License to DIVE

License to drive and now a License to DIVE :)

I am now a PADI Open Water Diver :)

Yes the holidays has been pretty boring. But the past 3 weeks.... this was what I was always looking forward to. Dive classes!

I reached Auckland on the 29th. On the 30th, I signed up to an open water diving course. Course commence on the 1st of December. It was every Tuesday and Thursday night where it was either classroom or confined water dive in NZ's largest purpose-built indoor diver training pool. Despite it being located up north on the shore, despite having to drive through the city and the shore during peak traffic hours, it was very well worth it and much looked forward to.

My very first open water dive was on the 12th and that was probably THEE Highlight of the Year!!! Woke up bright and early at 5.30 and headed to north shore. Packed our gears and it was off to Goat's Island. It was a cloudy day and was a wee bit disappointed because I was hoping it would be sunny as the past few days were.

We got into our wet suit, fixed up the gas cylinders and regulators to our BCDs, loaded up the boat and then it was off to Leigh's Harbour. First dive for the day was near the marine reserve. The boat ride to the marine reserve was quite long. The sea was rather rough and had trouble putting on our gears in the water. Almost.. ALMOST dropped my weight belt! Pheww!! We dropped all the way down to 12m and did a few skills here and there and started swimming around. Visibility wasn't too good but still saw heaps of snappers and even spotted a crayfish! Despite the poor visibility, I was still ecstatic being in a different world. It was like.... I can breathe underwater!! And I got to experience what all the fishies experience too! hehehehe....

We were there for half an hour and got up and went back to the harbour to unload and get new gas cylinders for our second dive. Felt a bit seasick from the boat ride back from the marine reserve and so didn't feel like going for the second dive. Second dive was at the outpost which was nearer than the marine reserve. Sea was much calmer over there. As we dropped down to 12m, we came into a circle and the instructor went around 1 by 1, checking our skills. As I looked across, I saw heaps of fishes swimming around us. They were yellow tail fishes and there were like a school of them, hundreds of them.... just going round and round, surrounding us. It was simply amazing. Couldn't stop smiling and somehow when I smile or laugh, the water will get into my mask. While we were doing our fins pivet, this lil fishie swam right in front of me and was checking me out!! hahahaa!! it was just staring at me, right in front of my mask for quite awhile. Guess I'm just too hot underwater as well :p Too bad it wasn't a mer-man!! We also saw a baby long-tail ray swimming by the rocks. hehehehe.....

After we did our skills, we swam around and then we spotted this huge ass long-tail ray. It was massive!! Thank goodness it was just on one spot and not moving around else I'd panic. We surfaced after half an hour and that was the end of day 1. I was very satisfied and couldn't wait to go home and tell my brother the things I saw. A great experience indeed.

But... it did not end there.

As we were going back to the shore........ at first... I couldn't believe my ears..... and then... I couldn't believe my eyes! My instructor pointed out and said 'Look!! Dolphins!!".... I was like..... yeah righttt..... I stuck my head out and I saw fins moving around the water close to the shore..... they looked like sharks ... haha!! And then WEEEE!!! one jumped out of the water... It is definitely dolphins!!!

It wasn't one... but a school of dolphins!!! They were just playing near the shore...swimming around.... doing flips and jumps out of the water!!!! Couldn't believe it!!! I've always wanted to see dolphins.... Never got to see them when I went up to Bay of Islands a few years back. I said to myself I will go up there another time and make sure I see them!! And now.. I am seeing them.. for free!!!

We couldn't get back to the shore with the boat as the dolphins were there. We had to wait for them to go back out to the sea before we can go in with the boat... And so.... the instructor asked us to put on our fins and snorkels and swim with the dolphins!!! I didn't contemplate whatsoever. I didn't care if he was joking or not. I put on my fins and snorkel in record time and jumped into the water. The dolpins swam around us and weren't afraid. They were swimming under us as well and when I looked down, wholly crap!!! they were freaking huge!!!! too bad they were too fast for me.... I didn't get to touch them but it didn't matter.... i was too busy savouring the moment. TOOOO happy!!!

First dive and I saw snappers, crayfish, yellow-tails fishes and other fishes that I do not know their names...long tail rays and DOLPHINS!!!

Am I not one lucky bugger? I say.. hell yeah I am!!! That 500 bucks is absolutely, definitely, positively more than worth it!!!! Highlight of the year 2009!!!!

The second sea dive was the week after which was on the 19th. It was a sunny day but visibility was even worst. This time we dropped all the way down to 18m. Less fishies, heaps of rocks, nothing interesting but did see a very big starfish. Because of the rocks, it was very narrow and we have to swim in between the rocks it actually felt like a tiny adventure. Hehehehehe.. small things amazes small minds huh? Lucky I told myself before the dive not to expect as much as the week before. And so... I still enjoyed the final sea dive and got my PADI license to dive!!!

All in all, the diving experience was absolutely awesome!!!! I am so glad I did it and I am looking forward to more dives. For this experience, I have no one other to thank but my beloved koko!! He paid for my diving course and he was the one that made me sign up for it. I was reluctant at first but now I am so thankful for it. Thanks!! This calls for more opportunity for brother-sister time. Wooohoooo!!!!

Funny how when I was really young, I had a huge love for koalas. Then later on, it changed to dolphins when I started swimming. And then when I was in sydney and saw koalas again, I started switching back to Koalas. And now.... it's back to dolphins. Hahahaha!!! Now I don't know anymore.. koalas or dolphins? which one more? Who knows? What I know is... I saw both koalas and dolphins this year!!! wooooppteeedooooo!!!