The first thing I had to finish before we went diving was my "final exam." I spent the night before and part of the morning reading the book thoroughly and studying as if I were about to take a school exam. I just can't not take the word exam seriously! Also, the more I am told it's not that difficult, not that big of a deal, etc., the more I feel like I need to study! I am happy to report that I managed a perfect score of 100% : D
We started the trip by heading up to Flamingo Bay, gearing up, and dropping backwards into the water. To get into the water from a small boat it is typical to roll backwards into the water. It's a very strange feeling to make yourself fall (particularly when you're a very cautious person that tries very hard not to ever cause harm to yourself). The entry I had a very hard time with (and probably will again in the future) was taking a giant step into the water from the edge of a pool. Step forward into nothingness? This is a very difficult reflex to overcome!
My dive instructor, my dive buddy (doing his first dive) his father and I all hopped plunged into the water. The first thing I had to demonstrate was a free descent (basically doing a descent by myself without the guideline - very easy). Where we entered the water, we were about 15 feet above a beautiful reef. Can't say I was thrilled to descend directly over top the beautiful coral, what if I squished it?! Two dives is not a lot of practice with self control and buoyancy under water! I worried for nothing, I had no problem leveling myself out under water without killing anything! Next up was a fin pivot demonstration. This really doesn't sound like what it actually is (or at least not in my mind). Basically you lay on the bottom (on sand) and while breathing in a relaxed manner, slowly add tiny bits of air to your buoyancy control device (BCD) until you are just gently floating up and down on the tips of your fins. They make it look really easy when they demonstrate it, but it's really hard! I have a tendency to sink like a rock or float up way too much. It's a skill that definitely requires more practice! The last thing I had to do was do a full mask flood. Remember how well that went last time? How much I really loved that? Yeah, this time I filled it full of water on my face no problem. Didn't like it at all, but no hysterical waterworks. I knew this skill was coming though, because my friends doing their 3rd dive last time had to do it.
We continued on viewing the beautiful fish, invertebrates, and corals for about 45 minutes. It is such a beautiful reef - we saw things like butterfly fish, large schools of sergeant majors, trumpet fish, scorpion fish, a lizard fish, a spotted moray eel, a few shrimp, a whole bunch of Christmas tree worms and feather duster worms, colorful sponges, and a ton of other corals. So much fun to see all of these beautiful animals and I felt like I had a little bit more control over my movements so that was really cool!
As we ascended, we practiced a safety stop about 5m from the surface for a few minutes. It seemed like it would be pretty easy, but it's actually kind of difficult to remain suspended at the same depth for several minutes! Definitely did some bouncing up and down as I tried to find a more neutral buoyancy! At the surface my partner had to remove his weight belt and replace it in 80ft of water - definitely glad I didn't have to do that one again! "Just don't drop it!" Sure, because its really easy to strip 12 lbs of lead weights off yourself with all the other bulky items on you, not drop it while you're nervous about not dropping it, and then put it back on all while not dropping it! I think I'm making a bigger deal out of this than it actually is, but it was stressful! I had to demonstrate taking off and replacing my whole SCUBA unit. This isn't difficult if you're not a total klutz on land and in the water, but for whatever reason, I really struggle with this one (or at least performing it the exact way they want you to). It's really funny! I get on top of the upside down tank and immediately tip forward or backwards! It's really silly looking and annoying! Before I did this skill, the instructor had me remove my weight belt (all I'm thinking about is not dropping it as I hand it to her). After I removed my unit, it dawned on me that I took my weight belt off so that I don't immediately sink as soon as the big floating tank is no longer strapped to me! If we had been in a pool or some place really shallow, I'd have been really curious to see what the weight felt like without the tank, but I'm not really interested in sinking to 80ft below the surface haha.
We hopped back on the boat and off we went to the sculpture park. The other divers had a really good time on their first dive/training swim and the snorkelers we had on board seemed to be handling boats much better than last time's group! When we arrived at the park, the kids in training all suited up and dropped overboard. They were super cute. Hard to believe they were pre-teens! I can't imagine myself hopping into the ocean carefree at their age! They were also diving with their father, so that probably helped, but still!
My buddy, his father, and our instructor all hopped into the water beside me and we were off for dive #2 of the day (or #4 of the series). Right before we got in the water, my instructor briefly summarized the skills we would be demonstrating on this dive. At the end of that short list, she deviously smiled at me and said "And this one [pointing at me] has to do a mask removal." Woah, wait a second. I have to do what?! Remove it completely underwater? Um... Without much time to think about it, we started with fin pivots for my buddy and a controlled emergency air ascent for him. Easy peasy as the observer haha. Next she turns to me and demonstrates the removal. Yay. I was so thrilled. I begin trying very carefully to peel it off my face, slowly letting water drain in while diligently trying to remind myself to breathe, because you can still do that with SCUBA. No luck. I got it most of the way full before I panicked, cleared it, and began my little routine. Since several minutes had already passed, the instructor decided it was time to move on to the rest of the dive and let me calm down. Very smart because I doubt I would have done any better the second go around.
We toured the sculpture park for awhile and saw the statues and the reef. I got to take plenty of pretty pictures which was great because on my first dive (which happened to be there), I didn't want responsibility for my camera and everything else so I handed my camera off to someone else. It's just not as rewarding and cool when you don't take the pictures yourself.
At the end of the dive, she signaled the other two divers to hang around while I had to have another go at the mask removal. Yay, thrilled again. It took me several minutes to even get some water into the mask, several more to start peeling it off my face. One thing I really hate the feeling of is the bubbles I breathe out hitting my face. It's just a really weird feeling and it doesn't correspond well with remembering to breathe for some reason. I got the mask off, felt the bubbles on my face (eyes closed), panicked and grabbed her while starting to ascend, and then got a hold of myself enough to remain underwater and jam the stupid mask back on my face. Relief! I'm done! I did it! Thank goodness I don't have to do that again, it's awful!! ...Wait a second, she just signaled "watch me" and then demonstrated the removal again and pointed to me. WHAT?!?! You're kidding me. NOOOOOO!!! If I hadn't already been crying at that point, I certainly would have started right then. I look at her, wondering what the heck I did wrong, and why I have to go through that torture again. Seriously, again? Denial. I'm just devastated as I begin once again trying to peel the mask off my face. The water begins to creep in, touches my skin, and I definitely start sobbing more than I was (if that's even possible). I just can't do it. I've psyched myself out to the maximum and removing it again just isn't going to happen, except I know that in order to pass, I have to pass that skill. After another minute or two of struggling, she signals us all to ascend. Now I'm really not sure what's going to happen to me. She ends up putting the other two divers on the boat and we have to descend back down for another go around. As she's cheering me on underwater, I start again with my struggling but this time find it somewhere within me (my override switch must have taken a temporary break) to rip it off my face, put it back on, and blow out all the water by myself. Done. That awful experience is over.
We got back on the boat and started the trek back to shore. I was definitely exhausted and glad it was done for the day and that I had successfully completed that skill. Back on shore it was time to take care of all the gear, get everything stored away for the night, and head home to Lucy as a newly minted PADI Open Water certified diver!
The last thing I have to say is just a tad more about the mask removal. My instructor kept asking me if I was really proud, but that felt like a strange thing and I just kind of shrugged because, no, proud wasn't really the emotion I feel about the whole ordeal. Yes I did manage to complete all of the mask skills and no I didn't like them, but it's more than that. I don't really feel like I've "mastered" a skill and thus there is no pride associated with it. Am I proud I completed the course? Absolutely, but I am not really proud that I managed to rip the mask off my face and replace it without killing myself. The thing is, if I had to do it again tomorrow, I would have the same feelings about it and would react the same way. That's not really mastery, and this is kind of an important thing to do. Panicking underwater is bad no matter what the circumstance is. I don't want to drown, but I definitely worry that if I knocked the mask around or off on a dive that I might do something very foolish. It's a skill I need to work on, more important than most of the other things we learned in my opinion (or at least for me). I will be proud the day that I can take it off underwater without becoming completely overwhelmed with panic. I don't have to like it - because let's face it, I doubt I ever will, but I definitely want to be a bit more comfortable with it.
Thank you Eco Dive instructors for your time and patience! I may not have loved every moment of it (as probably made clear by all of the tears) but I truly made memories that will last forever and I cannot wait to make some more!
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