Well ok, just asked Murf what we done last Tuesday and Wednesday. Short answer; shopping, reading and shopping. So not that important. Reason why I write this? I kicked Murf to his emails and took the writing stick forsfully back.
But to start off with the most exciting part of the last week; diving. Thursday was the big day when it al happened. Armed with a swimming gear and learning books we entered the most hated classroom. Where I just ran off from. The whole morning nothing but theorie and boring tests. After that my first experience with underwater breathing. And putting in each other your diving gear. Very funny and diffrent. Really have to get used to it. The standard easy to learn practises under water were piece of cake. Going down in the middle 'deep' piece made it already more exciting. Bit scary and offcourse you mess up your equalising. So you have to get up to straighten your ears again. But then your finally sitting with your knees under 3 meters of water. Bit scary. Strange and a complete diffrent world. After that and your proving of swimming skills. (10 min float and 16 laps swimming) You were done for that day and had even homework. :s That night exhausted and numb we just went to bed. Got up freakin' early. Though not extremely because we could park our van behind our practising building. So only a 2 min walk. 6.30 was waking up time so we could learn a bit. Murf became a bit sick so we had to drive in the morning to a gasstation for a reasonable toilet. Not fun for the both of us. And messed up our learning. Murfs' learning so badly that he only could learn half of it. And the final test was that afternoon. Not really nice. But we had to do with it. The whole morning we spended in the pool doin more practise. Going down, coming up. Kneeling on the to rough floor. (goodbye knees) And keep attaching and detaching everything of your gear + tank. Very boring but necessairy. The afternoon was first lunch at the nightmarket which was very jummy. And off for the shop for info and uppertunity to try masks. Which is an important part of your gear and the most personal. Next to that we had the uppertunity to by some own gear. With a backpacker package in front of our nose. With cheap flippers, glasses, snorkel and boots. Murf and I couldn't resist. Next to that Murf wanted a hooded vest for under water to keep himself warm. Because after his last dive in Egypt he was freezin. So bought one of those as well. Long live creditcard. Because gear is expensive. Even with extra discount we paid almost a $1000 on gear. Which we could use on the boat as well to test it out. After that we went back in the class room for more and more theorie. Pieces of tape and then questions. Blegh. Felt like really school again. Then the final big test. Would we make it or not? Murf still didn't get part of the theorie. But we had to and there was a retry on the boat. Within minutes we filled in the test. With loads of help of our instructor, Chris. So everybody actually made it!! With only 5 out of 50 wrong we were easy passed. After a lot of congratulations and yelling we had some bad news. Pickup time for the next morning to bring us to the boat. For us that was; 6.20 After the course we had to eat and then pack. Which we did half and hoped that we didn't forget the rest.
The next morning I wasn't completely awake. But still managed to get everything in the bag. Except for some medication Murf couldn't find. But time was running out and we had to go for our pickup point. Which we nicely made on time. We got drivven to 'our' boat and boarded. Still half asleep we did al the necessairy paperwork. And waited for the boat to leave. After 3 hours we were on the place of arrival. Couple of people were already quite seasick. I didn't feel to well either. And Murf looked absolutely horrible. But there were people looking less happy. Just before the place of arrivel we had to get geared up for our first dive. We unpacked our bought stuff and found out they forgot his hooded sweater. So the diving was expected to be a bit chilly for him. The sea was abnormal blue and you could see the reef laying underneath the surface. Which was quite cool. After getting in the water we nicely followed all our learning. We went down and entered a complete new world. After regrouping all down and sticking to your diving buddy. (never dive alone) We had a short tour. Which involved seeing and stroking a sea cucumber. Lots of fish. And coral. To new to this world we probably missed a lot anyway. After that we went easy up again and went to the surface. There we did some practise on things we should be able to do. Halfway I got disturbed by a creature I would have rather skipped. A bleubottle or stinger. Never been sting before. And not nowing what to do. I completely freaked out of the pain. After help from someone in the group I went still half crying through the rest of the exercises. Went the uppertunity came I went as fast as possible to the stairs to come aboard. The whole ship didn't contain anything but the pain would float away. Which it did. But it kinda got me good and it didn't looked very pretty on my arm. Why didn't Murf helped me out? I heard later that he was freakin' at the other side of the group, because a part of his fears from Egypt drifted up. So he had his own hard time. But with the scar in my legs and the words that this was very rare to happen this badly I went back after the lunch for my second dive. Our second dive was less spactaculair. We went down and sat bassicly on the sand between the coral. And did a lot of practising. I went up on Murfs' air as practis required. On the surface we had to navigate our way to the boat while not looking. Went fine. Just before going aboard. A stinger fatched me again.... Just as bad but right arm. Still hurts like hell. But now knowing what to do I reacted a lot calmer. And responded a lot better. After getting aboard the cook baked us a gourgious cake, which was very welcome. Then after every dive you fill in your logbook. Depts, circumstances, pressure group and your experience underwater and what you did with every dive. After the second dive the boat moved to an other part of the Milln reef. So we could do a nice dive before dinner. This time we went again through all procedures to go down. Did some practising and had a underwater tour. Saw some fish including the chocolate dip fish, bumphead parrotfish, batfish and the giant travelli. You see so much fish you can't name. But some fish are easier than others. After that everybodies energy was drained. Luckely we weren't allowed to go on the nightdive. So we spended the night looking at the most gourgious moonrise and sunset ever. (my batteries went flat, sorry) And checking all the lights from the underwater divers on top of the deck. That night had a bit of a bad night sleep because of the ocean that kept banging against the boat and the ship that kept moving. Thank god my and Murfs' seasickness already sunk a good way down. The next morning wake up was at 7.00 With a the nice thing that we were diving before breakfast. And we already moved that morning to another part of Milln reef. Nicky with her not easy getting up way, wasn't to pleased. And then I am expressing my morning mood softly. Because of my sleepyness and a foggy mask I didn't got a lot of the underwater tour that morning. I just did all the exercises half asleep. After coming up I had breakfast. So I was quite allright for the next dive. And already quite excited. Because the other group certified itself already with this dive. We didn't because of a group of bleu bottles that came in. But this dive would be the last necessairy dive with just one excersise and a big tour. We saw a turtle that dive. Who was chearfully nibbling on some coral. After an easy snorkel back to the boat. (just as gourgious at some points as diving) Then we were sertified open water divers. *applaude* That felt so good that we booked ourself in for a adventure course so we could dive to 40 meters instead of 18meters. But first we had one free dive. Including underwater navigation and completely being on your own with your buddy. When we got geared up. We were going down. No problems. Navigating was for me because Murf didn't got that skill very well. And he is used to me navigating in the car. So he that it was easier to leave it up to me... Our instructor (who did all our water practise with us) Sam waved us out with the words; My nest is flying out. Which almost made me choke in my regulator. But going down the freedom is at that point ultimate. Just your own way. Found all the recognition points and navigation right. So plenty of time to wonder around. Saw 3 stingrays. One turtle who floated stoned before our noses away. A couple of big schools of fish. Bumphead parrotfish. Who are absolutly huge. And I still love the little group of humbug damsel fish in the fingercoral. After getting legally lost in a part of the coral Murf and I found a way out by swimming underneath a 'bridge' of coral. It was coral all around at that point and loads of fish. Murf was running out of air on that point so we did a nice and slow descent on the way back while swimming back to the boat. We didn't make that a 100% but we nicely snorkelled back the last little piece. As a first dive was this absolutely a thing you cannot describe in words. Perfect is too empty. And doesn't fill it in right. But wouldn't now how else.
After dinner we started off our adventure course with a nightdive. We moved to a new reef; Flynn reef. Where we would meet Brian. A giant green turtle of a meter/1.5meter wide. And he was indeed fast asleep in his cave. Saying a he, i mean a she. But they only found that out after naming her. Didn't saw a lot exciting. But as a dive it is a completly diffrent experience. That night I slept wonderfull. The next morning waking up at six was no problem. Diving 15 min later went lovely as well. It was our deepdive. As well for our adventure course. By entering the water I got stung again by a bleubottle. But at this point I could react pretty cool and there wasn't any trouble. Pain gets less as well. We went to a depth of 25 meters and did some stupid test. (pointing out nr 1-20) To see if we would suffer from Nitrogen Narcosis. Which is not harmfull. It just lets you respond a bit in the way that you are high. Gigling and strange behaviour. Solving is just going a bit up. Just one girl got the giggles. Me and Murf were fine. Did saw 2 lionfish this dive, a turtle, school of little fish. And there were a group of Bumpheaded parrotfish fast asleep beneath the boat which looked awfully cute. All the way from the dive we had a Spinal emperor swimming along with us. Which was very curious but also very big. Funny fish. We had a safety stop at 5 meters for 3 minutes to adjust to the pressure. So you prevent decompression illness. Which is a serious illness. After that went up with no problems. After that we had breakfast!! And after moving we had our last dive. For our adventure course but also of the complety row of dives. We did a photodive which contained a lot of watching out with how to take a picture. Because conditions are quite diffrent. Saw a couple of Nemo's! Had a lot ot fun. A lot of trouble with the camera as well. So I made a lot of shitshots. And didn't even got my film filled. Murfs fotos are quite alright although he will tell you diffrent. Got stung again by bluebottles. This time Murf as well. Had a lot of fun. And said goodbye to the reef with pain in my heart. After 3 hours back to the shore we got our first drop of rain in days. Our luggage got unloaded and we got to the shop for paying and finally picking up Murf his hooded vest. Which he hugged out of the fact he finally had it. But we still had to pay for 2 adventure courses, 5 t-shirts, drinks and some other stuff didn't made that bill any cheaper. Without knowing the price and just swiping the creditcard. We got brought home. For us to the dive centre. And our van, who was loyaly staying behind the centre. We unpacked the whole lot. And Murf found his medicine back. In the pockets of his paints. So he had them with him all the time. After unpacking we had a goodbye dinner with the whole group. And went nicely to bed.
We decided to stay a couple of more days in Cairns because we enjoy ourselfs so much. Next week we will have move I think. But that you will hear the next time. For now enjoy the Nemo fotos. And all the other of his friends. We probably pick a movie for tonight and have an easy day.
Love Nicky
Ps 95 days before my return. And in a week I can celebrate my 200 days being away. Time seems to go flying. Just for the fact we have 1.5 months to get back to Sydney. Than half a month to sort out paperwork, our car and see some musea etc. Then we have a month in Bali and then I will be home again...
I think I don't have very much to add to this article :-) Really, it was a true wonderfull experience and for me for sure something I'll will do much more often. While Nicky is quite happy with the skills she learned so far, I'm more ambitious (surprise, surprise) and want to go straight for my Advanced Open Water AND a couple of speciality courses. (We only have to do 2 adventure-dives to become Advanced Open Water certified automatically, as long as one of them is navigation, but speciality courses just give you more in-depth training and basically just a higher level of education.) We'll see, though not very cheap we'll probably go down a couple of more times, maybe even another 3-day livaboard with a couple of free and a couple of training dives to both increase our own conficence and extend our formal training. There is a wreck not too far away from Cairns, called the Yungala and our diving school (Prodive Cairns) actually runs tours to that. Well, another department of Prodive.
Besides, all credits to Prodive, our instructors Sam J. Staite (Water) and Chris Bosswell (Classroom) really did their best and made us feel confident underwater. Thanx to them our first solodive was exciting but absolutely not scary. I was worried a bit before we jumped into the water, once under the surface I felt complete freedom and confidence, just out there with Nicky. Finally no group to follow and no fins kicking your mask of. (Which happened an awfull lot of times, really annoying...)
New-Zealand seems to have some quite cool divin' places as well (Milford Sound) so I will take my gear to there. At home we'll probably find ourselves a diving club (Hello Kirsten, where is your dad attached to?) to get firmly stuck in the diving-scene. Sounds wonderfull. :-)
Harmen @ March 30, 2005 03:54 AMName and Email adres are required. Not because I like to harvest email adresses, but because I like to know who you are. Comment to a response I do rarely unless I find a feedback2feedback for MovableType. Don't worry, your email adress is at a clever way protected against harvesters so that won't become a problem.