Diving Down Under

Growing up on the California coast, I’ve always loved the ocean. Whether swimming, boogie boarding, or (poorly) surfing, even after getting tossed around by rough waves, I would always come out of the water thrilled and with that much more respect and appreciation for the ocean. 

My favorite animal has always been sea turtles, and for a while, I had my heart set on being a marine biologist. My younger brother and I would watch Shark Week together and wish we could experience the same underwater grandeur. Obviously, scuba diving in the ocean is something I have always wanted to do, but I never had a reason more than simple interest to make the investment… until my friends and I planned a once-in-a-lifetime trip to the Great Barrier Reef during our inter-term break, coming up in a few weeks!

I could not imagine going to one of the seven wonders of the world and not experiencing it to the fullest, so immediately after booking our trip, I found a PADI Open Water Diver certification course. Although my friends were noncommittal, I would not let this lifetime bucket list item fall to the wayside. Deciding to do the course regardless of who else was there, I booked it for just myself, and that’s what I spent this past weekend doing. 

Unwilling to chance anything that could jeopardize my certification (thus my interaction with one of the seven wonders of the world!), each day I woke up much earlier than necessary so I couldn’t possibly miss the bus and train to get to the dive shop. An incessant planner, I packed plenty of warm clothes, snacks, a pen in case I needed to take notes… Throughout the course I was reminded of the relaxed, accepting attitude of Australians, but I was fine with being over-prepared.

As anticipated, throughout the weekend I learned countless technical skills that will allow me to scuba dive safely, whether that be around Sydney or up at the Great Barrier Reef. What I hadn’t considered is that I would end my weekend utterly in love with diving and that I would walk away from the course with so many new friends. 

Outside of my Professors, this was my first legitimate interaction with local Australians. Whether it was the instructors of Abyss Scuba Diving or the other students in the certification course, I enjoyed getting to know them all throughout the weekend. Working together to check the gear, assemble our kits, and learn scuba skills, I found a camaraderie similar to what I enjoyed playing water polo. I hope to continue my newly established friendships, whether that be through diving or otherwise. 

Although I have spent much of my life underwater swimming, playing water polo, enjoying the ocean, or researching the Susquehanna River at Bucknell, what I felt while scuba diving was incomparable to any of my previous experiences. With this new-found awe, I walked away from my Open Water Diver course with a membership to the Abyss Scuba Diving club and plans for future dives. Who knew I’d want to take what I haphazardly named my blog so literally!