Boggle- USA bound!

[PurBee]

Have a fab time michen!
Germans are fab, their english is usually excellent, even multi-generationally. Never forget one night a german guy talking to us about einsteins theory of relativity in English….while drunk! I ‘dig’ germans, theyre versatile conversationally, im sure you’ll enjoy them and them you

 

[Michen]

Can confirm the Germans are wonderful and I lucked out being on this sailing as it's a shark school charter, they were kind enough to do their evening lecture in english (as everyone speaks good enough english they were ok with that). The guy who runs it realised fairly quickly how shark obsessed I am! https://www.sharkschool.org/about.html for anyone interested.

Bad news is we are stuck in port because of the weather but hopefully that'll clear soon.

No word from Bog so assume he's ok

 

[meesha]

Sounds like u hit the jackpot !! You deserve it. Hope the weather clears and they are well stocked with good food and booze.

Photos please

 

[Cavalier]

Sounds amazing. I studied in Germany for a year as part of my uni course and really enjoyed it. The people I met and friends I made were, and are, fantastic. I hope you get out of port soon

 

[airliner]

I met a German while he was on a work project in America and the rest is history…! We’re married and live in his hometown. So I can also confirm that Germans are great, but Bavarians are the best

So happy to see Bog’s progress thus far and I hope that you enjoy your time away as well as a change in scenery!

 

[ycbm]

Can confirm the Germans are wonderful and I lucked out being on this sailing as it's a shark school charter. .....

No word from Bog so assume he's ok

Bog asked me to tell you that he's been having a party with a really cute pig. She doesn't speak his language very well but they're making themselves understood with a bit of sign language. He's hopeful she might be "the one" but needs a bit more time to be sure.
.

 

[scats]

Enjoy your trip! You have such an exciting life. Mine is so dull in comparison

 

[Unicorn]

Can confirm the Germans are wonderful and I lucked out being on this sailing as it's a shark school charter, they were kind enough to do their evening lecture in english (as everyone speaks good enough english they were ok with that). The guy who runs it realised fairly quickly how shark obsessed I am! https://www.sharkschool.org/about.html for anyone interested.

Bad news is we are stuck in port because of the weather but hopefully that'll clear soon.

No word from Bog so assume he's ok

Wow! That sounds amazing and absolutely fascinating. As a non-diving shark fan, I can't wait to hear more!

Fingers crossed you're not stuck for long

 

[claracanter]

Have a great trip. I’m not saying that being Bog’s owner is stressful or anything but your idea of a relaxing holiday is diving with sharks

 

[Michen]

Well in the interest of honesty maybe a shark diving trip was not the best idea. I had an utter meltdown like I’ve never had in my life last night (thank you to the very kind person on here who talked me off the ledge- again).

Total claustrophobia on the boat, anxiety, I wanted nothing more than to get off it but didn’t want to cause a scene and it’s not like you can just call an Uber here!! Then the boat ended up leaving as the weather cleared enough so I was stuck. Horribly bumpy crossing and of course I’ve picked up some shitty cold.

Diving is all about breathing and being relaxed in the water to control your movements and that’s especially important when you have a bloody big tiger shark or great hammerhead milling around you or ten of them at once. I really struggled in Socorro when I went when Bog was last sick. Tough currents, very cold diving, not ideal. I am an experienced, good diver and I felt like a baby one. It’s amazing how your emotional state can affect it. And I jumped in the water today and honestly thought I was going to drown- couldn’t control my breathing or do anything rationally. I was under weighted too so had to dive down to descend which is never fun either especially when you have ruptured ear drums.

Anyway it was just a quick “check” dive but within 5 minutes a huge, huge great hammerhead came within a foot of my eyeline and looked right at me!! Then all was good

Now I’m back on the surface I’m still a weeping anxious wreck but hey with four dives a day that’s four hours every day for the next week that I don’t have to feel like this

It turns out your pony really can break you guys, I am gonna have to figure this shit out.

 

[expanding_horizon]

Well in the interest of honesty maybe a shark diving trip was not the best idea. I had an utter meltdown like I’ve never had in my life last night (thank you to the very kind person on here who talked me off the ledge- again).

Total claustrophobia on the boat, anxiety, I wanted nothing more than to get off it but didn’t want to cause a scene and it’s not like you can just call an Uber here!! Then the boat ended up leaving as the weather cleared enough so I was stuck. Horribly bumpy crossing and of course I’ve picked up some shitty cold.

Diving is all about breathing and being relaxed in the water to control your movements and that’s especially important when you have a bloody big tiger shark or great hammerhead milling around you or ten of them at once. I really struggled in Socorro when I went when Bog was last sick. Tough currents, very cold diving, not ideal. I am an experienced, good diver and I felt like a baby one. It’s amazing how your emotional state can affect it. And I jumped in the water today and honestly thought I was going to drown- couldn’t control my breathing or do anything rationally. I was under weighted too so had to dive down to descend which is never fun either especially when you have ruptured ear drums.

Anyway it was just a quick “check” dive but within 5 minutes a huge, huge great hammerhead came within a foot of my eyeline and looked right at me!! Then all was good

Now I’m back on the surface I’m still a weeping anxious wreck but hey with four dives a day that’s four hours every day for the next week that I don’t have to feel like this

It turns out your pony really can break you guys, I am gonna have to figure this shit out.

Hugs, sounds like the diving challenges will force you to sort yourself out. Hope tomorrow is easier. xxx

 

[meleeka]

And breathe! Take each step as it comes and be kind to yourself

 

[Cowpony]

Sounds like you REALLY need this holiday! Sorry you're having problems, but just imagine how bad it would have been if you hadn't gone on holiday, and had kept this bottled up even longer. It's part of your healing so just go with it and try to relax and enjoy the trip xx

 

[Cowpony]

Although I can't imagine having a hammerhead shark within a foot of me and finding it relaxing!

 

[expanding_horizon]

Although I can't imagine having a hammerhead shark within a foot of me and finding it relaxing!

But both Michen and Boggle are a different kind of special, and both adrenaline junkies! (Meant nicely, as I am loving sharing the journey in this thread, and admire both of you).

 

[Cowpony]

Er, yes, I'd sort of worked that out.......

 

[Ahrena]

I think being ‘forced’ to take part in an activity that’s so all consuming when you’re doing it is right what you need right now. Gives you a mental break.

The inbetween times may still be tough but I reckon you’ll feel better for it by the end. Chin up and you know where I am if you need a whinge

 

[Michen]

Thank you guys. Yes Boggle and I are a special kind of weird haha- it's why we get on so well! I just love diving more than riding an and skiing, tbh.

If I can sort my shodding diving out I'll take the gro pro and put some videos in here. The hammers are just amazing, so much bigger than the scalloped ones and they move FAST unlike the tigers (mostly pregnant females) which are must less jumpy. I didn't get much sharky action on this trip 2 years ago as it was too warm for them.

It's just a really, really fragile feeling on the edge of constant tears and it's weird and frustrating because what happened really isn't that bad- he is JUST a horse- he's alive and doing well. I have the BEST support system on both sides of the pond. The money sucks but it's not a disaster.

It's actually quite scary how I've got myself into this state but hopefully it'll pass and I'll feel more "normal" asap.

 

[meesha]

Give yourself a break, you have had to hold it together on your own for Boggle. All that holding it together and worrying and organising and overthinking, second guessing and financial trauma will have taken a massive toll on you. Allow yourself to feel like u r falling apart, cry, sleep ...do what u need to.... you will be all right !!

U r prob are a bit lost at min too .... without Boggle to watch and plan for and worry about ...... must feel like a big hole in your life .... get a friend to send you some video of Boggle enjoying himself ... u may not think u need to see it but bet it will help.

 

[misst]

He's not Just a horse he's YOUR horse. No horse is just a horse anyway . It's just you finding your emotional level and when you have been so up and down it takes a while. Go with the flow. Cry, laugh, drink (you're with Germans for heavens sake) and sleep. Enjoy the good bits and rant about the bad bits here. Have a rest and send us the videos x

 

[Bernster]

Silly qu maybe but is shark diving safe??! But yes at least it will force you to control your breathing and be in the moment even if you share that with a great big shark!

 

[Michen]

Silly qu maybe but is shark diving safe??! But yes at least it will force you to control your breathing and be in the moment even if you share that with a great big shark!

Yes, unless you do something really stupid. I have never heard of a diver randomly being attacked by a shark. Generally incidents are where people are on the surface and mistaken for something else.

I’ve never felt intimated by a shark under water though I am sure a great white would do it!

 

[CanteringCarrot]

We definitely need pics/video

 

[Michen]

Pics! For some reason from my gro pro the videos are saving to a folder that YouTube won’t pick up on. Need to figure it out tomorrow! This is “Luna”, one of the divers managed to get a hook out of her mouth today. She’s a juvenile great hammerhead.

 

[CanteringCarrot]

Ooh. She's cool. Such a weird lookin animal if you think about it...but a lot of fish are. To me, anyway

 

[Michen]

Haha yes! I just think they are incredible. So intelligent and majestic and so important to our ecosystem.

It kills me what we do to them, finning them alive and chucking them back in the water. Not a quick death and totally unnecessary. And don't get me started on the persecution of sharks through the media and stupid movies like Jaws.

Hammerheads are super sensitive and 90% will die from the stress of being caught even if they are released straight back into the ocean.

 

[CanteringCarrot]

F*cking humans. It's so disgusting and sad!

 

[PurBee]

I was holidaying in the Florida Quays years ago, and thought i’d have a wee paddle alone in the inviting warm waters just off land. So i grabbed a snorkel and mask too so i could plunge my head in and see what was in the water.
”Awww” i cooed, seeing this baby hammerhead shark swim towards me - it was so small, about 2 foot long and very slender. I was mesmerised by its movement.
Then it suddenly dawned on me ‘if that’s a baby, there’ll be a momma somewhere close-by…!’
I turned and swam as fast as i’ve ever done in my life for land!

I’ve no idea if hammerheads are vicious, but just the name ‘shark’ was enough of a hint not to take risks!

It must be amazing to dive deep - all documentaries of dive footage have me marvelling at the deep tranquil floaty worlds of the oceans. I can imagine how captivating and addictive it could become as a hobby.

Sorry to hear you’re going through the wringer emotionally. As others have said, youve been through a lot recently, turbulence in many ways is bound to come to the surface, after you having had to, the past few weeks, be in control throughout unpredictability of boggles health, make sensible decisions, stay ’afloat’ to keep level-headed to do the best for boggle. The real emotional reaction of all that you’ve just managed is likely wanting to be released, and places like the ocean tend to force it out of us. The ocean is vast enough to willingly absorb our woes
If you’re able to swim in a cossie, to allow your whole body skin to soak in the minerals of the ocean water, that could be grounding. I always find i sleep so soundly and deep after swimming in the ocean. It’s like a huge reviving balancing electrolyte bath x

 

[PurBee]

Haha yes! I just think they are incredible. So intelligent and majestic and so important to our ecosystem.

It kills me what we do to them, finning them alive and chucking them back in the water. Not a quick death and totally unnecessary. And don't get me started on the persecution of sharks through the media and stupid movies like Jaws.

Hammerheads are super sensitive and 90% will die from the stress of being caught even if they are released straight back into the ocean.

Gordon Ramsays documentary about the finning industry absolutely appalled and shocked me. How can they conceive of doing such a thing?
Money corrupts when it comes to many animal products, inducing barbaric practices towards so many of them.
I hope the ever growing global awareness eventually puts a stop to it.

 

[Michen]

Better photos colour corrected!