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Reverse Neil Armstrong
We ventured down for diving at 09:30 and were told to gear up so we could go on our first two open water dives. Even though I knew we had been gearing up to this, I didn't think we would be trusted to go out properly. So we grabbed our stuff, and got on the little boat to get to the bigger boat (I'm slightly disappointed if we just get on a single boat and go these days) and headed 10 minutes to Los Bamboos 1.
I think to say I was nervous was a understatement, but it still felt a bit surreal that we were actually doing it. I entered the water in true Andy style, following the instructions of taking a big leap (you stand on the side and just walk out with one flipper into the water) somehow jumping and landing on 'zee bum'.
Once in, we followed the mooring line down about 6 meters. At this point there really wasn't much to it, all those anxieties just disappear and you are where you need to be. That's not to say I didn't spent half the time trying to figure out what I was doing, as opposed to looking at fish. We went past several schools, some clown fish, a flat fish and a little octopus. About halfway through I started to involuntarily float back up to the surface. I think this was a combo of me flapping/moving too much, having too much air in my bcd and maybe I missed sea level a little. I did get myself down a bit sharpish to continue. I found staying at the same level in the water quite tricky, I'd imagine that just practise and the right weight would do it in future though. We finished the dive with a controlled emergency ascent, you have to stop breathing as if you are out of air and make a sound as if you are saying "arrrggh" until you get to the surface. At last something I could do straight away!
On getting back to the boat we were told we would take a 30 minute break before moving 400-500 meters to Los Bamboos 2. This was going to be a deeper dive (we got to 8 meters but we did expect to maybe get to 12. We probably didn't see as many fish (my travel guide says the Typhoon effected a lot of the smaller dive sites). I did my special trick of ending up back at the surface again (I really have to figure that out before any future deeper dives). In fact, the best way to describe it would be as if I was in space - being kept on the floor by some magic cord that had just been cut and "poof" I'm floating somewhere I shouldn't be. Both dives were 30/35 mins but they certainly felt a lot quicker.
Getting to the surface and realising we had done it felt pretty good, I would probably do it again, but would need to get some of those basic things down first before venturing out.
We did have pics taken underwater. On that note I have loads to upload of the trip on my camera but I haven't got to a place yet that has a public computer I could use.
Later that afternoon we went through our notes ready for our 30 question quiz we would have to do, a few minutes after marking them Tata came back to say we had passed the course! I do think we missed some bits out, and I should have been able to throw my mask off and put it back on but all of a sudden I was now a PADI certified Scuba Diver! Something different than another IT cert!
Thanks to Tash and her family for my birthday present, when I get home my next attempt at doing "something" will be trying to fly a plane! I hope they have parachutes!
Bowls of rice; 11
Chicken sandwiches whilst on the island: 3
Air canisters used; 5
- comments
Tom I'm amazed you're still with us.
Annie What a brilliant present
Mike I remember the chats about water (thinking Nz), so good job man!