My First Scuba-Diving Experience

Some people are scared to try scuba-dive. Some people LOVE this sport and always find their excuses to go somewhere only to dive. Is this sport has some similarities with my favorite fruit — durian? Either you LOVE it, or you HATE it. Or just don’t have the courage to try.

I’ve been thinking to take a course on scuba-dive months ago, but wasn’t sure coz I’m scared of snakes! Sea snakes. Thinking about it makes me sick and all frightened.

But then, I was so curious why people love it so much. They all say that under the sea is like a totally different world, yet a beautiful one. And for that, I’m taking my risk and try to overcome my fear of the possibility of bumping into a sea snake (yeah.. yeah.. you can laugh at me!)

So, after taking a private lesson from my diving instructor, Mbak Vita, I went to Sepa Island in Thousand Island with her and another girl, Anin, to take the final exam and get the PADI open water dive certificate. Here’s my first experience (again, feel free to laugh at me):

First dive, 12 meters depth. Tried hard not to panic. “What the hell am I doing?”, I said to myself. What if something bad happened?” But I kept a positive thought: “It’s gonna be a wonderful experience. Just do it!” Then I sinked myself and went down… deeper.. and deeper..
I could feel my heart beats fast and my ears hurt as I went deeper. Following my diving instructor, I equalized my ears often, until I felt comfortable to explore the underwater sea..

Suddenly all around me was green. It felt like living in a green world! Really. As far as I could see… everything was green! I saw some corals, big ones, some of them look like giant mushrooms. I saw some sea urchins too, giant “keong” in white and lots of “goby” fish hiding in the sand.
I was enjoying the scenery all around me until my instructor waved at me with her hand holding a pink fin. What?! “That fin looks familiar”, I thought. And.. yes! That’s my fin!!! Hahahaha… I didn’t realize that my right fin managed to release itself from my right foot! Naughty fin! I was almost choke from laughing with the regulator on and the mask attached on my face :)).

So, that was the first dive. In total, we dove 5 times in 2 days. Managed to dive up to 18 meters depth. The next dives were smooth and for sure I didn’t lose my fin! hehehe… Was so happy to see different types of fish swimming in front of me as if I was invisible. The sea definitely looks beautiful underwater and it really amazed me to realize that there are thousands of creatures living under the sea. Peacefully.

It was indeed so peaceful down there. So quiet. All I could hear was only my breath… breathing in.. breathing out.. while enjoying the “green world” and its inhabitants around me..
Now I can see why people LOVE it 🙂

23 Comments

  • I learned to dive with Morgan and Caroline on Heron Island.
    Morgan was my buddy. A very silly buddy who went off doing somersaults and crazy things when we were meant to be practising our skills.
    I too was very nervous of sea snakes and moray eels.
    My instructor wouldn’t let me quit until I had done one open water dive.
    Once I was out in the open water I loved it.
    I have very happy memories of learning to dive.

  • Hi lucy, that was nice to hear your diving experience with Morgan.
    I could see he’s doing it! 😀
    Thanks for sharing it, Lucy.. 🙂
    And i guess we both were lucky that we didn’t bump into sea snakes and moray eels!

  • Ria,
    Am scared of sharks too! But then people say convinced me that as long as we stay calm, they wouldn’t attack us.
    Ah well, I guess we just have to keep crossing our fingers every time we dive!
    hehehe… (I’ve told myself, if I follow my fear, then I wouldn’t be able to experience the beauty of the under water sea… that would be such a waste, wouldn’t that?)

  • Oh I wish I have your courage to finally go down there, done snorkel twice and I freaked out every time I can not see the bottom :)).

    Almost break the snorkel instructor while I was in Bunaken, but I have to admit it that under the sea is beautiful.

  • Wish I have your courage to finally go down under the sea.

    Done snorkel twice and I almost break the guide’s finger coz I won’t let go his fingers and I freak out every time I can not see the bottom of the sea 🙂

  • i did my first scuba diving this year in thailand and it was so awesome!! i tell ya it won’t be the last time i will be at the bottom!

  • I've been struggling on my writing project!!
    So I came up with making a story up about
    me taking my first dive.
    Of course I've never really done it. c:
    I've had the chance to.
    My dad begged me to do it.
    But I'm just not very interested in it.
    He also begs me to take flying lessons…
    I hate airplanes!!><
    ANYWAYS.
    This story is helping/helped me write my 6 paragraph story. I'm only an eight grader. But my teacher told my class to write a 6 paragraph story about something we did this summer. I couldn't think of anything!!
    So I wasted 3 days in class… and now she is making us write it out on the computer and etc.
    Major grade. ><
    So… last minute story. :]
    Soo… this helped!

  • Hi Irshad,

    Thanks for your compliment 🙂 Why don't you try scuba-diving? You can start taking a Discover Scuba Diving lesson first 😉 and see whether you enjoy the experience.

  • Diving with sharks is extremly diving adventure, but only for people who never dived with shars. They are beautiful and elegant creatures and not danger at all! i did it so many times!
    I like your diving experience, hope you'll continue with diving.
    You have great talent for writing!
    Bike Racks Mike

  • @Bike Racks Mike: thanks for your compliment on my writing :). Now, I've dived with sharks many times, too and got really addicted with scuba-diving!
    Do you remember your experience seeing lots of sharks? Where was it?
    Mine was in Palau, Micronesia (grey reef sharks), Komodo National Park, Indonesia and Raja Ampat, Papua, Indonesia –> mostly white tip and black tip reef sharks.

  • hey!!!! Lucy after listening ur experience i also want 2 do this but i dun't think i will be able 2 do this thing any day…….whatever…nice expereince u hv shared with us…

  • hey!!!! lucy afer listening ur comment i also want 2 do this….. bt. don't think that i would be able 2 do this any day…anyways….it was nice experience u hv shared with us.

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