People around the world have been picking up again or starting a hobby as a way to cope with the current pandemic.
While some took up baking, some knitting, or even urban gardening – I, as one who loves the sea and its tranquility, took up scuba diving.
After getting my toes wet with salty seawater during my Discover Scuba sessions, I made the proper arrangements to get my Open Water certification. This meant I had to book my instructor and get a reservation at a dive resort, as well as transportation and making sure someone will take care of my cat while I was away.
While it seemed I had everything in order, the truth is I was a fish out of water. There are plenty of things I do not know about SCUBA and the culture surrounding it, and I am glad there were a handful of friends and lovers who are just as invested as I am in my pursuit of this hobby. Like a woman wildly in love for the first time in her life, I knew I wanted to do SCUBA diving. I was, and still am, burning with passion but I was also “all over the place.” I didn’t know where to start or how to conduct myself. I didn’t know there’s a seating arrangement in the dining area. I would have packed coffee and food if I wasn’t told it was already included in my resort fee and I would have had a different transportation arrangement if I didn’t know that check out isn’t strict like it is in hotels (side note: I am not sure if it is the same in other countries but this is at least true for the Philippines). It’s those small things that a non-diver wouldn’t be aware of, and I am glad I have guardians who were able to show me the way and temper my fire before I burn my wallet and myself.
The first day was dedicated to theory (physics, physiology, etc.) . My instructor was thorough. We spent a good time talking about theory and its practical application in scuba diving.
Then came the actual check-out dives. I feared taking my mask off underwater as I am legally blind and wear contact lenses daily. Nowadays, I can do this in decent buoyancy and trim and it isn’t a problem, but back then this was the skill I had the most difficulty with. And as my instructor is also a TEC Instructor, he encouraged us to incorporate TEC level skills even though we’re just Open Water students. It meant, putting on a BCD was always executed on the surface with a fluid overhead maneuver. We displayed skills in good trim, buoyancy, and with knees bent. Frog kick was favored over flutter. I could still see my instructor telling me to keep my trim and my knees up when I close my eyes sometimes…
I’m not going to lie, it was overwhelming at first but fortunately, my instructor was patient. And unfortunately (or fortunately!) he also has high standards and it took me more than one weekend to get my OW certification. I told you, my instructor is thorough. So, it was a real cause for celebration when I finally passed.
Ever since I got my certification, I’ve been diving every month as much as I can. I can always hear the sea calling me during my quiet time.
Scuba diving has changed me a lot. I’ve given up a few things so I can enjoy it more but it has also added a lot to my life. I’ve cut my hair and nails short- two things that I was really vain about. In exchange, I found something I want to do and be part of for the rest of my life.
At the start, it was a whirlpool romance. I had to humble myself and listen to my friends’ advice. As I get more dives logged it’s beginning to get serious, I may just have to tie the knot.
