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Rita & Ellie's Travels
PADI 3 day Scuba Diving Course
Tuesday 15 August 2006 - Confined Water Session
Early morning start at Aqua Blue Dive Shop.... Firstly signing our lives away, getting increasingly scared at the amount of time the word death was mentioned on the forms. Once it was clear that we were not allowed to sue them if we died we were sent in to a little room to watch 3 hours of scuba diving training. Ellie getting herself worked up the more she watched (she had only been snorkeling for the first time 2 days ago!) while Rita nodding off.
Wetsuits on and after an introduction to all the scuba gear from Kuki, our instructor we made our way to Travelers Beach Resort swimming pool where our confined water dives were going to take place. Tanks and gear on we got into the pool and started with the breathing before doing more and more skills - removing the regulator, breathing under water and replacing; sharing breathing tanks when one of our supplies got cut off, taking mask off and replacing.... There was a lot of Kuki banging himself on the head as a signal to try to get us to 'REMEMBER!' Traumatic pool session.... Not looking forward to tomorrow!!
Went back to Travelers Beach for dinner where Buna (the waitress) decided to tell us how scared she was for us, and our lives saying we shouldn't go out into Open Water if we're not ready!
Home to do our knowledge review homework which sent Ellie to sleep quite quickly. "Will do it in the morning!!"
Wednesday 16 August 2006 - Open Water Dives 2 and 3
Out on the boat to the middle of the Sea near to Beachcomber Island and Treasure Island. First dive was scenic getting used to breathing underwater, saw Nemo, starfish and more.... It took a bit of getting used to for Ellie who was trying to concentrate on staying alive while the others were continuously getting her to look at fish! But managed a Hi 5! Rita enjoyed this dive as she had done dives before.
Made it to the surface where we were tested on some of the skills... got there in the end! Entertained the guys on the boat when doing the last skill - towing one another.... When both of us were sure we saw (& felt) something underneath us....desperately trying to get to the boat shouting 'There's something here!!' much to the amusement of them all - never letting us forget it! Still think there was something there...
Second dive down to 12m. A bit more fish spotting with Rainbow fish and Parrotfish. Kuki says he saw a shark..... probably the one we felt earlier!! Ellie starting to really enjoy the dive while Rita getting nervous over the skills. (damn mask flooding!). Back to the pool for yet more skills, well done Ellie you can go, more mask flooding for Rita.....You'll do it!
Night of revision, not our idea of a holiday!
Thursday 17 August 2006 - Open Water Dives 4 and 5
Torrential rain woke us up; secretly hoping dives would be called off!! No such luck! A slightly bigger boat with some sort of shelter to 'protect' us! and back out we went. The sea was so rough we were getting battered around - so getting our stuff on proved to be a task! A big wave rocked to boat sending Rita toppling over, tank and all! 'REMEMBER' Rita, fins on last...(even though he had just told her to put her fins on!). Quick lesson on navigation/compass skills before we started.
Not looking forward to it but jumped in anyway.... Surface skills of navigation, did our best but the rough seas sent us in all directions. Made our way down where it was nice and calm! More navigation tests....... Falling into his trap! Yes we cheated!
More breathing under water skills (swapping regulators) before finishing off with some surface skills, removing and replacing weight belts and gear.
A quick break before the final dive, the mask flooding/removing task was looming......it came, we did it, job done! We PASSED! (large glass of wine tonight!)
Next mission was to make it back to shore! Sea so rough our captain Kimi was sweating, but still trying to assure us all was fine!! Sat in the captains 'cabin' getting battered around... feeling increasingly seasick.
Back to the dive shop - just the small matter of the written test to pass! Which we did... we are now PADI Certified Divers!! Bring on the Great Barrier Reef!
Managed a celebratory glass of wine before we crashed out (to the sound of Tai & The Kavaholics again!)
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