Scuba

Did you know that you can go scuba diving without having to go through lessons? Yes, you can! I didn't know you can go on these introductory dives. It's a shallow water dive (around 50 feet) and you are accompanied by a fully trained diver. Its a great way for people like me to experience diving without having to get a diving license.

After signing the necessary forms, Caroline and I were given a brief lesson on the scuba equipment and how to use them. It was strange at first, breathing air from the tank, but it became more natural as we took in more breaths. Once the diving instructors were confident that we were familiar with the equipment and the hand signals, we got on the boat and headed about a kilometer from the shore.

All geared up and ready to dive! Before we knew it, we took the plunge and were sinking to the sea floor.

The boat had a glass bottom, so my friends were able to take a picture of me underwater (thats the dive instructor holding on to me). With the guidance of my instructor, he pointed out to me several different schools of fish. We were even able to feed them using some food that he had hidden in his suit. Once he brought it out, I didn't know what it was at first, but when the fish came and started nibbling, I realized what it was. There were so many species of fish, of all shapes, sizes, and colours. We even saw a school of barracudas! We didn't venture to close to them though, as they can be very dangerous (according to my instructor). I also saw corals... lots and lots of corals! They swayed gently with the current, so peaceful and beautiful. I began to see why more and more people scuba dive to relax. It's really a different world under the sea. We also went past an underwater spring. You can see the current bursting through cracks on the sea floor, and when we swam past it, I felt the cold water of the spring through my wetsuit. I wish I had an underwater camera!

After about 45 minutes, it was time to go up. When we resurfaced, I was surprised at how far we had been swimming underwater. It is so easy to lose track of time and direction when you're under the sea.

This is Caroline resurfacing. She's obviously happy! I'm not sure whether its because she saw lots of beautiful fish and corals underwater or whether she was glad to have finished the dive!

This experience makes me want to get a full diving license. What we saw was just the tip of the iceberg. My friends who go diving regularly tell me that there are even more beautiful locations deeper and further out in the sea.

Life... is Beautiful.