Mission Journal 10-Dominic Hove: Mission Day 2: Tuesday, Dec 7, 2004

Outside the view port, our mission continues with cleaning and photographing the Aquarius habitat. With a total of five excursions to a maximum depth of 70 fsw, it is still hard to grasp the thought that we are living down here and do not have to decompress after each dive. The first three dives consisted of an average excursion time of three hours. The next two dives were night dives of 60 minutes each, a limit we set to obtain a 12 hour clean time so that we can dive again tomorrow. I had the opportunity to dive with LCDR David Ince of the Royal Navy. As we started our night dive we came upon a Stingray that was 5 to 6 feet wide. We took pictures and watched him feeding off the bottom. As we continued our dive we moved aft of the habitat as far as our umbilical would take us. Then we moved along the reef taking pictures and making our way around the portside of Aquarius to the forward section of the habitat. As I looked out into the darkness with only the beam of my dive light, I saw what I would consider a large Reef Shark. Fortunately, he decided not to get close enough for me to take his picture, and I was okay with that. Before we knew it, it was time to return to the habitat and cleanup for the night.

As we sit around the Aquarius at night taking turns calling loved ones, I feel most of us are living in a dream while we try and to convey to them what we are feeling. Again, I am overwhelmed with the majesty of Gods creation. I am truly blessed to have the opportunity to live underwater and enjoy some of the beauties of this world that others will only see in a magazine or on television.