Scuba Diving; Aussie Style

To kick off my Australia trip, I was taken on an orientation with a group of American students in Cairns. During the 2^nd day of orientation we boarded a catamaran that took us out to the Great Barrier Reef. I knew we were going on a boat ride, but I didn’t expect anything as beautiful as this. On our way out to the reef, an instructor asked me if I’d like to scuba dive. I can barley do the doggy paddle. “Don’t you need a scuba license or something?” I asked the instructor. “No worries” she replied.

Our Whole Griffith Uni Crew on the Catamaran 

The students who were opting to scuba dive were asked to pay $70, sign a form and go grab a wet suit. I’ve heard about people scuba diving here in the states and going through courses and tests, this seemed way too easy. Before I knew it I squeezed myself into a wetsuit and I had an oxygen tank strapped on my back. We were put into groups of 4 students and 1 instructor. A tall brawny Australian man with a bic’d head was our instructor. After a couple of breathing exercises and underwater signals we jumped off the back of the boat, my first time splashing into the Pacific Ocean.

My Really Cool Scuba Outfit

Trying on Our Scuba Gear

 The water was really choppy and we had to practice the breathing the oxygen under water. I was having major issues. Even though I’m a terrible swimmer, I've never been afraid of the ocean. I kept on trying to go under water just a couple of inches while breathing my oxygen and I started to silently freak out. Another girl in my group, Rosanna, was having the same problem as me and started to freak out, out loud. Rosanna was the only other person on our trip from Long Island and she showed our true colors in this moment. “I need to get out right now!” she yelled in fear. Our caring instructor explained everything will be OK and he will go slowly—“I need to get out of the water right now! Keep my money! Get me out!” as she b-lined for the ladder. I saw that as my opportunity to make an exit and attempted my best rendition of the doggy paddle over to the back of the boat. The burly instructor begged me to just give it a try. He told me he would hold my hand and we’d go down 1 meter at a time until I was at ease. This persuasive Aussie did just that, and never let go of my hand.

Practicing Breathing in the Water

I was scared shitless, but to make a proper entrance into Australian culture, I “gave it a go” anyway. The two other students in my scuba group just had to follow behind us, as we slowly but surely made it to the ocean floor. It was unbelievable. The fish that were swimming all around us were the brightest colors I’d ever seen and patterns I had never even dreamt of. We saw a sting ray crawl across the ocean floor and looked up at the sun from 30 feet under water. I never let go of my instructors hand for a second. In general you are not allowed to touch the reef but he showed us certain plants we could feel. Toward the end I let go of his hand and all 4 of us linked arms and swam under the catamaran through the schools of huge big mouthed fish. They swam right passed our noses, pretending like we weren’t even there. We then had to get out, it was freezing and I was still in shock to what I had just experienced.

Beautiful Reef Fish

What We Were Swimming Through, 30 feet Underwater

A few minutes later, someone from the boat crew announced there would be one more dive for $45. Everyone was freezing and wanted to stay warm on the boat, so the price kept dropping. When it got to $25 I said screw it, I’m in! I squeezed back into my soaking wet suit, slapped back on my equipment and effortlessly jumped back in the clear Pacific Ocean like I wasn't terrified earlier.

Passions Catamaran 

A Sting Ray Crawling Across the Ocean Floor

 We went with the same awesome instructor again and there was only me and 3 other students total. We slowly sunk down to the ocean floor, where I wasn’t scared to move about on my own this time. Our instructor signaled to me to look left, and there it was, a giant sea turtle, almost the size of me. He handed me some seaweed and signaled in the signs we learned earlier, to feed the turtle. As I held out my hand to feed this mammoth turtle, its little mouth slowly bit my finger! Yes, I started screaming into my mask, imagining the turtle was going to turn into an angry, mutant turtle and bite my head off next. I’d never seen an animal so gigantic without a fence or tank separating us. Our instructor signaled for me to relax and let’s go. I turned to swim away and back towards our group. I looked back and there was a 5^th person in our lesson, the sea turtle was swimming right in the middle of our group. It was one of the best experiences I’ve had in my life.

My New Best Friend 

View from the Ocean Floor Looking Up

If you ever have a chance to scuba dive, do it! Pay attention, don’t be afraid and love every minute. And just hope you have an amazing, understanding instructor like mine. I’m so upset I don’t remember this instructor’s name. If you’re out there, bald instructor on the Cairns Passions Catamaran, THANK YOU

My Amazing Scuba Instructor!