The M/V Shear Water is a nice little boat. We had fourteen people on board, including a crew of four (Jim, Anna, Mike, and Steve). Six of us slept in bunks at the bow of the boat, and the couples were given private rooms. Like other trips I've been on, we took over one dining table (and the cushioned seats on either side of it) for camera equipment, and powerstrips and miscellaneous battery chargers were all over the place.

The crew were wonderful. I've never experienced such hospitality, or had such an extreme sense that people are doing something they love very much.

Anna and flying fish (photo: Jim Watt)

Captain Mike Walker (photo: Jim Watt)

Sany Hinds (photo: Jim Watt)

John Kruine and Sandy Hinds (photo: Jim Watt)

Jim Abernethy (photo: Jim Watt)

Andy Sallmon (photo: Jim Watt)

Ronda Allen (photo: Jim Watt)

Mike Walker with Steve Droggin's Mystery Shark Oil (photo: Jim Watt)

Mike Walker (photo: Jim Watt)

Jim Watt - self portrait (photo: Jim Watt)

Anna, shark wrangling

Eric Cheng's head (photo: Jim Watt)

A funnel cloud forms nearby

Eric Cheng's Kona Aggressor II devil hood (photo: Jim Watt)

Eric Cheng, jumping off of the top of the boat (photo: Jim Watt)

Eric Cheng, jumping off of the top of the boat (photo: Jim Watt)

M/W Shear Water (photo: Jim Watt)

Bait ball

Tina and Jim

Checking out the bait with Todd and Jimmy

They actually dropped one while we were there

Dave Fleetham and Andy Sallmon, at Mondo's

Boarding the M/V Shear Water

John, in his bunk

Steve, in the kitchen

Leaving customs

Anna, with flying fish

Jimmy, with his video housing

Jimmy baiting Watt's BCD

Sandy and Murni arrive via water taxi!

Jim Abernethy, Jim Watt, Anna Abernethy

John, Me, and apple pie

Getting ready to get in the water with dolphins

Spot the Canadian!

Andy Sallmon's wake-up call

The Shear Water!

Mike Walker, Anna Abernethy, Jim Watt

Sandy and Murni Hinds

Dave Fleetham at his computer

Andy Sallmon

John Kruine, the BAD BAD MAN

V-Berth

Anna, Murni, and Ronda

John, with his housing

Cook Steve Silliker (in scuba gear), and Captain Mike Walker

Sally, and Jim's backside

John Kruine = BAD BAD MAN

Andy Sallmon

Mike's classic look

Me, close

Eric Cheng

Andy Sallmon

Anna, suited up

Me, in my gear

Andy Sallmon, falling into the water

Steve, with turkey

John Kruine and Ronda Allen (photo: Todd Mintz)

Eric's morning hair (photo: Todd Mintz)

Jimmy and Mike, with Watt's BCD (again)

2 Barracuda BCD

Todd Mintz, reeling in a fish

Eric Cheng and Jim Abernethy

Ronda Allen and Andy Sallmon

Me, reeling in a great barracuda (photo: Todd Mintz)

Getting blood splashed onto me (photo: Todd Mintz)

Dave Fleetham and Jim Watt, sleeping

John Kruine, at back of Shear Water (photo: Todd Mintz)

Watt, reeling in a great barracuda

Andy, Jim, Dave, Jimmy, Mike, and Eric (photo: Todd Mintz)

Eric Cheng, Sandy Hinds, Anna Abernethy

Jim Watt, after hammerhead encounter

Mike Walker, going through passports

Jim Watt, packing up

Dave Fleetham and Todd Mintz

Jim Watt, working on slideshow

John Kruine and Sandy Hinds, packing

Group photo on bow of Shear Water

Out at Mondo's: Eric Cheng, Anna and Jim Abernethy, Andy Sallmon, Todd Mintz, Mike Walker

Mike Walker and Eric Cheng

View of Shear Water from flying boat

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