In the Deep Blue Sea

I was joined in my refresher dive by David and Chrissa, a couple whose last dive had been two years ago. We donned wetsuits, connected regulators to air tanks, and made sure our equipment was in working order. Brian double checked everything and explained to us that we were going to take it slow. He showed us the route we would take on a little map. By this time, the boat anchored in a little inlet of Koh (Island) Racha Yai 19 kilometers/12 miles south of Phuket. I noted several other dive and tour boats scattered around Bungalow Bay before turning to the task at hand. I had never done a boat dive before. For all my Israeli dives, I had kitted up on the beach and walked out into the water. I wiggled into my fins, slipped by arms into my BCD and secured it, and watched carefully to see how the divers entered the water. Thumb around regulator, fingers on mask, just step right into the water.

It really was as easy at it looked. When we were all in the water, Brain gave us the okay to descend. Being underwater, breathing just as easily as on land was as awe inspiring as I remembered it. Snorkeling is just as good as diving for seeing much of underwater plant and animal life; it is cheaper and simpler, as well. However, it is quite amazing to actually be underwater, a part of the deep blue from which most humans are excluded. Compared to the rolling, splashing surface, even just slightly  underwater is surreal and calm. The sun glinting off the water suddenly becomes mellow and tranquilizing as it filters through the greenish depths. And perhaps most stunning is the quiet - no voices, no bird calls, even boat engines are muffled.

I took everything slowly. I descended slowly, holding my nose and blowing to "clear" my ears at frequent intervals. I looked around and just enjoyed being under the water. I breathed slowly and deeply. I took time experimenting with my BCD (buoyancy control device: an air chamber vest used to help a diver maintain a certain depth) to get the amount of air just right. Actually, it turned out that I still tended to float up with no air in my BCD and need extra weight. Fortunately, Brain had the extra weight to attach to me, and then I did just fine. Brain had each of us take off our masks, replace them, and do the proper maneuvers to clear the water from them. It is important to be able to do this in case a mask falls off. I had a bit of trouble remembering how to get all the water out; I kept getting water up my nose. I plugged my nose to keep the water out, taking deep breaths through my mouth and tried again. Finally, I got it figured out. I was glad that I had not panicked when breathed the water through my nose; I had been able to calmly think through what I needed to do and successfully complete the task. The other skill to practice before exploring was to toss away the regulator (breathing piece), regain it, and clear the water from it before replacing it in my mouth. The regulator remains attached to the air tank on my back the whole time, so it can't really be lost; a certain arm movement allows a diver to grasp it easily. It is important to remember how to do this and not panic if the regulator inadvertently slips out of one's mouth.

We then were able to swim around, practicing keeping at a certain depth, checking our air level, and gazing at the sea life. I quickly remembered how to breath out for an extended period of time if I wanted to descend. I could maintain my depth by breathing regularly and then take a deeper breath if I wanted to ascend a bit I seemed so natural to swim around slowly, using my breath and feet to direct myself. I continued to be somewhat clumsy, unable to change direction quickly or keep myself from bobbing into someone who swam too close to me. I started to keep my legs straighter and was able to improve somewhat.

When I climbed up the boat ladder, I was immediately very cold. I sprayed myself with warm water supplied on board, took off my wetsuit, and snuggled into the sweatshirt my dad had brought for me to use. I had not realized that I would be so cold and had not brought anything warm to Phuket, let alone on the ship. My sweatshirts have only been unpacked once since we arrived, for a night train ride to Laos last December. I was thankful that my dad was thoughtful enough to have brought an extra of his for me to use.

On the second dive, my dive group and my dad's dive group went together so we could be buddies. We dove at the same spot. A long train of us followed Divemaster Tanny with bunny ears on her hood and bright yellow fins. I enjoying being with my dad, and it was fun to finally have a chance to dive together. I know how to react to his over-protectiveness on land, but it was a little more difficult in the water. A few times, I just swam the other way so I could have a little space. (I love you, Daddy!) We were able to point things out to one another, sharing an experience without words.

We saw huge sponges wide mouths open like barrels, a giant clam opening and shutting its purplish shell in a beguiling manner. We swam among the long thin pipefish, golden striped butterfly fish, and bright-finned bannerfish. A cuttlefish shot through the group, tentacles waving, its way of moving efficient but rather comical. The bright colors of coral were splashed over rocks all along the floor. I'm pretty sure I spotted a porcupine fish freckled with black spots and tiny spines. A school of baracuda lazily drifted around us while red and blue spotted groupers. We spotted a couple of fierce looking scorpion fish skulking on the floor and swam in circles around to get a better look at an eel peering out if his hole. Sea fans waved over blue sea stars with foot long legs. Tiny bright blue and yellow nudibranchs (sea slugs) crept over rocks between sea anemones and urchins.

For the last dive, the boat circled around to another part of the island where an old boat had been sunk for a "wreck dive." My certification only allows me to dive to 18 meters/60 feet and in open water. The sea floor and wreck were deeper than this, so I contented myself with swimming over and around the top of the wreck. There were also some steel cubes near the wreck within my depth that I practiced swimming through. The sea life here was similar with more coral, nudibranchs, and even another eel. I noticed the now popular clown fish hiding in the tentacles of the anemones. I don't know the names nor can I even remember everything we saw. I focused on enjoying the experience instead of cataloging a list of creatures.

On the boat ride home, we chatted a bit. The sun warmed my legs, and I began to feel very sleepy. Most of the divers lay on mats on the upper deck or the padded benches below. I curled up on an available unpadded bench in the sun on the upper deck; next thing I knew it was time to go below to gather our stuff for departure as we entered the bay.

Arriving back at the dive shop, my dad and I headed straight for the beach to find out how the rest of the family had done. Everyone looked happy, wet, sandy, and not sunburned. It had been a great day for all of us!