“I can’t, I have to finish my homework,” is a phrase I never thought I would hear while on this trip. But, this past week we all fell into the old routine of doing homework late at night, in hopes of becoming scuba certified. We started class at Cairns Dive Center (CDC) on Tuesday of this week. We packed our lunches for the 8 hour day ahead of us and got on the bus bright and early. It was a bit nostalgic for us all. The first day consisted of videos and safety briefings. We learned about the regulator (what you breath into for oxygen) the submersible pressure gauge (shows how much air you have), and other important features. On our second day of scuba school we got to test out our newly learned skills in the pool. Before we put our gear on, we took a swimming test where we were required to swim a few laps and tread water for 10 minutes. Once the hard part was over, we finally got in the water. The most important rule of scuba diving is “don’t hold your breath.” At first, this was one of the hardest rules to follow. Humans are not meant to breath under water, it feels incredibly unnatural. Your brain tells you to panic, but scuba diving is no place for that. You need to trust your equipment and your abilities and give in to the unsettling but invigorating feeling of being under water for so long. Our second day consisted of getting used to our equipment and our new skills. We practiced clearing our masks of water, what to do if the regulator falls out of your mouth, how to help your diving buddy, etc. It was a tough day, especially with the test we had to take (yes, an actual written test), but we all felt accomplished.
On Thursday we made our way to Fitzroy Island to continue our diving lessons. We were slowly moving up to the big leagues; our next dive was done in the ocean! Fitzroy Island was one of those places that cannot properly be captured in a photograph. The resort where we spent the night was beach front, all inclusive, and did I say beach front? Layers of mountains, clear blue water, and boats floating in the distance made up our view.The beach was made of white coral and the marine life there was beautiful. It was a shock to the system as we’ve all become accustomed to hostels over the past 3 months. What were those white fluffy things in our non-communal bathrooms? Towels? Free towels? Ah, it’s the little things.
On Friday morning we (sadly) left Fitzroy to dive and snorkel on the Great Barrier Reef. The Finding Nemo references were plenty, and so were the sea turtles (noggin, duuuude). We went to two different dive sites, one called 360 and the other called Fishbowl. Both were equally as breathtaking. The quiet of the ocean was peaceful, similar to feeling alone in a crowded room. There were people and animals and sea life everywhere, but your power of speech was temporarily taken from you and you were left with just your thoughts. Co-existing peacefully with those creatues, even just for a day, was beautiful. We were silent observers, respectful admirers, and great adventurers. On that note, I’ll leave you all with some wise words from one of my favorite E.E. Cummings poems:
“For whatever we lose (like a you or a me)
It’s always ourselves we find in the sea.”
Until next time
– Holly