Let's see... the very first dive...
Three years ago, island of Rhodes, Greece. Vacation.
Waking up early in the morning in a hotel after only a few hours sleep and some heavy alcohol abuse the night before. Quick breakfast, sip of coffee and sea sickness pills to make sure I get safe to the diving point. Small boat with an instructor and a DM and another crew member. About eight of us, newbie divers, me and my girlfriend. We got a short briefing on the Scuba basics and the signs (ok, not ok, going up...) on the boat and had been given a short form to fill.
Have you ever been diving questions and a medical health statement mostly, but... Uh-oh! I take full responsibility in case of my own death? Could this really happen?
We've come closer to our destination and we hear more things like: "If you get some water into your mouth, just spit it back to your reg." and "To make sure your mask doesn't fog, spit in it and clean it.". OK, so, diving is all about spitting, I guess.
The boat is anchored in a small, shallow bay and the actual diving is about to begin. Immediately there's a middle aged lady panicking and bailing out. We'll be diving in pairs and we're about to go as a third pair. The first dive is to 5m depth and lasts about 20 mins.
The first pair goes. They're nervous, but everything seems ok. I can follow their movement underwater for a while, but they soon disappear from my sight. Minutes go by, and the second pair is ready to dive in. The first pair is back on boat - I look at their faces - no smiles, no happyness, just a spasmic expression in reaction to the heavy gear and strenuous exercise. They don't say much. Next pair comes in.
Again, I watch them as they're diving, but this time something's different. One diver is back on surface. They talk a little and they're back under. But not for long - they're back again and even heading back! What's wrong? He's got that same suffering written all over his face as the first pair. Only this one didn't even finish his dive! What's going on here? Is diving that much of a challenge? Will I be able to do it? What's he saying?
-"I just couldn't do it. Sorry. No, it was too difficult for me. I couldn't breathe..." - He couldn't breathe!? Wow!
At that time the other newbie diver got back and suddenly it's our turn. Put my mask on... wait, I wear glasses! Where do I put them? OK, they're fine in the bag and the mask is on. But I can't see all that well.
We're sliding in the water... I try to breathe through my reg while on surface. DM tells me: "It's actually harder to breathe through it while onn surface. It's the pressure thing. You'll see what I mean when you go deeper." Makes sense, and I'm getting my courage to begin the descent but I just don't feel as if I really get enough air through this. So I ask - is everything ok with this? DM takes the reg, tries for himself and says yes. Asks me if I'm ready. Well, no, but let's go!
We begin to dive and my ears start to hurt. I equalize as told to. Pfeeet! - funny sound and ears are ok again. I smile. Seconds go by and I'm wondering whether this thing I'm breathing is enough to keep me alive. Must be, coz I still am, but it sure feels strange. I'm totally used to breathe through my nose and I've never even snorkeled before.
We swim around and I notice how all those documentaries about diving are so wrong in saying diving is silent. There's so much noise around... bubbles, boats, strange clicking, buzzing and whatnot. We reach the sandy bottom at 5m. I try to look around for features but don't see any. I'm blind as a bat underwater! I stretch my arm to touch the sand, but don't see even that close. Man, if all diving would be like this then it's not a sport for me...
Suddenly my reasoning got interrupted by a small amount of water in my mouth. Where did this come from? I stop and get DM's attention. I signal him wait. He signals back ok. I return the ok and spit the water back to my reg. Good, it works! I breathe again and more water comes in. What's this? DM signals another OK. This time I respond with "wait". I spit the water back, breathe and here it is again? Hey, I need some air! I start the cycle of rapid water spitting and breathing but all with the same result. I have no air for how long? I panic, show the DM the "not ok" and "going up" sign and bolt to the surface!
While up my first thought was - who would have thought that we got so far from our boat. Now that DM joined me, I explain what happened. He says let me see while I try to repeat what happened. Sure enough I get water in, but he's got an explanation - when you reach for air you open your mouth. Keep it closed and breathe. I try again and it works. Duh, do I feel dumb.
We continue the dive with no problems. The instructor takes pictures of us and everything is peachy. Diving is fun again, except for the part that I can't see anything without my glasses underwater. We go back to the boat and I see the next pair waiting to get in. What must we look like to them? I smile. They gain confidence.
The next dive on the same day was to 11m, much more relaxed and without any problems except for my shortsightedness. I did buy a mask with the prescription glasses before my next dive, so I got even the last of my problems solved.
Happy diver here. But sure it was fun that first time! :banana: