lavachickie
Contributor
Given I asked most of my questions in this section, I wanted to post my wrap up here, too! I'll be brief, or at least try; I posted more details in my blogs. First, THANKS to Scuba Board and its great members. The information I learned from you all really helped prepare me. =-)
To refresh your memory, I'm in the PNW and was preparing to get my PADI OW before a January trip to Cozumel. November book and poolwork was cut short by an ear infection, I went on checkout dives with my instructor and another group of students in December was but one dive and one skill short of certification thanks to having to call the 2nd day of dives due to zero vis. I'd encountered a few challenges, too (gear too tight, being put in a dry suit, etc.). There wasn't a rush, however, because the Cozumel trip was with the dive shop, and my instructor was going along and we'd finish up there. Frustrations from rental gear in class led me to buy my own BCD and regulator, so I was all good to go.
We arrive in Cozumel, and all goes well. To cut to the chase, all went well -- no serious problems, and I think I handled some challenges well (but I'm sure I'll get some, ahem, constructive feedback).
Saturday we poked around, then Sunday morning the area outside Scuba Club was rough so we said we'd rendezvous that afternoon to do the last checkout dive. Sunday afternoon I was officially certified, and while my instructor had to jump out of the water to make the boat for the twilight dive, I was already scrambling to get back in. I pretty much stayed in the water off the shore the rest of the afternoon. It was nice to have the time -- and space -- to just be in the water, be shallow enough (22 ft or so) I could practice a few things repeatedly, become one with the gear, and spend some time with the "locals". There's no reef there, but there's plenty of things to see. Spotted drums, Peacock flounder, tangs, spotted eels, squid, moray eels, and about a hundred more things. (Someone even saw two eagle rays right there while snorkeling the last day before he left for the airport!)
I was so thankful for all the time I'd spent reading here -- the information, and the attitudes -- that I'd absorbed really served me well. In hindsight I will say I was totally overthinking things, however -- but that's the side I'd like to err on!
Tuesday morning comes and it's onto the boats we go. We are grouped roughly according to experience level, but I'm by far the n00b. I'm excited and a little nervous, mainly because I've heard that it's hurry up, get in, get down NOW due to currents.
Giser, our DM, comes over and talks to me and Scot specifically. He explains it's a deep dive, up to 80ft or so. (But wait a minute... what about the 60 ft recommended limit, I'm thinking. All the first dives on the "beginner" boat were 80+, I found.) I'm to stick close, and if I'm not comfortable, my partner and I can ascend to a shallower depth and follow along above the coral heads, but the current will be stronger there. It's Palancar Caves, and while we aren't doing any caves, there are pass-throughs and our path is crevices between the tall growths of coral. The current that day was "okay but pretty strong, so get in and down fast."
A giant stride, an OK sign, and down we go!
I was amazed at, really, how much EASIER it all is to do when you're actually in the OCEAN and have the time and space. =-) We descended to the shallows at about 45 feet, grouped, and then started our trek through the coral. We didn't feel the current much once between the corals. Pleasantly amazed that equalizing pretty much took care of itself (aside from the mask, which is a bubble out the nose to fix). I kept my console in my hand and checked my computer frequently. I checked myself mentally... I was damn excited, but was I feeling off? Nope. It was all freakin' fantastic!
It was amazing how we didn't seem to really FEEL like we were going much deeper, but before I knew it we were through the first path, at the wall, and at 87 ft! Some divers went further down on the wall, but I just marveled at the 87 ft of crystal clear blue above me, the wall fading into black off below, and me, down there and doing just fine! After scanning the area a few times for any turtles, I ducked back into the next passageway because I could feel the stronger current. (I admit in hindsight I should have unhooked my computer, rolled on my side and extended my arm down and got it to read 90.
)
My gear was comfortable, and I had to make minor adjustments. I seem to shrink a size or two when underwater, so I always have to readadjust everything once we get going. I did learn on a lot of the dives that some people who have been diving for a while are still like bulls in the china shop. You have to "dive defensively" just like driving, because while it seems reasonable to me that you don't drop down from above and cut someone off at the same time you start kicking really hard... well, this apparently is news to others, or at least to the one that almost gave me a bloody nose as he kicked me in the face, dislodging my mask and knocking my regulator out. Seriously? When I think anyone is even NEAR me, I still my legs and use my arms to get distance before I move my legs again. Geez.
Once in the coral, we were in single file, and it was a twisty, curvy path. While stunningly beautiful, it was almost sensory overload. It was like going on a roller coaster through something you REALLY wanted to stop and focus on.
I paused for a moment before coming around a bend to look into a few tubes. A few feet after I moved forward to follow the fins about 15 feet in front of me which were banking left, headed down and to the right I felt a slam of current hit my side, and in a split second I was lifted up and out of the crevasse we were in. I knew the person in front hadn't seen me, and my buddy behind was half a bend back, so he likely didn't see me either. It happened that fast. There one second, up and to the side and being pushed off the next. Crap! The current there was a solid blast, and I started finning across it to see if I could find a lesser area to sneak back in through. No deal. It was pushing me up and out, and further away from the bubbles I saw emerging from the coral.
I knew I had plenty of air, and I knew where the surface was, so I was good. My only concern was my buddy who was going to be wondering well the hell I was, and if he didn't just happen to look through the channel I'd been swept out of, he'd have no idea.
If I'd continued through that area with momentum I likely would have had no problems following. But with the pause, I had no momentum and took that push of water like a kite takes air.
I couldn't see any divers because of the overhangs overlapping above this section as they wound their way through. Just bubbles emerging from the coral. We were headed back toward the sandy shallows, not the wall, so I put my head down and finned to keep depth and keep going toward where I imagined they would emerge. My plan was to take it easy and as long as close groups of bubbles were visible, stick with it. But if I felt I didn't have a good bead on them, I'd head for my safety stop, then the surface.
After a few minutes, I saw my DM emerge. He did a good 360 and happened to see me, with everyone in single file he would have had no idea I'd gone off course. I was a bit above and away, but I swam like a fish to get back to them, and he located my buddy. He was going to send my buddy up and pair me with someone else, but I indicated I wanted to go with him, first just because we were buddies (isn't that the rule!?) but also knowing he was likely going to continue to hog air until he got to the surface. We were instructed to do a 4 minute safety stop, and my buddy cut it short by 30 seconds as he was almost OOA (and I was at the ready with my 2nd). He had 200 left at the surface.
We inflated the sausage, hung around on the surface for a bit, and were picked up by the boat. While I was bummed I didn't get to stay down longer, it was only a few minutes after we surfaced that some other divers popped up as well, having hit the 750 mark which meant head to the surface.
The next dive was a 55 foot easy flow up and down over coral heads at another site. A lot more bottom time. Awesome. Gentler current, so we could swim around things, get into a position to hang out for a moment to really look at something, etc.
A great day of diving. I got into the shallows again when we got back. I didn't want to get out of the water!
The next day on the boat, I skipped the first dive. The DM explained it was much like the first day, but with more and narrower swim throughs. Current was worse that day, too. He encouraged me, but when I read the dive was a "solid intermediate" in the book I had, my gut immediately said hang out and get some sun, and enjoy the 2nd dive. So I did. I'm glad I did; Scot said it was a bit of a challenge for him, even, due to some of the pass throughs. He hit his tank once and was upset by that.
I did pretty much the same thing the rest of the trip. I skipped the more advanced dives and did the 2nds down to around 60 ft and took every opportunity to do shore diving and night dives from the shore. I wanted this trip to be nice and easy and enjoyable. Part of me (and clearly some people in the group) thought I should have been more adventurous and did them all.
Whatever.
I'm HOOKED. I will be back to Cozumel. I will dive all those sites and more, in good time, and along the way I'll strengthen my skills, pick up more, make mistakes and learn from them and I don't think I "missed" anything because I used the time instead to do things I enjoyed anyway. (Frankly, spending five minutes following a scrawled filefish from a shore dive was more fun than 10 minutes of jetting through coral I can't really stop and SEE.)
I logged almost 20 dives last week, and I feel I can officially call myself a scuba diver! And I can't help but feel that I made a horrible mistake by getting on the plane to come home. =-) But, now the task becomes finding the time and money to GET BACK IN THE WATER! Luckily with the group here, someone hits the cold water on the coast almost every weekend, so there is plenty of opportunity. Lots of time to practice skills, get the Advanced OW completed.
There are no big trips planned until December, when we will be in the Florida Keys. I'm so excited... I've snorkeled there and I remember how beautiful and plentiful the life is, just under the surface. No currents to contend with, so it'll be easy to hang out and really see all there is to see. But... that's over 10 months away. Maybe I can do some extra freelance work and take a short trip in the summer.
Luckily, there's lots of things to see in the cold PNW waters!
To refresh your memory, I'm in the PNW and was preparing to get my PADI OW before a January trip to Cozumel. November book and poolwork was cut short by an ear infection, I went on checkout dives with my instructor and another group of students in December was but one dive and one skill short of certification thanks to having to call the 2nd day of dives due to zero vis. I'd encountered a few challenges, too (gear too tight, being put in a dry suit, etc.). There wasn't a rush, however, because the Cozumel trip was with the dive shop, and my instructor was going along and we'd finish up there. Frustrations from rental gear in class led me to buy my own BCD and regulator, so I was all good to go.
We arrive in Cozumel, and all goes well. To cut to the chase, all went well -- no serious problems, and I think I handled some challenges well (but I'm sure I'll get some, ahem, constructive feedback).
Saturday we poked around, then Sunday morning the area outside Scuba Club was rough so we said we'd rendezvous that afternoon to do the last checkout dive. Sunday afternoon I was officially certified, and while my instructor had to jump out of the water to make the boat for the twilight dive, I was already scrambling to get back in. I pretty much stayed in the water off the shore the rest of the afternoon. It was nice to have the time -- and space -- to just be in the water, be shallow enough (22 ft or so) I could practice a few things repeatedly, become one with the gear, and spend some time with the "locals". There's no reef there, but there's plenty of things to see. Spotted drums, Peacock flounder, tangs, spotted eels, squid, moray eels, and about a hundred more things. (Someone even saw two eagle rays right there while snorkeling the last day before he left for the airport!)
I was so thankful for all the time I'd spent reading here -- the information, and the attitudes -- that I'd absorbed really served me well. In hindsight I will say I was totally overthinking things, however -- but that's the side I'd like to err on!
Tuesday morning comes and it's onto the boats we go. We are grouped roughly according to experience level, but I'm by far the n00b. I'm excited and a little nervous, mainly because I've heard that it's hurry up, get in, get down NOW due to currents.
Giser, our DM, comes over and talks to me and Scot specifically. He explains it's a deep dive, up to 80ft or so. (But wait a minute... what about the 60 ft recommended limit, I'm thinking. All the first dives on the "beginner" boat were 80+, I found.) I'm to stick close, and if I'm not comfortable, my partner and I can ascend to a shallower depth and follow along above the coral heads, but the current will be stronger there. It's Palancar Caves, and while we aren't doing any caves, there are pass-throughs and our path is crevices between the tall growths of coral. The current that day was "okay but pretty strong, so get in and down fast."
A giant stride, an OK sign, and down we go!
I was amazed at, really, how much EASIER it all is to do when you're actually in the OCEAN and have the time and space. =-) We descended to the shallows at about 45 feet, grouped, and then started our trek through the coral. We didn't feel the current much once between the corals. Pleasantly amazed that equalizing pretty much took care of itself (aside from the mask, which is a bubble out the nose to fix). I kept my console in my hand and checked my computer frequently. I checked myself mentally... I was damn excited, but was I feeling off? Nope. It was all freakin' fantastic!
It was amazing how we didn't seem to really FEEL like we were going much deeper, but before I knew it we were through the first path, at the wall, and at 87 ft! Some divers went further down on the wall, but I just marveled at the 87 ft of crystal clear blue above me, the wall fading into black off below, and me, down there and doing just fine! After scanning the area a few times for any turtles, I ducked back into the next passageway because I could feel the stronger current. (I admit in hindsight I should have unhooked my computer, rolled on my side and extended my arm down and got it to read 90.
)My gear was comfortable, and I had to make minor adjustments. I seem to shrink a size or two when underwater, so I always have to readadjust everything once we get going. I did learn on a lot of the dives that some people who have been diving for a while are still like bulls in the china shop. You have to "dive defensively" just like driving, because while it seems reasonable to me that you don't drop down from above and cut someone off at the same time you start kicking really hard... well, this apparently is news to others, or at least to the one that almost gave me a bloody nose as he kicked me in the face, dislodging my mask and knocking my regulator out. Seriously? When I think anyone is even NEAR me, I still my legs and use my arms to get distance before I move my legs again. Geez.
Once in the coral, we were in single file, and it was a twisty, curvy path. While stunningly beautiful, it was almost sensory overload. It was like going on a roller coaster through something you REALLY wanted to stop and focus on.
I paused for a moment before coming around a bend to look into a few tubes. A few feet after I moved forward to follow the fins about 15 feet in front of me which were banking left, headed down and to the right I felt a slam of current hit my side, and in a split second I was lifted up and out of the crevasse we were in. I knew the person in front hadn't seen me, and my buddy behind was half a bend back, so he likely didn't see me either. It happened that fast. There one second, up and to the side and being pushed off the next. Crap! The current there was a solid blast, and I started finning across it to see if I could find a lesser area to sneak back in through. No deal. It was pushing me up and out, and further away from the bubbles I saw emerging from the coral.
I knew I had plenty of air, and I knew where the surface was, so I was good. My only concern was my buddy who was going to be wondering well the hell I was, and if he didn't just happen to look through the channel I'd been swept out of, he'd have no idea.
If I'd continued through that area with momentum I likely would have had no problems following. But with the pause, I had no momentum and took that push of water like a kite takes air.
I couldn't see any divers because of the overhangs overlapping above this section as they wound their way through. Just bubbles emerging from the coral. We were headed back toward the sandy shallows, not the wall, so I put my head down and finned to keep depth and keep going toward where I imagined they would emerge. My plan was to take it easy and as long as close groups of bubbles were visible, stick with it. But if I felt I didn't have a good bead on them, I'd head for my safety stop, then the surface.
After a few minutes, I saw my DM emerge. He did a good 360 and happened to see me, with everyone in single file he would have had no idea I'd gone off course. I was a bit above and away, but I swam like a fish to get back to them, and he located my buddy. He was going to send my buddy up and pair me with someone else, but I indicated I wanted to go with him, first just because we were buddies (isn't that the rule!?) but also knowing he was likely going to continue to hog air until he got to the surface. We were instructed to do a 4 minute safety stop, and my buddy cut it short by 30 seconds as he was almost OOA (and I was at the ready with my 2nd). He had 200 left at the surface.
We inflated the sausage, hung around on the surface for a bit, and were picked up by the boat. While I was bummed I didn't get to stay down longer, it was only a few minutes after we surfaced that some other divers popped up as well, having hit the 750 mark which meant head to the surface.
The next dive was a 55 foot easy flow up and down over coral heads at another site. A lot more bottom time. Awesome. Gentler current, so we could swim around things, get into a position to hang out for a moment to really look at something, etc.
A great day of diving. I got into the shallows again when we got back. I didn't want to get out of the water!
The next day on the boat, I skipped the first dive. The DM explained it was much like the first day, but with more and narrower swim throughs. Current was worse that day, too. He encouraged me, but when I read the dive was a "solid intermediate" in the book I had, my gut immediately said hang out and get some sun, and enjoy the 2nd dive. So I did. I'm glad I did; Scot said it was a bit of a challenge for him, even, due to some of the pass throughs. He hit his tank once and was upset by that.
I did pretty much the same thing the rest of the trip. I skipped the more advanced dives and did the 2nds down to around 60 ft and took every opportunity to do shore diving and night dives from the shore. I wanted this trip to be nice and easy and enjoyable. Part of me (and clearly some people in the group) thought I should have been more adventurous and did them all.
Whatever.
I'm HOOKED. I will be back to Cozumel. I will dive all those sites and more, in good time, and along the way I'll strengthen my skills, pick up more, make mistakes and learn from them and I don't think I "missed" anything because I used the time instead to do things I enjoyed anyway. (Frankly, spending five minutes following a scrawled filefish from a shore dive was more fun than 10 minutes of jetting through coral I can't really stop and SEE.)
I logged almost 20 dives last week, and I feel I can officially call myself a scuba diver! And I can't help but feel that I made a horrible mistake by getting on the plane to come home. =-) But, now the task becomes finding the time and money to GET BACK IN THE WATER! Luckily with the group here, someone hits the cold water on the coast almost every weekend, so there is plenty of opportunity. Lots of time to practice skills, get the Advanced OW completed.
There are no big trips planned until December, when we will be in the Florida Keys. I'm so excited... I've snorkeled there and I remember how beautiful and plentiful the life is, just under the surface. No currents to contend with, so it'll be easy to hang out and really see all there is to see. But... that's over 10 months away. Maybe I can do some extra freelance work and take a short trip in the summer.
Luckily, there's lots of things to see in the cold PNW waters!
