a whole new world

Yesterday I tried diving for the first time. As we made our way out of the lagoon and over the reef, the world dropped away. Water peacefully enveloped my body, rendering the weights and hefty tank weightless on my back...then panic at realising that my only source of air was the piece in my mouth. You have to work a little to breathe. The compressed air is cold and doesn't feel like a proper breath.

As we descended, visions of my lungs and ear drums exploding had me constantly equalising the pressure in my ears. One ear wouldn't pop though, and we had to go up a few meters to give me a chance to equalise.

The world looks different underwater. The sky is a shimmering ceiling which when crossed, changes everything. Underwater you can move in any direction. There are no gravity limits. Moving your feet a little propels you much further than when on land. Fish watch you in apathy, vague interest or in some cases, annoyance at the clumsy stranger in their land.

On your first dive you don't think much of the fish around you- but rather of yourself. How do you move? Are you doing everything right? Remember to breathe. The first dive is a struggle with yourself. Everything is wrong, and yet you know this is what you chose to do and the instructor isn't alarmed...

Feeling the cold surround you as you sink further and further down the side of the reef...remembering to breathe...equalise...what's that over there? In a moment you half forget yourself as you watch a large fish doing somersaults trying to eat something off of a rock. What's in the cave? You can't ask. You can't speak. You come closer to the sparkling ceiling and stop moving, bend your knees backwards and sink. Equalise. Don't touch the coral. Slow breaths. How do you clear the water from the mask again? Good. That's done. Small triumphs. Equalise. You realise that the when you are several meters down the compressed air feels better in your lungs than it did closer to the surface.

It's a lovely day. Equalise. Don't touch the coral. Look at that tiny beautiful creature...didn't you see that in Star Trek once? Or was it a dream through the looking glass? Bright colors swim away like a tiny magic carpet.

Time to go back.