With one day notice, on Tuesday 1st November Jade and I set out at 6am to drive just over an hour South to the idyllic location of Byron Bay. Having heard great things about the beauties of Byron Bay, from guide books and locals alike, I was more than chuffed to be learning how to scuba dive here. PADI (Professional Association of Diving Instructors) is a course consisting of eight hours e-learning, a pool-day learning how to use the equipment, followed by four days whereby ‘skills’ are completed in order to demonstrate your capability under water. These skills range from taking off your mask underwater to showing your knowledge of using a compass. This all leads to being qualified for up to 18m open water dives anywhere in the world.
Day 1- We were in a group of six (including ourselves) and were quickly given the pleasantries by our instructor Gaye. After a simple show of treading water for ten minutes and a swim for five, we were fitted up with kit.
Into the pool we went and it was clear to me that there was to be no faffing about. If you’ve got your BCD inflated and your air is on and flowing then you are good to go. Quick pointer, breathing underwater is NOT a natural feeling to us mere humans. Now, I swam competitively for around eight years of my life so I am confident in my water abilities, however, learning to breathe through only your mouth takes a lot of mind manipulating. I quickly became flustered with the idea my nose became redundant and would go as far to say it made me feel claustrophobic. Not being able to breathe ‘normally’ is, dans mon opinion, a very constricting feeling. Credit where credit is due, both Jade and Gaye gave me a good talking to as I calmed myself at the side of the pool and after lunch I caught up on the skills and was back on track with the rest of the group. These tasks included cutting off air supply, learning how to slowly breathe out until an alternative air supply was available, filling your mask with water and being able to ‘clear’ it whilst still underwater, to name a few. Day one finished around 5pm and it was fair to say I found it both mentally and physically draining.
Day 2- Byron Bay is located in the next state along from Queensland, New South Wales, and as such is one hour ahead. The time difference meant that our early starts were made even earlier. A 5.30am start on the road was made more manageable by the idea that today we would be headed to the ocean for our dives. Today also consisted of demonstrating all the skills from the day before (there was about fifteen in total) as well as being able to take in the great finds of the ocean floor. A quick five minute drive in a rickety yet charming mini bus took us to the beach whereby the boat shortly followed. It was a team effort to get the boat deep enough into the ocean and then we all hopped ever so (not) gracefully into the boat. A speedy five minute bob along the bluest of oceans lead us to Julian Rocks, our dive site. We moored up to a public buoy and backward rolled off the boat and into the water, JUST like you see on the telly. Getting down to five metres involved letting air out of your BCD and a lot of equalizing or ‘blowing out your ears’ – like you do on an aeroplane. We had to hold on to a large rope that was anchored to the ocean floor as we descended, then at five metres we could let go and with a hell of a lot of controlled ‘mouth breathing’ swim further down into the coral.
As we all kneeled on the ocean floor at around eight metres performing our skills, a grey nurse shark weaved its way through the group. Both the instructors on the dive would later comment on how that had never happened to them before and we were lucky to experience that on our first dive. Thirty-nine minutes later (yes, it really is that precise) we slowly surfaced, climbed back onto the boat, then the minibus and headed back to base where we swapped over our air cylinders and did the whole thing again. Today finished around 2pm so Jade and I strolled round the boutiques of Byron and indulged on a smoothie each. My chunky monkey was most certainly worth the early start!
Day 3- Today started out at the same early time of 5.30am. It was the third and final day of the course and our final two dives. Alas, this was not meant to be for me but more on that shortly.
With only a few more skills left to complete, we quickly loaded up the boat with our gear and headed out to Julian Rocks for the third time. The ocean was perfectly calm today and therefore ideal diving conditions. Peaceful is how I would describe this dive.
The fourth and final dive began like any of the others. As I descended to the five metre mark I started to equalize my ears. A number of short, sharp blows for me but it just wasn’t happening. I descended and ascended to the surface a total of three times before Gaye stopped me and told me that today just wasn’t my day and if I was to force it again then I would risk bursting an eardrum. I swam back to the moored boat and sulked as I hurled the heavy gear onto the boat, disappointed. I lay on the side of the boat in the sun waiting for my fellow group to resurface some thirty-five minutes later. It was bittersweet not being able to join in with the congratulations of the group, however, I’m a believer of fate and knew that an eardrum that wouldn’t play ball was meant to be.
Day 4- A phone call the previous day at ten to five confirmed that I had been slotted in for a dive the very next day in order to complete my PADI! Although Gaye was no longer available to watch me complete my final dive, I was lucky enough to be having a 1:1 dive with a lady called Liz. Usually this is a rare privilege that comes at a high price. As I let out the air in my BCD and descended down the anchored rope, my equalizing worked and I was relieved to be able to start the dive. As expected, it was fate that the previous day ended in disappointment for me because the dive I had with Liz was one of the most surreal experiences I’ve ever had. Within five minutes of being at eleven metres, a huge green turtle swam past with such serenity. It was about two metres in front of us and I decided then that anything that would follow from this point would be a bonus! The best way I can describe the experience of this dive would be when in The Little Mermaid she has all the sea life swimming round her in a tornado style shape. As we swam through the coves and coral we were surrounded by schools of fish and joined by plenty of grey nurse and wobbegong sharks. Right at the end of the dive I saw both Nemo and Dory fish as well as two more turtles right above my head breaking the surface with their heads. So beautiful!
Once we had surfaced, Liz said that our dive was brimming with sea life and there’s no way we would have been able to swim as far if we were in a big group. I felt very lucky and couldn’t thank her enough. As myself and a number of more experienced divers, including an underwater photographer, sped back to shore, I reflected on this amazing experience and the achievement I had made!
Back at base I got my dive book signed off, thanked the staff for all their help and then pottered round the corner for a celebratory iced chai. It’s official, I’m a real life Ariel!
LP x
LozinOz 