Swimming along the surface your equipment seems heavy and constricting. The waves and currents push you around. The sun beats down heating you beyond comfort. Then it is time to dive. Your partner signals his readiness and you release the air from your vest. Slowly sinking, you feel your body and equipment become weightless. Your limbs become agile. You are entering a new world and the excitement fills your heart and mind.
Near the bottom you adjust your buoyancy and suddenly you are flying. The balance of air in your vest holds you motionless just a few feet above the bottom. With a slight flick of your flippers you slide forward through the water. The abundant, beautiful life here thrills your imagination. That place above with the hard surfaces and quick,sharp movements may be where you live but down here, for this long hour, you get to experience life in a way you never dreamed possible.
The sea humbles you; its power and diversity are far beyond anything in the world above. You are just another small organism in this vast multitude of beings. Your limited existence pales beside this wondrous world. If you listen to her, the sea will teach you; she will expand your knowledge, understanding, and wisdom. Hear her voice, see her face, feel her caress, and revel in her love.
Learning to Dive
I learned to SCUBA dive by picking up the Yellow Pages, flipping to the “Diving Instruction” section, and calling one of the schools pretty much at random. This probably wasn’t the best way, but it worked. I am now certified.
There is absolutely nothing like SCUBA diving. At one point in the training, I was sitting on the bottom of the pool waiting for my turn to do something or other (I don’t even remember what it was). I sat there for around 10 minutes. I didn’t move a muscle. I was just sitting several feet below the surface of the water. The entire time, I was absolutely fascinated! I knew from that point on I would be hooked.
My four open water certification dives
Evette Murray’s certification horror story
A couple of dives at Back Beach in Rockport, MA
A couple of dives at Halibut Point in Rockport, MA (better than Back Beach)
All of the underwater photos on this page were generously donated by Linda Waterman.
