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This is the story about my SCUBA exp. and certification. It's long so if you don't want to... don't read it.
Welp, we're back. We started this adventure around Jan 22nd. My friend through work offered to let me join his next SCUBA cert. course for just the cost of books (approx $60.00 each -the course is normally $225.00 each). We were strapped for cash even then but we found a way to do it since Ian and I love it so much.
The classwork was hard, but we had a good techer so we breezed the test. This signified the first half of it was done, now onto the pool work and dives.
Ian and I went through the pool work like pros (with an occasional hangup on my end about water around my nose *shudder*). Our classmate was having a difficult time, if her husband (BUTTHEAD) wasn't there she probably would have gotten over any of her issues.
Due to family issues on both ends we could not schedule the finishing dives until this very weekend. We went to Fanning Springs for the first 3 dives (all on Saturday) I will not embellish here, Ian and I did much worse than either one of us expected. I was in tears by the end of the first dive, I couldn't get over having water around my nose... I kept freaking out and popping up to the surface..... you CANNOT do this at depth.. you will die. I'm lucky we were not more than 5 ft down, my foolishness could have killed me.
I finally got over my issues and we finished our dives for the first day... stiff, sore, and wanting more. Somehow on the 2nd and 3rd dives the instructor was able to revive our love of the sport.
Sunday we moved to Manatee Springs. Here there are several diveable areas, two of which we went to and those two are connected by a cave (we are NOT certified for this so we did NOT go in). In the Manatee side the flow out of the cave was so strong it almost knocked my mask off. On dive 2 we did more skills. I almost failed the class there and then.... I couldn't preform a vital skill and I was very worked up and upset over it. I finally nailed it about 30 mins later after several attempts.
Our third dive was in Catfish Sink (the other side of the cave system, surprisingly only 100ft away from entrance to Manatee Springs). Here the depth was 47 feet the deepest we have EVER gone. I was terrified (I was informed that this was 60-70feet deep when it was not) however I handled it like a pro, and so did Ian (this man has no fear I swear). The catch about this side is that it is extremely silty. If you kick with your fins pointing down you will have zero visibility the silt is moved VERY easily. Our instructor complimented us heavily once we were done, he said we handled the silt and conditions excellently.
This side of the springs is not called "catfish" for nothing. Once we were at the bottom we saw catfish EVERYWHERE. Schools of them roving the bottom of the springs. They were not very big only about 4-10inches, but I had a baby catfish swim up to my mask and gobble his mouth at me. I thought it was so cute. We did a decompression stop at 15ft, but it was not necessary due to the short ammt of time we stayed down there, just more of a precaution/good practice measure. Then we surfaced and I almost swam over a child... heh he deserved it.
All in all a very enjoyable weekend, we have temp. "C" (<--- Certified) cards until our real ones arrive. I still cannot believe we actually got it done. I am so happy right now.
Welp, we're back. We started this adventure around Jan 22nd. My friend through work offered to let me join his next SCUBA cert. course for just the cost of books (approx $60.00 each -the course is normally $225.00 each). We were strapped for cash even then but we found a way to do it since Ian and I love it so much.
The classwork was hard, but we had a good techer so we breezed the test. This signified the first half of it was done, now onto the pool work and dives.
Ian and I went through the pool work like pros (with an occasional hangup on my end about water around my nose *shudder*). Our classmate was having a difficult time, if her husband (BUTTHEAD) wasn't there she probably would have gotten over any of her issues.
Due to family issues on both ends we could not schedule the finishing dives until this very weekend. We went to Fanning Springs for the first 3 dives (all on Saturday) I will not embellish here, Ian and I did much worse than either one of us expected. I was in tears by the end of the first dive, I couldn't get over having water around my nose... I kept freaking out and popping up to the surface..... you CANNOT do this at depth.. you will die. I'm lucky we were not more than 5 ft down, my foolishness could have killed me.
I finally got over my issues and we finished our dives for the first day... stiff, sore, and wanting more. Somehow on the 2nd and 3rd dives the instructor was able to revive our love of the sport.
Sunday we moved to Manatee Springs. Here there are several diveable areas, two of which we went to and those two are connected by a cave (we are NOT certified for this so we did NOT go in). In the Manatee side the flow out of the cave was so strong it almost knocked my mask off. On dive 2 we did more skills. I almost failed the class there and then.... I couldn't preform a vital skill and I was very worked up and upset over it. I finally nailed it about 30 mins later after several attempts.
Our third dive was in Catfish Sink (the other side of the cave system, surprisingly only 100ft away from entrance to Manatee Springs). Here the depth was 47 feet the deepest we have EVER gone. I was terrified (I was informed that this was 60-70feet deep when it was not) however I handled it like a pro, and so did Ian (this man has no fear I swear). The catch about this side is that it is extremely silty. If you kick with your fins pointing down you will have zero visibility the silt is moved VERY easily. Our instructor complimented us heavily once we were done, he said we handled the silt and conditions excellently.
This side of the springs is not called "catfish" for nothing. Once we were at the bottom we saw catfish EVERYWHERE. Schools of them roving the bottom of the springs. They were not very big only about 4-10inches, but I had a baby catfish swim up to my mask and gobble his mouth at me. I thought it was so cute. We did a decompression stop at 15ft, but it was not necessary due to the short ammt of time we stayed down there, just more of a precaution/good practice measure. Then we surfaced and I almost swam over a child... heh he deserved it.
All in all a very enjoyable weekend, we have temp. "C" (<--- Certified) cards until our real ones arrive. I still cannot believe we actually got it done. I am so happy right now.
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