A funny thing happened on my OW certification dive...

[Doll_Fin]

I have mentioned this in other posts, but I was just certified last month in St. Thomas, and my dive instructors also happen to be two of my best friends. Anyhow, there was a humorous incident on one of my certification dives that we keep joking about, so I figured maybe you guys would get a laugh from it as well.

I went to St. Thomas with my friend Dave who was already AOW certified. Dave dove with Duane (Instructor-friend) and me on my first 2 certification dives. On Dive #2, after we did my skills, we were just having fun exploring around the coral reef. All of a sudden my friend Dave swims over to me with his hand outstretched, but when he gets to me, I don't see anything in his hand. All of a sudden, he's brushing his hands over my gear and then over my rear end! I'm thinking "Huh???" and wondering whether he had noticed a problem with my gear or was just trying to feel me up! LOL I figured since I wasn't having any problems breathing and my gauges seemed normal, plus Duane hadn't come over to intervene, it wasn't an equipment problem so I just shrugged it off as "Dave being Dave" since he's a total goofball anyhow. We went on with the dive and I was just relaxing and having a good time.

When we got to the surface, Dave told me what had happened was that he was trying to show me a little banded coral shrimp he'd found, but it jumped out of his hand before he got to me and it ended up going into my BC and across my backside and he was trying to get it since he figured (correctly) I didn't know it was there, but it basically jumped off my butt. Duane said he saw the whole thing and didn't intervene because he wanted to see how I would react. He was happy to see that I didn't get panicked and complimented me for being so calm about everything since it was only my 2nd dive.

So I went on to get certified, had an awesome vacation in St. Thomas with some great friends, and the whole "banded coral shrimp" thing is a running joke between us now!

 

[24940]

I think Dave was trying to feel you up and Duanne was in on it.

 

[Skeeter1097]

me too, even if he wasent.

 

[Beboandles]

note to self....... banded coral shrimp trick

 

[MBH]

That Dave is one smooth operator.

 

[do it easy]

I wonder if that trick will work in freshwater?

That's a good story- thanks for sharing

 

[spectrum]

I to have been branded a goof ball so perhaps I can get away with the runaway banded coral shrimp ploy.

Good call on recognizing that as long as you have air to breathe anything else is just an inconvenience or..... Gotta love that Dave guy

 

[Bobyjimmie]

I bet that works so much better then asking your buddy to pick up the soap you dropped....

 

[chipwd]

Ahhh yes, the "invisible" coral banded shrimp, I remember reading about that in my "Copping a Feel" dive specialty course. Dave obviously has that cert card already.

 

[chipwd]

....and congratulations on your OW certification! Sounded like a great dive and a great vacation!