8/11/2005 - the big two-zero
Despite the inactivity on this blog, I've atually been out and done a few dives, in fact on the weekend I logged my 20th dive, which for me is quite exciting!!!  This brings me ever-closer to my goal of 30 dives before January 06 so I can volunteer at Lizard Is Research Station.
I guess I can say I have overcome my fear of getting back into the water....overcome it but it's still definitely there. Our club has purchased a boat-based shark deterrant which hangs off the anchor line...and this has calmed my nerves when it comes to safety stops (even if it may be a false sense of security....?). Last weekend, we didn't find the anchor line in time for our safety stop, so we ended up doing a mid-water one. I had concentrated pretty hard on my breathing to avoid panicking but somehow got through it. We weren't that far from the boat as it turned out.
Later in the day as we anchored for our 2nd dive, another dive boat approached us and told us there'd been a white pointer sighting the day before exactly where we'd just finished our first dive.  What could we say? It wasn't there now! Sea rescue had posted a warning just that morning on 2 sightings of a white pointer about 25km north. Maybe it had swum up there? I don't know. I did my 2nd dive with no nerves (maybe the travel sickness pills had a sedative effect....... ).
Saturday was a perfect day weather-wise and there were plenty of divers out, but no reported incidents. Afterwards, I felt slightly exhilarated. I think it was mainly cause I got out there and did 2 dives, in spite of their being sightings (in total there 4 last week). Some people will call us reckless, but what are we supposed to do? The first sighting had been where we originally planned to dive, so we moved 25km south.....only to find one had been seen there too!! It shouldn't be so surprising - a shark being seen in the water! I hope I never see one myself.
This weekend I think I will have to have a dry one as I am moving house. As it is, I've left only Saturday to pack and Sunday to move (I'm in share-houses, so I virtually have only bedroom furniture and dive/fishing gear to move!!!) I've thought about how I could fit in one dive Saturday and then spend the arvo packing.....but I don't think it's a good idea..... .
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