Perils of Scuba
Hello guys,
So... scuba diving. Laura and I enrolled on a four day certified course in coffs harbour. This consisted of intense boot camp style training in a swimming pool, endurance testing, medical examination and written exam (well multiple choice). It was hard work and once I was in the middle of it all I had my reservations as to whether clown fish were really worth seeing in their natural environment. Also there was Luce who, instead of diving and being cold, wet & exhausted, slept late and went out for extravagant breakfasts which she photographed to seduce us from our purpose.
We overcame all these obstacles and set out for our first dives none the less. On a boat. In the open ocean. Laura who is travel sick on every form of public and private transport was not ill at all. And I, who am never seasick, was desperately ill. Then we put all our extensive epuipment on which is constrictive and so heavy we were hanging on to the boat sides to keep upright! Finally we hurled ourselves into the big, wide sea!! It's cold and choppy. At this point I wanted to get out, what sort of idiots do this for fun?? I perservered however and decended to 8 metres below the surface. Visibility was about 3 metres because the weather had been bad. And then my mask began to fill with water. In getting the water out I managed to inhale water through my nose and proceeded to start choking under water- very unpleasant as you can all appreciate. The instructor grabbed my arms in case I should go shooting to the surface (thereby exploding my lungs and dying) and I sustained what Luce calls "domestic violence bruising" on my arms. Once I was breathing again and initial panic over I had a long sign-language arguement with the instructor who wanted me to continue. No power on earth would keep me down there and I finally found myself crawling onto and across the boat on my hands and knees since I was too water logged to stand. I spent the next 2 hours hanging over the side vomiting for England. Not my finest hour by a long way.
I intended that to be the end of scuba for ever. It was going to be one of those things you keep a wise and healthy distance from, like crocodiles, jelly fish, brussel sprouts etc.
Then I started feeling disappointed in myself- I don't usually panic or quit (feel free to disagree if you know better). Then Laura (modern sage) told me that "fear is the thief of dreams." And I realised that though the clown fish weren't worth it I did want to see them. So back I went.
I fortified myself against seasickness thus: 2 quells seasickness tablets, 2 herbal remedy tablets, 2 magnetic accupressure bracelets (new age mumbo-jumbo), and ginger (old wives tale).
Something worked as I wasn't ill untill the return journey! And I managed to do two 35min dives! Admittedly my instructor, Mike, held my hand almost the whole time ( calm down girls he's in his 50's) and I was terrified, but I did it! And it was worth it. I saw both nemos and dorries, 2 turtles and some bull rays, even a carpet shark! Plus other things I can't name.I don't imagine that I will ever like diving or even repeat it but I'm so pleased I did it.
So... scuba diving. Laura and I enrolled on a four day certified course in coffs harbour. This consisted of intense boot camp style training in a swimming pool, endurance testing, medical examination and written exam (well multiple choice). It was hard work and once I was in the middle of it all I had my reservations as to whether clown fish were really worth seeing in their natural environment. Also there was Luce who, instead of diving and being cold, wet & exhausted, slept late and went out for extravagant breakfasts which she photographed to seduce us from our purpose.
We overcame all these obstacles and set out for our first dives none the less. On a boat. In the open ocean. Laura who is travel sick on every form of public and private transport was not ill at all. And I, who am never seasick, was desperately ill. Then we put all our extensive epuipment on which is constrictive and so heavy we were hanging on to the boat sides to keep upright! Finally we hurled ourselves into the big, wide sea!! It's cold and choppy. At this point I wanted to get out, what sort of idiots do this for fun?? I perservered however and decended to 8 metres below the surface. Visibility was about 3 metres because the weather had been bad. And then my mask began to fill with water. In getting the water out I managed to inhale water through my nose and proceeded to start choking under water- very unpleasant as you can all appreciate. The instructor grabbed my arms in case I should go shooting to the surface (thereby exploding my lungs and dying) and I sustained what Luce calls "domestic violence bruising" on my arms. Once I was breathing again and initial panic over I had a long sign-language arguement with the instructor who wanted me to continue. No power on earth would keep me down there and I finally found myself crawling onto and across the boat on my hands and knees since I was too water logged to stand. I spent the next 2 hours hanging over the side vomiting for England. Not my finest hour by a long way.
I intended that to be the end of scuba for ever. It was going to be one of those things you keep a wise and healthy distance from, like crocodiles, jelly fish, brussel sprouts etc.
Then I started feeling disappointed in myself- I don't usually panic or quit (feel free to disagree if you know better). Then Laura (modern sage) told me that "fear is the thief of dreams." And I realised that though the clown fish weren't worth it I did want to see them. So back I went.
I fortified myself against seasickness thus: 2 quells seasickness tablets, 2 herbal remedy tablets, 2 magnetic accupressure bracelets (new age mumbo-jumbo), and ginger (old wives tale).
Something worked as I wasn't ill untill the return journey! And I managed to do two 35min dives! Admittedly my instructor, Mike, held my hand almost the whole time ( calm down girls he's in his 50's) and I was terrified, but I did it! And it was worth it. I saw both nemos and dorries, 2 turtles and some bull rays, even a carpet shark! Plus other things I can't name.I don't imagine that I will ever like diving or even repeat it but I'm so pleased I did it.
posted by Bex @ 1:37 PM
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