.......As long as it didn't take me far from shore.
Yep, even adventurers have their quirks. Mine is a huge fear of being underwater with a breathing apparatus. This is unfortunate b/c the two things Travis has been longing to do with me are scuba and snorkeling. Shudder! The idea of being out in open water, depending on a device to provide breathable air was enough to strike terror in my heart and send me to the fetal position sucking my thumb.
So Travis has been chipping away at my defenses for 18 years or so. But this year, he decided to change tactics and go for more of a compromise to win me over. He chose my favorite spot (Siesta Key) and asked if I would join the family snorkeling at Point-of-Rocks which is unique in many ways. First, you can swim to it from the beach, so no deep water! This also made it crazy cheap, at something like $9 a person. So I mustered up the courage to say yes for the first time.
That's where my courage ended. On the drive out to the equipment rental place today, I started to have raised heart rate, butterfly tummy, and moderate breathing problems. I'm so glad Travis had me persevere. And it's also no surprise to find the word "severe" in "persevere"! I made it through the fitting, the beach lesson by Travis and then we started to swim out to the rocks. Both kids took to it like Merpeople. They were floating, diving, and wishing the fins would be permanently attached. Me? I hyperventilated and had to back float to refocus. It's akin to having a 5 year old pass you the first time you're on a black diamond ski-slope as you're quaking in your boots. I think I used every calming skill I possessed to put that mask back on and try yet again.
But I'm so glad I did! Once I finally got the hang of breathing through my mouth without panicking, the sight that awaited me would lure anyone to conquer their fear! There were entire schools of fish, crabs, and all kinds of intoxicating colors in the plant life. And in order to see better, you had to dive to the bottom. Within 5 minutes of looking, I was diving and LOVING it!! I'm not a pro by any stretch of the imagination, but I did get a taste of it and want more...someday. I lasted about an hour and then entertained myself at the beach while the other 3 continued to explore. So all in all, it was a good experience. Travis is still saying we'll scuba together one day. Bless his heart. (that's southern-speak for "ain't happenin') But I would like to try snorkeling again. Maybe we'll go to a deep water reef next year.
(Pictured, Point-of-Rocks, Siesta Key, FL)
I'm not adventurous, but I LOVED scuba diving! Jamaica, Curaçao, Aruba, Honduras... LOVED it. I even enjoyed night diving. Wish we'd done more before I got too old, too fat, too out of shape, too poor etc. We snorkled a few years later in Cancun. I enjoyed seeing my favorite fish (parrotfish) and hearing them nibble on coral, but I wasn't particularly competent with a snorkel :P and the real deal (scuba) is just ... the best!! I'm not saying that to put down your accomplishment and fun experience! But if you can find the courage, the rewards will be more than worth it! :) Btw, where we snorkled was shallow by the beach, too (and
ReplyDeletewarm, clear, nice!). Lori (ignore the cami barrett thing - a game name :P)
I've only been snorkeling, and it was a mixed experience... you know, beautiful underwater scenery mixed with panicked scenes of me floundering for air when I wasn't actually drowning. Just the sound of the snorkel made me panic, even though I was breathing fine.
ReplyDeleteGlad I'm not the only one who had a rough intro to snorkeling. It was beautiful enough to make me want to try again, though. :)
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