We are open water divers now.
We have always been interested in getting a scuba certification. About a decade ago, we went to a “try dive” where we watched some training videos and hopped in a pool with an instructor to experience what it is like to breathe underwater. We practiced purging and recovering our reg, breathing (exhaling), and swimming around. We loved it.
Since then, we have made attempts to save up the money for certification, but life gets in the way and the money has to be spent on things like car repairs or a new HVAC. This year, however, I had the money saved and swore I would get it done this summer. Then, there was a very pleasant surprise for both of us.
As a graduation gift (congratulations on your Associate of Biology, Amber), Amber’s father and stepmom took us to Surf City, NC for vacation. The real gift, however, was that they covered the expenses of a diver certification for both of us. So, we spent some time leading up to the vacation going through the course material and studying. Then, we met with our instructor for training about an hour from where we were staying. Then we finished near Raleigh at a place called Fantasy Lake Adventure Park.
Here, we were able to practice and reinforce our training before experiencing a nice and easy, no-training, no-practicing, just-enjoy-it dive. We swam around while fish observed us. We swam around stubborn fish. We got to see brim bedding on the bottom of the lake. We swam around and through sunk planes and a bus. We also swam into a thermocline that was brutally cold. Once the dive ended, we emerged with our instructor and were, verbally, certified! We have since received our cards in the mail and can’t wait to get back in the water. I’m very excited for the new doors this will open for me in photography.
In the gallery below, you will see our car loaded down with gear, shots of the quarry, and some photos we took while underwater. The instructor was even kind enough to hold onto the camera and take photos of us!
