Before the trip began for me, I fussed and worried and gnawed my
fingernails.  Would the others make fun of my old stroke gear?  What should
I take for clothes?  How hot would it be, how cold would it be?  Why didn't
I stop gaining weight this year?  If only I were younger.  All these other
rec.scubans will be diving much larger tanks, will I be embarrassed and have
to take much shorter dives?

As ever, as soon as I was on the dive boat, all of those issues floated away
on the current.  And though there may have been some snickering behind my
back about my gear, only one dear friend actually said anything aloud and
that was to make fun of my fins.  I don't care one wit though, because I
love my Volos.  :^)

In the end, I found that I brought too many clothes as usual, princess that
I am.   I found that it was awfully hot down there for a northern gal like
me.  I still wished I'd lost weight this year instead of gaining another 5
pounds while down there.  But very best of all those things I fretted over,
I breathed right along with everyone, even those diving on those bejeezus
big tanks.

Tuesday evening, Greg and I had a cocktail while we awaited the arrival of
Rick Simms, Limey Dave and his lovely Ms. T.   Great bear hugs all around
and we were off.  It was as if we had known each other forever and were
picking up where we had last left off.  There were laughs a plenty and then
some.

The following morning Greg and I drove up to Pompano to hook up with the
gang on the boat that Limey had set up for us.  As we tried to decipher the
map Dave had drawn on a napkin, we bickered a bit like an old married couple
.  The evening before, I'd strongly suggested that Dave to give me the
directions, but of course, he believed that it was better to share that info
with the man . . . 'nuff said. (wg)

In any event, we managed not to drive an old man off the road as we turned
around for the second time, even though he gave us the finger (or was it a
honk?).

After getting onto the right road and one wrong parking lot later, we found
the boat . . . a very, very nice boat too.  And then we met all our new
'old' friends.  I spied Lee Bell first.  I don't know how I knew it was him
but I just did, so I gave him a huge squeeze.  Then I was introduced to Jim
L., Robin and Capt. Bill, and Dave's friend Les.

It was an awesome day on the water and such a beautiful boat too.  We dove
the wreck Capt. Dan and then did a reef whose name is very appropriate for
many here.

After the diving, we headed over to the Sands for Rum Runners and some
lunch.  More laughter and for me, the odds were great.  5 guys and me.
Gotta love it.

The intention was to return to the hotel and have a nap before dinner that
night, but for some reason, the beach called.  And the Yankee Clipper hotel
just happens to have this wonderful little beach bar, with the perhaps the
best view of the beach in all of Ft. L.  They also serve pretty good Rum
Runners and so Greg and I solved some more world problems (after all, we
were on vacation) before getting ready for dinner with Dave, T, Rick and
Mike Gray.

Part 2 to follow