Diving in....

I am on my way back from the Viking land, after spending 11 days with my darling. Most of them we spent learning how to scuba dive. We took a PADI Open Water Diver course.

Diving itself was a lot of fun, especially in the pool. I had problems equalizing pressure due to my everlasting full nose. It's not a cold as such, but in my family we have to blow our noses every morning and every evening at least, it seems. Basically, it takes me a bit longer to go down, because it takes some time to equalize. But hey, I dove down to some 6 – 7 metres anyway. OK, the licence says I can dive to 18 metres now, but I'm not rushing it :)

I'm what one'd affectiontely describe »a whole lot of woman«, and my bf passes as a mix between a proper Viking and a member of Hells Angels. As neither of us is a standard sporting type size, we had problems getting the gear, which we got loaned as a part of the course. While diving in the pool, there was one short sleeved/legged wet suit for the both of us. The water was cold, and my Viking being strong and brave had opted to let me wear the wet suit, while he felt very nice and combortable wearing only his swimming trunks and the BCD (buoyancy control device, the inflatable vest that also has the air tank strapped on).

So that was OK. But then, alas, came Friday, the dry suit day. My bf got a suit that fit him properly. Me? I got a suit taht was sort of ok, tight around my thighs and ass, and the boots were about the size 44, while mine is 40. But hey, I can work with that, right?

Rrriiiight. Dry suit is supposed to be DRY inside, as you need to weare layered clothing under it to keep you warm, and it should be loose so you can fill air into it for insulation and buoyancy. M-hmmm. I already mentioned it was tight, so I didn't get to wear much under it. So it felt cold. And surprisingly for a dry suit, wet. I had sprung a leak. A proper one at that. I had water up to my knees by the end of the lesson. I laughed, and asked for a different suit for the Open water dives during the weekend.

I got it, too. Just as tight, and with what seemed an even bigger shoe size. It also sported a leak, would you believe it? The water in the archipelago was at about 12-15°C. On surface. Gets colder as you go deeper. And I was there in a tight fitting suit with thin, wet thermal underwear. It took me 4 hours to thaw my thighs off. I felt like a frozen chicken leg being prepaired to be made into a meal.

As I saw no chance of getting a better suit, so I said I'd tough it out on Sunday, and just finish the damned course. I never thought the half an hour under water every day would get me that exhausted after a week. Well, lugging the heavy gear around (tanks make up for most weight), setting it all up, dismantling it afterwards and getting it back to the van never came to my mind before I started the course. It takes it out of you, if you're not physically fit for it. We usually got back home in the evening and basically fell asleep as soon as we got within 5 feet of the bed.

Oh, I didn't finish teh course on Sunday. It was even colder, and bf's weights started slipping down on his back between both dives, which can be a problem in deep water with strong wind, proper waves and the resulting current. The divemaster helped us, but by the time the weights were secure, and we managed to swim back to the group against the current, we were overworked, cold and tired, and concluded it would be stupid and dangerous to try and dive again that day.

Not and easy decision, but I'm proud of us for making an adult decision, considering we are both stuborn and never know how to fail or quit in time. So yay us for making the decision, and nay for us not finishing the course. There would be another oportunity to go out with the next student group in two weeks. And I am leaving two DAYS later.

What to do, what to do. We opted to do the theory test with the rest of the group and hire an instructor on Monday morning, which was still rather a safe time for me, since it gave me 22 hour time period before I flew (flying before 18 hours anfter a simple dive has passed makes the risk of decompression sickness bigger).

We decided to do it in a wet suit too. Had another fun hour trying them on, to find some thick long sleeved and long legged suits to fit. All I can say is, wet suits rock. It was much warmer than my dry suit, and the wetness was expected, but still I got out of the water dryer than in a dry suit. I guess I'll laugh about it all soon. Well, I'm laughing about it now, since we passed the test. Wiiii. :)))

I made it!

I HAVE AN OPEN WATER DIVERS LICENCE AND I'M NOT AFRAID TO USE IT! BWAHAHAHAHAHA

Now, a few tips and observations to all who intend to take up diving:

1. 1. Take the course somewhere where they do it in your language or a language you know well. I took it in Swedish, which I don't speak, and had the practical things told once more extra in English, while the rest of the group was gearing up. Needless to say, I was the last one prepaired. Oh, I got the theory book and test in english, but couldn't talk about it in class or undestand what the others were saying.

2. PADI is kinda like Amway. First you just want to take a course with them. In the final chapter of theory you have to learn about the other more advanced courses you can take, all the way up to the most you can be in their system. They suck you in ;)

3. Wet suits are HARD to get in without the help of a bottle of water and dishwashing liquid.

4. Diving can be fun, unless you only see sand floating in the water, the courtesy of other divers ahead of you, and the visibility is less than 3 m.

5. I'll be quite content to be a cocktail diver for a while.

And now, back to the regular life :)