Why pick on Bruce you ask? Well actually it has absolutely nothing to do with Bruce’s acting abilities. BWRAF is an acronym used to help you remember to properly audit your scuba gear before entering the water. I now know this because I am officially PADI certified to dive up to (or down to) 18 meters. I am so glad that I did the course and stuck with it, obnoxious Dutch instructor and all.
The first day of the course was in a pool and the wind was blowing. Being in the pool from 9 to 4 really took its toll. I started to shake around noon and didn’t stop until we were back at the hostel. The last few skills we learned I struggled with. I kept telling Maarten (our instructor) that the reason I couldn’t take off my mask at the bottom of the pool was because my fight or flight response is so honed due to the extent I have evolved beyond my fellow pool dwellers. Even though I got a chuckle, I was still going to have to take my mask off at the bottom of the dang pool. After much frustration, I was given the ok signal and allowed to leave the labor camp I mean pool. Now that I have done it, taking off your mask and putting it back on underwater doesn’t seem to be a big deal at all, but at that time let me tell you.
The next two days were spent at sea. Maarten was an excellent teacher and did a great job of making me feel comfortable. At first I was worried he was going to be the tough love type who would force me to stay under even if I felt like I needed to surface. He wasn’t and I never needed to flee. During the part where I had to take off my mask under 5 meters of water I just channeled Krishdga. I had told her the night before that I was feeling a bit uncomfortable with being 18 meters under water. Her response was, “I just went to the aquarium. Fish are so excellent to meditate on.” So instead of panicking about the water rushing up my nostrils, I heard Krish encouraging me to stay calm and to meditate with the fish. Even from thousands of miles away she has an amazing ability to emit strength and tranquility. As soon as I got past the idea of being so deep, I realized that I am able to move quite well in the water. It is amazing how much your size impacts how long you can stay at those depths. You start with a tank of 200 bar. The target is to reach the surface with 50 bar remaining just to be safe. We would dive until one of us got close to the 50 bar mark. Almost every time we surfaced I still had over 110 bar. There are several factors behind this. One is simply my size. I require a lot less oxygen than Tim. Other factors are how efficiently you move and how much energy you exert panicking.
On the first dive we saw a huge school of Blue Striped Snapper. They ebbed and moved as if one organism and created a visually impenetrable wall. Seeing them was by far the highlight for me. During the last dive we swam past a Leopard Shark dozing and saw a Great Barracuda. Besides the awesome experience of existing alongside fish in their natural environment, I really enjoyed the fact that I didn’t let my fear of being under water for an extended period prevent me from doing it. Pushing yourself to do things outside of your comfort zone can lead to great growth.
Maarten was patient with my antics and continued to say that we weren’t done until we could master the skills for our own safety. As time went on our relationship became increasingly more sarcastic and by the end of our certification I dare say he was fond of me (I am sure at the beginning he was feeling bad for himself having to be stuck in the pool with me). He kept saying, “If looks could kill, I think I would have died the first day in that pool.” Well, thank you Maarten for exposing me to a whole new world under the sea and for making me feel so confident in my own abilities. I can’t recommend him and the other instructors at Go Dive (Ko Lanta) enough.
The first day of the course was in a pool and the wind was blowing. Being in the pool from 9 to 4 really took its toll. I started to shake around noon and didn’t stop until we were back at the hostel. The last few skills we learned I struggled with. I kept telling Maarten (our instructor) that the reason I couldn’t take off my mask at the bottom of the pool was because my fight or flight response is so honed due to the extent I have evolved beyond my fellow pool dwellers. Even though I got a chuckle, I was still going to have to take my mask off at the bottom of the dang pool. After much frustration, I was given the ok signal and allowed to leave the labor camp I mean pool. Now that I have done it, taking off your mask and putting it back on underwater doesn’t seem to be a big deal at all, but at that time let me tell you.
The next two days were spent at sea. Maarten was an excellent teacher and did a great job of making me feel comfortable. At first I was worried he was going to be the tough love type who would force me to stay under even if I felt like I needed to surface. He wasn’t and I never needed to flee. During the part where I had to take off my mask under 5 meters of water I just channeled Krishdga. I had told her the night before that I was feeling a bit uncomfortable with being 18 meters under water. Her response was, “I just went to the aquarium. Fish are so excellent to meditate on.” So instead of panicking about the water rushing up my nostrils, I heard Krish encouraging me to stay calm and to meditate with the fish. Even from thousands of miles away she has an amazing ability to emit strength and tranquility. As soon as I got past the idea of being so deep, I realized that I am able to move quite well in the water. It is amazing how much your size impacts how long you can stay at those depths. You start with a tank of 200 bar. The target is to reach the surface with 50 bar remaining just to be safe. We would dive until one of us got close to the 50 bar mark. Almost every time we surfaced I still had over 110 bar. There are several factors behind this. One is simply my size. I require a lot less oxygen than Tim. Other factors are how efficiently you move and how much energy you exert panicking.
On the first dive we saw a huge school of Blue Striped Snapper. They ebbed and moved as if one organism and created a visually impenetrable wall. Seeing them was by far the highlight for me. During the last dive we swam past a Leopard Shark dozing and saw a Great Barracuda. Besides the awesome experience of existing alongside fish in their natural environment, I really enjoyed the fact that I didn’t let my fear of being under water for an extended period prevent me from doing it. Pushing yourself to do things outside of your comfort zone can lead to great growth.
Maarten was patient with my antics and continued to say that we weren’t done until we could master the skills for our own safety. As time went on our relationship became increasingly more sarcastic and by the end of our certification I dare say he was fond of me (I am sure at the beginning he was feeling bad for himself having to be stuck in the pool with me). He kept saying, “If looks could kill, I think I would have died the first day in that pool.” Well, thank you Maarten for exposing me to a whole new world under the sea and for making me feel so confident in my own abilities. I can’t recommend him and the other instructors at Go Dive (Ko Lanta) enough.
