Bali- "are you for scuba?"

let's just say, as a general rule that no, i am not for scuba.

first, i don't love the ocean (gasp!). don't get me wrong, i don't hate it. it's just that, well, we've only recently become friends. and i'm really a fair-weather friend. as in, if the weather is fair, i'll go in. but i still don't like it if i can't see the bottom or touch. and if i can't do either, i'm done for. panic mode sets in, lungs start to seize up and i freak out a little bit. pathetic, i know. i'm working on it.

second, the idea of sucking myself into a wet suit which makes me look like a seal (a delicious seal!), with fins the cry out "look at me, i'm a fish" and a big tank of air that's probably the shark equivalent of heroin, well that seems downright stupid. and terrifying. terrifyingly stupid.

third, snorkeling generally appeases my sense of ocean adventure in that i can see the fish, but i'm floating leisurely on top of the water, boat in sight.

so, it was just as much a surprise to me when i decided that in fact, i would discover diving! yes, i said it. i discovered diving. john was shocked as well when i said "you know, i think i might do the discover diving course" over dinner one night. he may have choked, i don't remember. i think i may have been delirious at the time. but before i could say "uhm, actually i'm kidding", i was signed up for the discover diving course. john, well onto becoming a seasoned diver himself, was pretty excited at the idea. i still wasn't sure.

if things had started out any worse, i probably would've said forget it: my alarm didn't go off, i woke up all of 2 mins before i had to meet my instructor and my group, i'd not eaten a thing and my ear was seriously blocked and sore from snorkeling the day before, which concerned me because of the whole ears/pressure thing when you dive.

my instructor was a really nice guy from north dakota, of all places. he'd been teaching scuba for well over 3 years and had a ridiculous number of dives under his belt (pardon the pun). there were 2 others on the course with me, but they were doing the full open water course and i was just a tag along on day one. the course started in a classroom, filling out paperwork ("uhm, i was/am asthmatic. does this pose a problem?" "well, how do you feel with your lungs?" "ok. no puffer for years" "ahhh, you should be fine. just initial this for me") and then watching the most amazing video (why isn't there a sarcasm font?) showing us the techniques we'd have to master in the pool before heading out...to the ocean!

the first hour or so of the course was in the pool, all kitted up in my wetsuit, fins, mask, tank, BCD (buoyancy control device, for those not in the know) and most importantly, the regulator (ie, breathing device). we practiced breathing underwater, removing our mouthpiece, clearing it, clearing our mask, staying buoyant, equalizing (popping our ears) and finally swimming around with all of our gear. i impressed myself with my ability to perform all the tasks at hand, but this was still in the pool. the ocean was still looming.

after a quick break, we packed up our gear and headed to the house reef, which john and i had snorkeled around the prior evening. as we prepared to flip off the boat, i thought "i must be nuts". too late. far too late.

and then it happened. i was underwater, in full diving gear, making my way down to the ocean floor. we started about 4m down and worked our way to 9.4m over the course of the 50 minute dive. we swam around reefs and saw many a new fish and sea life. it was relatively enjoyable until i realized how bloody cold i'd become. i was just about to signal that i needed to get out of the water when my tank decided to help my cause... it was getting empty and i could no longer keep buoyant in the water and slowly drifted to the surface. oops!

but no matter, i'd done it! i conquered the ocean. well, ok. a big statement but you know, it's a big deal for me. i did something i never (ever) thought i'd do and i had fun doing it. will i continue to pursue a life of diving? probably not. might i do the open water course? maybe, just so i can have the option to dive again if i ever wanted it. will you catch me doing a night dive or a cave dive? i highly doubt it. but then again, i never thought i'd get this far.

xo