bliss under waves
Aug. 25th, 2011 03:56 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
summer_jackelI was certified for scuba diving with four wonderful friends in Monterey this weekend, and it was wonderful. I have coveted the ability to dive since that I learned what it was (I remember the moment; I was pretty young, and my mother very firmly emphasized how dangerous it was). As an adult, the equipment and perceived difficulty and expense in gaining the skill intimidated me, and despite my obsession with marine life and looking for it in the wild (in tidepools, up until now), I don't know that I'd have done it if friends hadn't had the idea and poked me. How fortunate I am.
It turns out that the equipment is relatively straightforward once one understands its use, its danger is not great if one takes proper care, and that obtaining certification was quite manageable. It's hard to explain how just delighted I am to have had this experience.
On our second dive, while hanging around under about 20 feet of water, holding onto a rope anchored in the sandy bottom of Monterey Bay and taking turns doing exercises, I saw a wild octopus. It was tiny, and the color of sand. It held very still, tentacles pulled in close and curled slightly upwards. I wouldn't have seen it if one of my companions had not pointed it out, and it quickly took its chance to disappear down one of the many tiny burrows that lines the seafloor. It was enchanting and beautiful. I hardly expected to achieve one of my life ambitions in wildlife-watching on my first weekend of diving.
So yeah, I want to do that lots more.
I managed to see a lot for relatively short dives in which our time was mostly spent doing the necessary certification exercises. (I hope that my mask never again has reason to be all the way off under water; it was a very sensible thing for us to learn how to deal with, but man, I hated that). Wild otters came very close on both days, hoping that our float contained abalone. Other sealife I spotted included a beautiful fish that I am reasonably certain (after a lot of time spent with my fish book and google) a black perch, a sculpin of some kind, a couple of truly enormous giant stars and sea cucumbers. There were oodles of bat stars everywhere, and I saw one gorgeous sunflower star. I have a very healthy respect for those; I have met them in tidepools, and they are very fast and inquisitive if you offer to touch one. I will not be offering to touch one the size of my face any time soon.
There was a glorious garden of tube-dwelling anemones, some with beautiful black tentacles, and cute little strawberry anemones.
A bunch of adorable juvenile sanddabs scuttled around on the sandy bottom, and a diving cormorant, who wasn't in the least bit concerned about us and practically brushed against us as it dove past. (That photo may not be the same species of cormorant, but you get the idea).
It was amazing and I loved it.
It turns out that the equipment is relatively straightforward once one understands its use, its danger is not great if one takes proper care, and that obtaining certification was quite manageable. It's hard to explain how just delighted I am to have had this experience.
On our second dive, while hanging around under about 20 feet of water, holding onto a rope anchored in the sandy bottom of Monterey Bay and taking turns doing exercises, I saw a wild octopus. It was tiny, and the color of sand. It held very still, tentacles pulled in close and curled slightly upwards. I wouldn't have seen it if one of my companions had not pointed it out, and it quickly took its chance to disappear down one of the many tiny burrows that lines the seafloor. It was enchanting and beautiful. I hardly expected to achieve one of my life ambitions in wildlife-watching on my first weekend of diving.
So yeah, I want to do that lots more.
I managed to see a lot for relatively short dives in which our time was mostly spent doing the necessary certification exercises. (I hope that my mask never again has reason to be all the way off under water; it was a very sensible thing for us to learn how to deal with, but man, I hated that). Wild otters came very close on both days, hoping that our float contained abalone. Other sealife I spotted included a beautiful fish that I am reasonably certain (after a lot of time spent with my fish book and google) a black perch, a sculpin of some kind, a couple of truly enormous giant stars and sea cucumbers. There were oodles of bat stars everywhere, and I saw one gorgeous sunflower star. I have a very healthy respect for those; I have met them in tidepools, and they are very fast and inquisitive if you offer to touch one. I will not be offering to touch one the size of my face any time soon.
There was a glorious garden of tube-dwelling anemones, some with beautiful black tentacles, and cute little strawberry anemones.
A bunch of adorable juvenile sanddabs scuttled around on the sandy bottom, and a diving cormorant, who wasn't in the least bit concerned about us and practically brushed against us as it dove past. (That photo may not be the same species of cormorant, but you get the idea).
It was amazing and I loved it.
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
no subject
Date: 2011-08-26 01:11 am (UTC)It's a magical feeling, I really miss it.
no subject
Date: 2011-08-26 02:06 am (UTC)If you are ever in town, you could certainly rent equipment! Eventually I want to own stuff, but it's going to take me awhile, and in the meantime, I want to be diving regularly.
no subject
Date: 2011-08-26 05:38 am (UTC)I got almost all my gear used, when I started out. I think the only things I bought new were my mask, and... I think I got the regulator new, because it was a major 'end of year' special. I eventually upgraded to a new BC, and tank, and so on, but it did keep the entry price low.
no subject
Date: 2011-08-26 05:17 pm (UTC)I have a mask and snorkel, which was really a relief; the one I borrowed for the pool segment did not fit nearly as well as the one I purchased for the open water dive. I have gloves, and I think that my neoprene sailing boots may do. Next up I think I need fins and a wet suit. There are a lot of really reasonable used BC/reg/octo sets out there for sale, and in a few months I suspect that I will go looking.
no subject
Date: 2011-08-26 01:26 am (UTC)Oooooooh, I am jealous.
Scubadiving is on my bucket list.
Being from the country of Jacques Cousteau, how could I not love the oceans?
I must make time and see if I can do this.
no subject
Date: 2011-08-26 02:07 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-08-31 06:11 pm (UTC)Also the frogfish (!) and the nudibranch and the cloud of butterflyfish and the parrotfish and the trumpetfish and the jacks and the coronetfish and the flame wrasse and the SEA TURTLE WHO SWAM RIGHT AT ME (I think she thought I was cabbage) and I had to kick to get out of her way and the goatfish and the flatfish and the unicornfish and SO many butterflyfish and damselfish. Oh and how could I forget the humuhumunukunukuapua'a.
I followed a beautiful big terminal male parrotfish while snorkeling. At some point I noticed I could hear him eating!
Sadly, there's a high surf warning today like there was yesterday, so we can't go snorkeling again. I was really hoping to get to do that on Maui since it's supposed to be amazing here, but the weather says no.
no subject
Date: 2011-08-31 07:16 pm (UTC)Oh wow, so awesome. I am looking forward to hearing stories upon your return---such an abundance of wonders! Fishies!!!