First experiences are always memorable. Diving under the sea with my teen girl will remain close to my heart forever.
While the Andaman Vacation had many more remarkable moments, the Scuba diving deserved a dedicated post to encapsulate the different phases of diving and scoop it up with some reflections.
Even though we had been mentally preparing for weeks, the fact that we were finally diving underwater hit us while signing the consent form. The teen girl was quite petrified reading it; however, she still chose to go with the flow.
Step One: Prepare
- Suit in the diving attire.
- Wait for the groups to be formed and the paperwork.
- Head to the practice session.
We had a quick training in sign language to show if we were okay. If not, then where’s the trouble, and ways to release the pressure. A simple demo to stop breathing from the nose and only use the mouth to inhale and exhale with headgear on. It was difficult to constantly live from mouth when you have a fully functional nose.
Looking back at this short preparation session, I realize that change is always tricky, regardless of size. The simple act of the head gear blocking the air away from nostrils was uneasy and took some acceptance and practice to get through the initial agitation.
After the crash course, seven of us, along with two instructors, left in the boat to taste the waters. The first set was the elderly couple. One was jittery in the waters, while the other looked confident and had a smooth descent. As they hopped back to the boat, one was babbling, and the other was restful. To get who’s who, you will have to read this post till the end or have savored the Scuba affair.
Step Two: The dive
Next was our turn to plunge into the blue and green waters.
The gentleman in the boat booting me up with the oxygen cylinder and mask tried his best to answer my questions, keeping it light and ensuring he was not giving much time to roam around in ” What ifs.” The backflip from the boat to the water looks more daunting than it is. We took a few minutes to stabilize before the descent.
Recalling those moments, it’s evident to me that trusting the instructor (Manu) was the only choice I had; therefore, it was better to do it with all my might.
After you have done the homework, all you can do is just Trust!
Step 3- The descent
As we were sloping down, Manu constantly checked on me via the learned sign language. He kept reminding me of the technique to reduce ear pressure during the few minutes I felt uneasy. As our goals were still floating in the same direction, the way forward looked promising.
A further critical reflection is that building trust is not a one-time effort. It requires consistent effort. You need to up your game by paying attention to the one trusting you and adjusting accordingly.
Final Step- The Magic World
Nothing could prepare me for what was in store next. It is beyond my rational mind to visualize a quiet, colorful world living so peacefully under the hustles of the world above sea level. The silence was so contagious that words remained forbidden for extended periods after we returned to our boat ( your clue to guess the chatterbox in our earlier diving couple). My “forever ready to talk “daughter was silent throughout our return trip, making me aware that the silence was not personal.
As we ascended back to the familiar world, I realized that these pearls of insight came along to stay with me and a striking reminder that every being, small or big, is the center of their universe. At a sufficient distance, we all are invisible or will be someday.
Knowing that we are so little in the grander scheme of things but still integral to something mighty and beautiful is a form of power—For that reason, this power is to be cherished and worn wisely.
Anecdotes of the ordinary 
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