Bucket List Update!

As I mentioned I'm learning to dive (yes, it's a cheater item off my bucket list, but what the heck). 

Friday-Monday:

Danny brought home the book for me to read before I could do my confined water dive.  It's a dry book.... but I'm getting through it (can't get into the pool if I don't pass the written test). 

So far I've learned:

• DO NOT HOLD YOUR BREATH, EVER, WHILE DIVING!!
• There's barely any difference between ata and bar and that for every 10m/33ft it's 1 more ata/bar
• You need to be able to equalize
• You need a mask, snorkel, fins, BCD, cylinder and valve, regulator, and a buddy
• light and sound travel differently underwater
• take slow breaths
• there are different types of diving suits (I think I am going to like the dry suit.... I don't like being cold)
• there are lots of gear that you need
• do not wave when you're on the surface, it means "help!"
• ALWAYS have a buddy (many many reasons)
• different types of ocean motions (surge, undertow, currents, etc)
• pre-plan your dives
• how to dive off a boat
• what to do if you have air problems (eek)

Now to watch some cheeeeeeeeeeeesy videos and take a test. 

Tomorrow we're off to the pool to do the confined water classes. 

While lying in bed on Monday night Danny and I were talking about various diving things when I turned to him and asked "can I be a dork and bring my camera tomorrow?"  He answers with "yes, you need pictures for your blog".   Oh how I love him. 

Tuesday:


rockin' the wet suit

 We did module 1 (AKA mod 1) and it was... Interesting... It is quite something to breathe underwater, but I'll get back to that.

The wet suit is super comfy, but we think it was a bit small since the neck was tight, too tight for me.

We had to set up all our gear, which seemed like a lot at first but was easy to do (I say that now, we'll have to see how much I remember tomorrow).



Then, into the pool and get you gear on (and flippers). Danny made me try to put mine on by floating on it and flip to sit on it and try to get it onto your shoulders. It didn't work - I think it was really his way of getting me wet. I ended up doing it the easy way of putting it on like a jacket (why would anyone do it the "other" way?)

Then practice inflating and deflating - easy.  Push a button.  I can do that.

with my gear on



On to breathing underwater with a snorkel, taking it out (while blowing bubbles), replacing it and clearing it. Much easier said than done (in hindsight I think this should be done after the second exercise). I keep trying to breathe through my nose and getting water in my mask, which caused water to go up my nose, which lead to choking and panicking. Thankfully we were in 4' of water so I could (attempt) to stand (in flippers). Didn't help that with a deflated BCD and weights I still kept floating so I had one hand on the wall to help keep me down.  Turns out I needed extra weights. Eventually I got it enough to move onto the next exercise. Also, my snorkel wasn't set up properly so everytime I cleared it of water it just flooded back in (again, I think he was just trying to give me the worst case scenario).  Not a great first skill. 

Next, do the same thing with the regulator, which for my typing ease will be called "reg" from here on out (MUCH EASIER). I took me a while to get going because you have tunnel vision when you are wearing your mask, you can't see anything unless it's directly infront of you.  Danny kept signaling me to remove my reg but I couldn't see his hands so I just kept waiting.  (on a side note, Danny's eyes are Incredibly green underwater).

This is when Danny switched over to "instructor" mode, which was kind of funny to see. I'm not used to him like that.  His whole demeanor, vocabulary and how he talked to us changed, instantly.  He went from Danny to Instructor Dan.  When I told him about it later he said he didn't even notice. 
After that we did mask clearing - I did not like this. The moment the mask was moved away from my face (which was hard with it being suctioned to my face) I could feel air and my instincts kicked in and I went back to breathing through my nose. Not good when you're flooding your mask. More choking and panicking. The hardest part was remembering to keep breathing through my mouth. It was hard, for me, to not hold the reg in my mouth (it can't fall out if I'm holding it right?). So I had to practice not holding the reg in my mouth while my mother in law tried to clear her mask. I kept catching myself holding the damned reg. Eventually, she got it and it was my turn again. I couldn't flood the mask properly so Danny had to do it. I managed to clear it - no idea how since I didn't blow through my nose and I lifted it too far from my face I think I'll have to practice that again to make sure I understand fully (since Danny says he has to do it each dive).

We also worked on recovering our regulator in case it gets knocked out of mouth. Pretty easy as long as you trust your instincts and lean (I forgot to lean).  I couldn't see what way my reg was when I grabbed it so I'm sure I looked like a blind woman and had to move it right up infront of my eyes to see it. 

Last was alternate air source. We had to get our buddy's attention, say (sign) "I'm out of air", "share air" and get their alternate air supply, clear it, and breathe through it. One of the easier skills I thought.

We finished off with attempting to swim in a very crowded pool - it didn't work so we got out.


look at me!

Getting used to trusting you air supply is weird. I had to psych myself up before submerging my head under water so I would remember to keep breathing, because your instincts say "you can't breathe underwater". Danny, at one point, told me it was just like breathing through labour - ya... I don't recall breathing in labour. With Lynden Danny had to keep eye contact so I would remember to breathe.

It'll take some time to get used to it. I don't have a choice (since I'm married to the cute instructor and all, did I mention he's cute??), which my grandpa says may be a good thing and I think he might be right (I wanted to get out and quit after the snorkel skill because I just kept inhaling water). I'm determined to make it through this, but I'll be honest, after being in the pool I'm more nervous about being in open water. I like being able to just stand up (as well as you can with flippers on) when I'm not confident in what I'm doing. To be down 30 ft freaks me out... A lot! But Danny says by the time you're done 5 mods (we're actually getting 6 since we're also getting a dry suit orientation too) you're fine in the water.

We'll see how I am after tomorrow's class in 15 ft of water.

my mother in law & I
before the fun starts

we're doing it!



mother in law underwater



what a hottie instructor :-)

To be continued....