Another early day in the classroom, with more exciting videos. Then it was back in to the pool. It turns out that three English guys, including my buddy, dropped out, so today my buddy was the instructor. We learned to do the giant step entry, then it was straight to the bottom. I used the rope this time, and eventually made it all the way down. We did a drill where the instructor shut off our air, so we had to signal our buddy to give us his alternate regulator, switch them, head to the surface together, then manually inflate our BCD. We also learned how to take off and put back on our BCDs, both while floating and while sitting on the bottom. Then we swam across the pool with our masks off, put them back on underwater, and cleared the. Finally we practiced hovering. This was tricky, and I usually ended up shooting to the surface. That afternoon it was more theory, then they took us to the shop and tried to sell us masks and snorkels. I must admit it was tempting, but even though I hope to go again, I don't want to carry more stuff around. Plus I want to be sure I'm OK in the ocean. At night I went to "Reef Teach," a talk on the wildlife I will be seeing. I'm a bit worried, though, because I can't hear out of my left ear.