me to try out a bunch of new stuff including their new hybrid flashes, and a macro set up. I got to practice macro, wide angle, play with sea lions, and dive through kelp! It was very helpful to be able to get time and comfort in the water to practice. Above water I got to hang out with the incredible people that work at Backscatter and did a bit of whale watching thanks to our wonderful Captain Phil! Phil was an amazing asset to my dives, keeping us safe, telling us where to go, and he even gifted me his grandmother’s sterling silver grapefruit spoon. (I have found that using a small spoon to take off my Kubi dry gloves is the most effective way for me to do it on my own.) When Phil saw this, he promised me he had the perfect tool: a grapefruit spoon which has small flat edges — perfect for prying. I will forever cherish my dives and learning in Monterey and the amazing people that welcomed me with open arms and will continue to polish my dry suit grapefruit spoon thinking of Phil and Backscatter every time. Thank you so much to Becca for organizing my time there amidst the chaos of the competition week and getting me set up with some awesome opportunities! I learned a lot about underwater photography and videography, how the shop runs, and about the underwater life of Monterey.
