A while back we decided to build a dive resort! As part of this little endeavor we thought a swimming pool would be a great idea, after all a pool makes teaching open water students their confined water so much easier. So after a debate over how deep, how wide, what shape, what color and exactly where it should go, we came to a unanimous agreement that Tim would be in charge of the pool!
Strange thing about a pool when they start to dig it really does not look very big. We stood in the large crater
that admittedly would have been finished in a day if we had a large digger, instead we employed around 20 locals and gave them all very small shovels so it took about a week – anyway I digress – we stood in the large crater and the only thing I could think was its just not big enough! I mean think when we have 5 or 6 divemaster candidates in here practicing their skill circuits no way would they fit. So after another bout of how deep, how wide, what shape, what color etc etc it was decided that we should add an extra meter to the width and length!
Well that small adjustment added another few weeks of digging and lets not mention the price tag! but finally the hole was complete and it was time to pour the cement. For those of you who have ever built a swimming pool you will completely understand the need for copious amounts of red wine at this point! For those of you who have never built a pool this is crunch time! You have to pour the cement in one go, or it will not settle properly, it has to stay dry for a while so it will set. And then you have to leave it for nearly 2 weeks to cure properly before you do anything else!
We had 2 cement mixers and over 20 guys pouring bucket after bucket of cement and then yup you guessed it – after 2 weeks of perfect weather, good old Mother Nature decided it was time to water her garden! The heavens opened and what do you know it rained non stop for nearly a week! Fun!! Hence the need for even more red wine!
Finally the rain stopped and amazingly the pool survived. After a week of painting, varnishing, fixing up the lights, landscaping and emptying out all the rain water:) it was time to fill. We sat and watched for a whole day as the small pump, pumped up sea water and slowly filled the pool a lovely green color:( Yup salt water apparently is green when not treated! Time for ‘Pool Man’ (seriously someone needs to create a comic book character) The expert arrived and after a day or two of playing with chlorine, working out the kinks in the pump and teaching our very own ‘pool boy’ how to clean, we finally woke up to a beautiful blue swimming pool!
So now we just need to fill it with divers! Tim being the cleaver guy he is, designed the pool for divers. It has a surprisingly deep deep
end, which is perfect for practicing hovering, doing your fin pivots or just messing with each other during a divemaster stress test! We even have an underwater torpedo and Frisbee to throw around. The shallow end is – well not that shallow and this was done on purpose as it is perfect for teaching open water students their confined water skills. Now don’t get me wrong, the pool is not just for divers. We have a very cute kiddie pool that is nice and warm (not sure why), we even built a seat into the far wall of the deep end for those who just want to sit and chill in between swimming widths!
The pool is officially open so come on down and join us for a dip:)
