Scuba diving-Class 1 Mar 11/Tuesday

Whoaaaaaaaa what a class!

The first hour or two was spent on paper work-liability forms, medical release forms etc.

The instructor-Dan Harvey is pretty cool. We had a short Chap 1 knowledge review and a short pop quiz. (We were supposed to read Chap 1 before class).

Then we got into the pool! The pool depth ranged from 4ft to 13 ft. Before we got into the pool, Dan showed us how to connect the BCD (Buoyancy Control Device) which fits like a sleeveless jacket. It can be inflated or deflated with the air from the cylinder. Then the regulators…the most important equipment—you breathe out of a regulator!

We then got into the pool…the fins were worn under water, the booties worn outside the water—easier that way. It took me a while to get used to breathing with the mouth with a regulator. In fact, I sort of panicked the first few breaths! The mask, which covers the nose was also lil’ uncomfy the first time. I also made the mistake of buying a mask with elastic strap..kept pulling my hair the whole time.

We then learnt the ‘regulator purge’ and ‘regulator swipe/grab’ and few hand signals that are commonly used to communicate underwater.

Next was ‘equalizing’. The air spaces in our body-the sinus cavity and the ears tend to be at a lower pressure than the surrounding…which becomes painful as you descent under water. This pain is called a ‘squeeze’. You need to ‘equalize’ to help the air equalize with the surrounding pressure. Equalizing is done by wiggling the jaws side to side or simply breathing thru’ your nose! Having learnt this, we started to go into deeper water. I experienced painful squeeze because I forgot to equalize as I went deeper! I came back up, equalized, went deeper….repeated this few times until the pain was gone.

Only when the pain was completely gone, could I ‘float’ and enjoy the ‘weightlessness’ under water! We swan under water for about an hour, did crazy things like remain suspended head down, walk on the pool walls on the side and flip over!

Then we disengaged all the equipment, washed the gear with fresh water (chlorine from the pool leaches out if not).

Words can’t justify how I felt under water! I can only imagine how pleasantly happy will I be to swim along fish and other marine life!

Scuba diving is an ideal fix for ppl that love water in any form- ocean, lakes anything.

Relaxed breathing under water is very serene…looking out into the blue is soothing.