All things Diving ?? ??

Lessons Learned from Diving

My 100th dive is right around the corner, so let’s delve into how I got here and some of the wild things that have happened along the way.?

SCUBA diving was a hard sell for me. I was nervous about what lies under the sea and thought that snorkeling was the safer option. After my time in Thailand, I realized that snorkeling was no longer an option because of how motion sick I was getting. I decided to put a brave face on and give diving a go. If I hated it, I could quit (sticking with things can be overrated sometimes).

I got my open water certification in Gili Trawangan, Indonesia, which was a fantastic decision. The island is ripe for divers - there are dive shops galore, and the comradery is amazing. Dive culture is so relaxed, which combined with running on island time, made it the perfect culture for me.?

Here are a few things I’ve learned on my diving journey:

Buoyancy is hard

When I first started diving, I was a mess. I had these things called ‘floaty feet’ where my feet would just start floating toward the surface, regardless of how hard I tried to keep them level with my body. Imagine your feet are floating up - what does that do to the rest of your body? It turns you upside down (I hope you came to that conclusion without picturing me and laughing too terribly hard). My poor instructors and guides would just grab me and hang on as we had to wait out our safety stop.

Diving is not a contact sport

I was diving with my buddy along a wall and there was a bit of a current. My buddy was pretty close to me, so I thought I was going to help us gain some distance by pushing them (just a little bit - definitely not a shove). Well things took a turn when my buddy (who was as new to diving as I was) flipped round and round as the current took hold of her. That is when I learned it’s best to keep my hands to myself.

Watch where you’re going (& keep an eye on your buddy)

Early on, I was descending into the blue with my buddy and a dive guide. The dive guide started making all of these gestures with his hands, which I completely did not understand. So, I looked at my buddy to figure out what he was trying to say. Then, I saw it: my buddy was about to land right on top of a huge eel (who didn’t look like he was ready for new friends). Thankfully, we were able to get our point across just in time for my buddy to not invade his space too much.?

Another time - because let’s be real, who learns from the first time things go awry - I was diving in this spot in Gili T called Turtle Heaven. This spot has turtles galore. I was sitting back and soaking it all in, when all of a sudden, I saw that a large turtle was swimming straight for my buddy. As I was going to warn her, my dive guide stopped me and told me to just watch. The turtle swam right under my buddy, bumping into her belly and dislodging her from her location. So, keep your head on a swivel, folks, and pick your buddy carefully.

Patience?

It feels like everything was put on this earth to teach us patience. I especially see it in diving, though. When I rush under the water - whether it’s to see an animal or escape being kicked by a rogue fin - I consume more of my air (meaning it shortens my amount of time under water) and typically miss something. When I move with intention and calm, I don’t scare animals away, and I get to enjoy more time underwater.?

As we get older, being a novice at something can seem more daunting. In my experience - life is too long to never try new things. And, remember, if you don’t like it, you can always quit - but, sometimes, you might just love it.