Oh how I love Starbucks, let me count the ways!
I've been very, very good and have stayed away from my computer for almost five days. Okay okay I did peek once but it was on a public computer and I couldn't browse so I'm not really counting that day.
I have found a new passion. One that means I have to secure a very rich man. His money will take me around the world to dive. Hopefully he will enjoy this passion too - it will help. *wink
I did my first dive on the weekend and I'm basically starting at the end saying I'm enamored in a big way of this experience. I didn't have any certification or practice so let's just say my panic nearly cost me this experience of a lifetime. I was terrified I wouldn't know how to breath once under water and the five minute explanation for clearing the breathing tube seemed terribly brief once descending.
I'm proud to say I pushed through the terror and dove. Now to be fair it was only 22 feet deep and for each tourist there was one guide - so I wasn't truly in danger - it just felt like it.
I did discover I'm as much of a blond underwater as over it. I was caught up in my world and didn't feel I had to pay that much attention to the experienced divers. Wait, that sounds blasé and I wasn't - what I mean is I didn't watch their every move I just kept them in peripheral view. At some point I realized the other divers - newbies and others - were stopped ahead of me. I saw an experienced diver indicate in a half circle with his arm - I really didn't think too much of what that meant and continued to approach the group. He held up his hand to signal stop- I got that cue. I stopped. He pointed behind me and I turned around. There was a very long, slender, kind of silver fish. Cool. Because everyone was watching it I did too. I wondered if it was rare because they all seemed so interested. I was maybe four feet from it. I learned later that the half circle gesture was meant for me to swim a half circle away but instead I'd swum right over it. A barracuda.
I had no idea of course until we surfaced and ALL the divers were excitedly babbling. Even the experienced divers indicated their thrill. Wow - and here I was oblivious - just marveling at the beautiful big fish which stayed perfectly still just a few feet from me.
We stayed about an hour underwater and I saw hundreds if not thousands of tropical wonders - I know this is corny but I want to watch Little Nemo again - I feel like I've experienced it a bit. Yesterday I ferried to Cozumel and snorkled off of a reef and once again felt transported to a world I don't live in.
So in summary - any super rich, cute, funny men out there looking to take me around the world to dive?
I've been very, very good and have stayed away from my computer for almost five days. Okay okay I did peek once but it was on a public computer and I couldn't browse so I'm not really counting that day.
I have found a new passion. One that means I have to secure a very rich man. His money will take me around the world to dive. Hopefully he will enjoy this passion too - it will help. *wink
I did my first dive on the weekend and I'm basically starting at the end saying I'm enamored in a big way of this experience. I didn't have any certification or practice so let's just say my panic nearly cost me this experience of a lifetime. I was terrified I wouldn't know how to breath once under water and the five minute explanation for clearing the breathing tube seemed terribly brief once descending.
I'm proud to say I pushed through the terror and dove. Now to be fair it was only 22 feet deep and for each tourist there was one guide - so I wasn't truly in danger - it just felt like it.
I did discover I'm as much of a blond underwater as over it. I was caught up in my world and didn't feel I had to pay that much attention to the experienced divers. Wait, that sounds blasé and I wasn't - what I mean is I didn't watch their every move I just kept them in peripheral view. At some point I realized the other divers - newbies and others - were stopped ahead of me. I saw an experienced diver indicate in a half circle with his arm - I really didn't think too much of what that meant and continued to approach the group. He held up his hand to signal stop- I got that cue. I stopped. He pointed behind me and I turned around. There was a very long, slender, kind of silver fish. Cool. Because everyone was watching it I did too. I wondered if it was rare because they all seemed so interested. I was maybe four feet from it. I learned later that the half circle gesture was meant for me to swim a half circle away but instead I'd swum right over it. A barracuda.
I had no idea of course until we surfaced and ALL the divers were excitedly babbling. Even the experienced divers indicated their thrill. Wow - and here I was oblivious - just marveling at the beautiful big fish which stayed perfectly still just a few feet from me.
We stayed about an hour underwater and I saw hundreds if not thousands of tropical wonders - I know this is corny but I want to watch Little Nemo again - I feel like I've experienced it a bit. Yesterday I ferried to Cozumel and snorkled off of a reef and once again felt transported to a world I don't live in.
So in summary - any super rich, cute, funny men out there looking to take me around the world to dive?
Few little tidbits I've learned about Barracudas -
They are voracious, opportunistic predators relying on surprise and short bursts of speed (up to 28 miles per hour (45 km/h))[4] to overtake their prey. (Wiki)
Diamond rings and other shiny objects have been known to catch their attention and resembles prey to them. Caution should be taken when swimming near mangrove coastlines by covering or removing items. (Crap should have removed the silver rings huh?)
Like sharks, some species of barracuda are reputed to be dangerous to swimmers. Gulp
The picture below is exactly as I remember the fish. Wiao. That's wow in Spanish. heh
