#scubaph

[louisecardenas]

We are alive. We are freeee~ #scubadiving #scubaph (at Bunker Dive Resort)

[agirlwhocriesoutloud-blog]

061716// With 350/20. Written by Beafleur Cui As I slowly put on my wetsuit and zipped the zipper from behind, I could not stop but think about the fear of not being able to use my glasses underwater. I have been myopic for four years now and my eye grade has greatly increased overtime. I went out of the dressing room, glasses perched between my nose as I approached the waiting shed. They were already handing out masks and telling us to get into the water and they asked me to leave my glasses on dry land. I hesitantly gave it to one of the guides. Right then, everything became a massive piece of blur; the horizon looking like a smudged painting, sea and sky all blended into one hue. I went onto the water and walked towards our instructor, worrying about how I'm going to be able to admire the scenery when I can't see them clearly. Our instructor taught us three basic rules for staying alive, first is mask clearing; to clear your nose and eyes, second is regulator clearing; to clear your mouth, and lastly, pressure check; to clear your ears. After a few clearance runs, we hopped on the pump boat towards the real deal. We traveled a few meters away from the resort and onto deep water where fishes and anemones swam in schools. I put on my mask as they put on my scuba gear, tightening the clasps and inserting weights to the sides to keep me grounded while on the water. At the count of three they made me jump into the blue. I got a hold of my regulator and clasped it between my molars tightly, inhaling as much air as I can through my mouth. Down we went as I try to get used to not breathing through my nose worrying that I might drown and have my lungs filled with liquid. As soon as my mask was submerged everything became amplified. Life's not as blurry as it is above. And I wanted to smile and celebrate a little because everything just looked so beautiful. Corals started to show up in different shapes and sizes; some small, some medium sized, and fishes in different colors that could put a rainbow to shame. They led us to a sanctuary where groupers, clownfishes and dories inhabited; where anemones as plump and vibrant as peaches swayed from side to side. I tried to touch some of them as gentle as I could, trying not to startle the current nor the tiny hearts that were beating around me. I moved forward swimming with my flippers, even hitting my knees onto one of the corals, getting myself a bruise. We plunged into a deeper depth, seeing more and more species of fishes that I don't even know the name of. Everything has just led me speechless though in my mind I was thanking God for giving me such a beautiful opportunity. Had my mask did not begin to fill up with water, I would have stayed under longer but due to the fact that it was starting to get loose, we had to resurface. I removed my mouthpiece and was welcomed with the sun shining at my face; bright, a little bit orange, reminding us that sunset was at our midst. I breathed out a sigh as my guide held my tank and dragged me back to the boat. Despite the teeny tiny glitches, I couldn't stop myself from smiling. I saw a whole new world even if my vision lacked clarity. After this experience I had realized a whole new perspective about life in general. Maybe we are all too afraid to go after something that we want because we don't know what's going to happen. Just like how I was so scared to leave my glasses behind because I'm not sure if I could see things as they are with my blurry vision. If we don't take risks, we'll never discover all of the amazing things God has lined up for us. We have to have the courage to plunge into uncertainty to dive into a millions and thousands of possibilities.

[scubaph]

Grey Nurse Shark by PH Chong Via Flickr: The Grey Nurse Shark (Carcharias taurus) also known as the sand tiger shark or spotted ragged-tooth shark, is one of four species belonging to the family Odontaspididae. The species has a large, rather stout body and is coloured grey to grey-brown dorsally, with a paler off white under belly. Reddish or brownish spots may occur on the caudal fin and posterior half of the body, particularly in juveniles. The species has a conical snout, long awl-like teeth in both jaws (with single lateral cusplets), similarly sized first and second dorsal fin and an asymmetrical caudal fin. Grey nurse sharks grow to at least 3.6 metres in length. The grey nurse shark is a slow but strong swimmer and is generally more active at night. Grey nurse sharks are often observed just above the sea bed in or near deep sandy-bottomed gutters or rocky caves, in the vicinity of inshore rocky reefs and islands. The diet of the adult grey nurse shark consists of a wide range of fish, other sharks, squids, crabs and lobsters.