The day after we arrived at Phuket, my dad had planned a trip for he and I to go scuba diving with Scuba Cat Dive Center. My dad is an avid diver, diving almost every weekend in the cold, murky waters around the jetties of Yaquina Bay on the Oregon Coast. He enjoys just getting in the water, but he also observes the marine life in their natural habitat, spear fishes for lingcod, and grabs Dungeness crabs for supper. For Philip and my first anniversary, he gave us the gift of scuba diving open water certification. We stayed in a guest house in Eilat, Israel on the Red Sea for two weeks, learning to dive in the warm water filled with beautiful sea creatures. The Red Sea happens to be the most northern location where coral grows, so we enjoyed seeing that as well. Since those initial days of diving, I had not been diving again. When my parents came to visit us, Philip and Daddy went diving together; Mom and I had a great time snorkeling with little baby in my belly. On every possible diving occasion thereafter I was either pregnant or had a young, nursing baby.
When scheduling vacation plans for my parents' trip to Thailand this time, I realized that Simeon would be 16 months old, and I would not be pregnant. I told my dad that I could finally go diving with him. We made sure that all involved knew that I had not been diving since my initial course eight-and-a-half years ago. A dive instructor was scheduled to provide me with a refresher dive and help me remember how to assemble and check my equipment. A lady from the shop gave me a little quiz to go over, encouraging me to not go beyond my comfort level. The questions on the quiz were basic and seemed mostly "common sense," so I was enheartened a bit. It had been a tiring day, but it was difficult to fall asleep; I was nervous about diving and leaving Simeon for so long, and also excited to explore underwater again.
When I awoke, I was still nervous and excited. I tried to keep Simeon asleep, but he is too used to having me next to him. I knew that he would be fine playing on the beach with Daddy, his sisters, and Grandma, but it was still a bit hard to leave him. I kissed Philip and the girls, then slipped out the door. My dad and I rode with my English instructor Brian, Ken from Rhode Island, and a few other divers in a song-thaew to the docks. The Island of Phuket has many beautiful buttes and small mountains. The flat areas are crowded with hotels, shopping centers, and tourist attractions. Many of the winding roads are busy but every so often we would take a smaller one and I would catch a brief glimpse of an unspoiled patch of island.
Once on the boat, we had a chance to eat a bit of breakfast. We were briefed about the boat: where to find water, the bathroom, etc. We were all offered some "sea sick pills." I generally to not get sea sick and do not like the side effect of drowsiness, so had already refused the offer to take one of my dad's. As we sailed out of the bay, I gazed out at the sparkling Andaman Sea. Small craggy white limestone island rose out of turquoise water. Swells began to rock the boat. I love the ocean, but to me, "beach and ocean" means the cliff lined, soft sanded beaches of the Oregon Pacific Coast with rough breakers crashing onto the shore and a cold wind whipping salt spray in my face. Here I could barely catch the salty scent that heralded so many memories, no gulls mewed, and the breeze was soft. On top of my nervous excitement, I began to get homesick.
Seasickness, like many physical ailments, has a strong psychological component. Fatigue, anxiety compounded with homesickness started to get to me. I calmed my mind, prayed, took deep breaths, and tried to relax. I knew that I was going to enjoy the dive and everything would be fine, but I somehow could not translate that into a relaxed body. My hands cramped and my stomach churned. I realized that I should swallow my pride and some anti-nausea medication. My dad had noticed my disquietude and pale face, so he was not surprised when I asked for half a tablet. I stretched my hands and took some more deep breaths. With one of the breaths, I got a whiff of clear, cool, salt air that was reminiscent of "home" which broke the cycle of apprehension. I immediately began to feel better and was ready a moment later when it was time for my dive briefing.
Look for "In the Deep Blue Sea" coming soon!
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