Diego Garcia

It's hard to believe I'm at the end of my tour in Diego Garcia.  It's been a long time coming, 12 months give or take, but it hasn't been without some great times! As I leave here, I'm going to be taking with me a whole lot of great memories.  From my epic birthday party when I punched my buddy in the face (on purpose so I'm told, but I really don't remember it at all ... SO sorry Carlos) to the 8 a.m. wake up call that one Saturday morning (thank you for banging on my door in full snorkeling gear, boxed wine in hand and getting my day started right guys) ... these are the things I'll never forget, er, well except for punching Carlos evidently. 

Diego Garcia truly is the Navy's best kept secret. Sorry folks, this is one place you can only visit if you're on military orders. Ahhhh well, you win some you lose some.  If by some extraordinary means you are able to visit I highly recommend you stop by the Yacht Club.  It's 'a drinking club with a sailor problem' as you'll see when you get there.  It requires a membership which you can sign up for at the bar.  Trust me when I tell you it's worth it.  

You won't have a better time while you're here. If you do it's only because you stopped there first before roaming somewhere else.  The Yacht Club is the place to be if you enjoy kicking back with friendly people, old and young, and some cold ones ... beers not people that is.  This is not much more than a shack on the beach at the moment (renovations coming soon), but it's still the best place to hang out by far. The best part? Twenty bucks in the donation jar will buy you drinks all day (they only take donations for drinks). That's right! Alllllll day. So drink up! With that in mind ... don't be cheap!

Live music on Sundays with 7 Degrees South band and the occasional barbecue are just some more reasons to visit the Yacht Club.  And let me tell you ... the food you eat here is hands down going to be the BEST you'll probably experience anywhere on this remote island. There's nothing like Greg's curry.  Get your own! 

Roaming on ...  

Now, lets not forget how beautiful it is here! Slow down and take it all in, like Myrtle here. 

The sands are white like flour and the water is crystal blue.  There's plenty of ways to enjoy this tropical paradise. Snorkeling, paddle boarding, kayaking, wind surfing rigs, water skis and more are at your disposal so be sure to take advantage of these super cheap rentals. You can also rent bicycles and trek through the jungle via off-road trails or on the bike path that runs along the main road. Critters abound here as well. Watch out for the coconut crabs if you're driving!  They're endangered as well as the sea turtles that nest here on the beach. The donkeys are not endangered, but I don't recommend running into one with your vehicle if you have one.  What a mess that would be! I do advise watching your step when in donkey land. They leave HUGE deposits wherever they roam. Just sayin'. Don't forget to take the time to visit the Plantation, Shark's Cove and Turtle cove while you're here. Shark's cove in particular is quite breath taking.  My very good friend, who has been all over the world, says it's their most favorite place in the world. It is stunning and quite fun to visit.  And yes, there are sharks at Shark's Cove. Well that about covers it. It's time for me to be roaming on. Just a couple more things ... whatever you do here, DO NOT go skinny dipping in the Indian Ocean. It's terrible. ;)

and one last thing. This is very, very important and I can't stress it enough. Do not disturb the wildlife!