License to Dive
Now i've always been a fan of diving but have never before attempted the true form of the sport and instead been much more inclined to keep it to the bedroom. However with a little bit of persuasion from my buddy and a small proportion of machismo kicking in I decided to enrol myself on the 4 day Open Water Dive course and it wasn't too long before I was beginning to ponder the consequences of this brave/ridiculous decision.
Day one was theory based and involved watching the kinds of videos anyone who has ever been subjected to a health and safety course has had the misfortune of witnessing. Add to this a kind of real world version of Jaws all being narrated by an overly enthusiastic Steve Irwin lookalike and you can forgive me for not being overly excited about my forthcoming 3 days.
Aftr little sleep day 2 had yet more video and tests and then it was out to shallow water for the afternoon to familiarise ourselves with the gear and a few 'basic' techniques. Basic was the word used but I soon realised that it was me who was defining this term as opposed to the techniques as immediately upon submerging myself in the water I began coughing and spluttering like an 80 year old asthmatic in a students dormitory. Forunately for me the instructor showed some great patience and day two passed eventually with me able to breathe at the very least underwater.
The fact that my 21 year old female buddy was taking to this like a veritable mermaid did not leave me best pleased and the impending knowledge that day 3 was to hold the first 2 of our 4 dives was leaving the snippet twitching at a rapid rate of knots. Sleep yet again was deserting me although this could be due to the lack of beer (not good form to drink before diving) yet I fear it was 99% down to the fact that I hadn't been this scared since Michael Sumner had threatened to smash my block in at Junior school (for note he is currently serving life for murder so my fear there was purely justified!)
However something remarkable happened on day 3 of this adventure and as soon as we had descended for our first dive the whole experience just seemed to feel completely natural. I would even go so far as to say I bloody well enjoyed it and after a picturesque tour of the aquatic underworld I was left thirsty for more. Dive 2 did not disappoint either even when I got within 2 feet of a blue spotted stingray only slightly smaller than the one that brought our antipodean animal annoyer to his untimely death.
Today was the final day and 2 more dives were on the menu but this time we were going deeper, 18 metres in fact. Again it came as a pleasant surprise that the whole experience was thoroughly enjoyable and the sights of the underwater world were totally breathtaking (well actually not breath taking as I would not be here now if I'd failed to breathe) but you know what I mean. No sharks viewed unfortunately but shedloads of other marine life and I actually feel chuffed as a puff with two arseholes (as Coddy would delightfully put it) at my past 4 days experience and achievements. Thanks must go to my buddy Emily who not only stayed super cool throughout but also looked very appealing in and out of a wetsuit and also to the Big Bubble dive team legends. However, before I get the oscar speech out I think i'm running low on air so i'll love you and leave you in the knowledge that I am still alive and I dived under water almost as well as I do under the covers!
Now i've always been a fan of diving but have never before attempted the true form of the sport and instead been much more inclined to keep it to the bedroom. However with a little bit of persuasion from my buddy and a small proportion of machismo kicking in I decided to enrol myself on the 4 day Open Water Dive course and it wasn't too long before I was beginning to ponder the consequences of this brave/ridiculous decision.
Day one was theory based and involved watching the kinds of videos anyone who has ever been subjected to a health and safety course has had the misfortune of witnessing. Add to this a kind of real world version of Jaws all being narrated by an overly enthusiastic Steve Irwin lookalike and you can forgive me for not being overly excited about my forthcoming 3 days.
Aftr little sleep day 2 had yet more video and tests and then it was out to shallow water for the afternoon to familiarise ourselves with the gear and a few 'basic' techniques. Basic was the word used but I soon realised that it was me who was defining this term as opposed to the techniques as immediately upon submerging myself in the water I began coughing and spluttering like an 80 year old asthmatic in a students dormitory. Forunately for me the instructor showed some great patience and day two passed eventually with me able to breathe at the very least underwater.
The fact that my 21 year old female buddy was taking to this like a veritable mermaid did not leave me best pleased and the impending knowledge that day 3 was to hold the first 2 of our 4 dives was leaving the snippet twitching at a rapid rate of knots. Sleep yet again was deserting me although this could be due to the lack of beer (not good form to drink before diving) yet I fear it was 99% down to the fact that I hadn't been this scared since Michael Sumner had threatened to smash my block in at Junior school (for note he is currently serving life for murder so my fear there was purely justified!)
However something remarkable happened on day 3 of this adventure and as soon as we had descended for our first dive the whole experience just seemed to feel completely natural. I would even go so far as to say I bloody well enjoyed it and after a picturesque tour of the aquatic underworld I was left thirsty for more. Dive 2 did not disappoint either even when I got within 2 feet of a blue spotted stingray only slightly smaller than the one that brought our antipodean animal annoyer to his untimely death.
Today was the final day and 2 more dives were on the menu but this time we were going deeper, 18 metres in fact. Again it came as a pleasant surprise that the whole experience was thoroughly enjoyable and the sights of the underwater world were totally breathtaking (well actually not breath taking as I would not be here now if I'd failed to breathe) but you know what I mean. No sharks viewed unfortunately but shedloads of other marine life and I actually feel chuffed as a puff with two arseholes (as Coddy would delightfully put it) at my past 4 days experience and achievements. Thanks must go to my buddy Emily who not only stayed super cool throughout but also looked very appealing in and out of a wetsuit and also to the Big Bubble dive team legends. However, before I get the oscar speech out I think i'm running low on air so i'll love you and leave you in the knowledge that I am still alive and I dived under water almost as well as I do under the covers!
posted by Freely at 3:47 AM
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