We have some good friends here that we're hoping to do a cruise with at the end of the year, and they love to scuba dive. They suggested we try to certify and without knowing ANYTHING about it, we signed up to take classes with the scouts (Tyler included).
I went telling myself to not overthink anything. One of the reasons I haven't blogged in so long, outside of the same tons going on in life, is that I got really sick last month. I had an ear infection so bad that I missed my trip to Disneyland. Even now a full six weeks later, I have fluid in my ear - it was bad. Anyhow, I was worried about my ears and the fact that it was only supposed to be 75 degrees outside (no laughing Utah people) and I just had to keep telling myself not to freak out.
So we get there and we're asked to pick out our equipment. Fine, done. I guess I know the flippers are supposed to be snug but the ones I found were big... I figured, no big deal it's just practice. We jump in the pool which was, to my relief heated, to 81 degrees so I didn't just jump out and forget the whole thing. Again, telling myself to stay calm.
Unfortunately, I was struggling with my large flippers and had to hold onto Derek to put my scuba gear on. It was like I was a three year old that had to have Derek do up all my buckles, help me with my mask, help me move. It was rough.
They start the "Discover Scuba" class and tell us to "push the black button" in order to sink. OK... pushing the black button, pushing - nothing happening. (This while literally floating and flailing around like a jellyfish because the water is almost too deep for me to stand and the flippers were coming off my feet and filling with water.) Instructor B notices I need a new hose. Great - it was an omen. He replaced the hose and I missed the entire first part of the lesson. (Feel the need to mention that my husband and this instructor were having to pull me around by my vest and make me go where I needed because again, I had no control of my body.)
Next part of the lesson was to float slowly to the bottom of the pool. Whatever you do, instructor A says, don't sit it may ruin the tank. So I push the black button to send air through my new hose and down I go... straight down on my rear with the tank knocking the bottom of the pool. I. Can't. Move. Poor Derek is trying to move my body so I was floating and not falling. I think he was afraid they would kick us out of class.... but it was no use. I was absolutely helpless. With that heavy tank and big flippers I was just about over it. At that point, the helpful instructor B decided that I was a "special needs" student. That's right, I ended up having to have my own "special" class for scuba. With all the onlookers from our ward I'm not going to lie it was a little embarrasing. But I KNOW I couldn't have done it without the one on one help.
He made me change my flippers, added weights to the front of my tank vest and FINALLY I was able to have some control of my body. It was a litte "freaky" (for the lack of a better word) to learn some of the other lessons. They make you learn to clear your mask - you have to do this to certify. Well in this part we have to go underwater, fill our masks with water breathe in through our mouth and lift our mask and blow the water out. First try, not so great - I went to the surface and told Derek "I hate this." I was SOOO ready to be done. But I made myself deep breathe and stick with it. After a few more trys I made it happen - but was told to go home and practice.
Derek told me that one of the times I'd given my instructor the "thumbs up" to say my mask was clear(not literally, in scuba terms thumbs up means surface -just in case you take lessons someday), my mask was actually half full of water. Ugh, embarrasing...
When we were finally "set free" from what we HAD to know, I was comfortable breathing through my regulator and really enjoy the last few minutes of swimming in the deep end and looking around. It was fun. I'm so glad I stuck with it... now hopefully I won't chicken out when it's time to take the tests and REALLY certify. One of our friends said to me, I'm so glad you went first! It was like "I Love Lucy" everything that could go wrong did, that usually is what happens to me!!
Oh yeah, Carribean here I come! :)
Scuba certification wasn't on my bucket list but you'd better believe I'm going to add it - if only so I can cross it off!!! (But I think I'll only add it if I certify.... is that cheating?_
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