The One Where I Breath Underwater For The 1st Time

I have always wanted to go scuba diving...it was like something I need to do before I hit 30. Well I hit 30 last year and I will still be 30 until October. So hubs and myself decided to go ahead and take up Open Water Diving course.

Today, I breath underwater for the very FIRST time! *clap clap*

How was it?

Daunting!

OK, I am a worry pot...and I think too much...about the worse possible thing that can happen to me in an uncontrolled situation. I have fear of situation which I cannot control and I am very uncomfortable in an environment that is out of my comfort zone (i.e. underwater!)

The last 2 days, we went through intensive 5 session of theory for the course. And trust me, I was getting more worried when I learn that the rule of diving is to breath deeply and slowly ALWAYS! you see, I always forget to breath and tend to hold my breath when I get a bit panicky and bit too excited, so can you imagine when I am having a huge panic attack?!? Can die one lor!

Soooo, this morning, we went for our very 1st confined water dive in the local pool.

We begin by assembling our "apparatus". Got our BCD, tank, regulator, mask, fins and we learn how to prep it and did our safety check. So many things to remember and I bet I will forget it by tomorrow! And damn the tank and all is SUPER heavy!!!

Then, we were in the pool with all the "heavy" equipment, learn how to breath from our own regulator and our buddy's regulator, read the gas gauge and depth gauge, control our buoyancy, clear our mask underwater, emergency ascend, hand signals, felt how is it to be out of air underwater, descend and equalize.

My problem?

I tend to forget to breath!

Very dangerous!

At one point when my instructor took us to the deep end which was only 3 meters, I panicked and I swear I kicked my instructor's balls!!!! He tried to calm me down but I could not, so we had to go back up to the surface. What a chicken shit! After a while, I tried again and I felt much better...I think it's about being comfortable and confident. After 3 hours ( which seem to me like only 45 minutes...)I felt much better and I could do all the exercise and by then our tank ran out of air and that was it! Confined dive finished.

I do not know if I can do the open water dive next week, but I think I will request for another confine dive before heading out to the "real" waters. But I guess I have to digest what I learn today.

All in all, I tot it was kinda cool and I did face my fear out of my bubble.

Oh by the way, I am a huge red lobster now. I think I am burnt....no...I am burnt.

Till the next blog entry... I am going for another cold shower and slather myself with lotsa cream.