Water Safety Day

Words just cannot adequately express how incredible today was.

As part of our standard Training, we must all complete a Water Safety Day, where we were issued our life jackets, learn how to start a boat motor, and learn what to do if your boat capsizes. We practiced several scenarios- you fall overboard and someone throws you a life vest and you must put it on while treading water, a group is stranded adrift (you form a safety circle, locking arms and legs and everyone just floats together), and you solo stranded adrift (you hug your knees to yourself to keep warm and just float). After we completed our tasks (which took about 15 minutes) we were allowed to snorkel.

I have never snorkeled before and the whole idea seemed a little terrifying. I’ve never quite figured out how to breathe using one, and I always end up panicking. Plus I was worried about the open water and seeing the rays and sharks up close and personal. But, I was with some of my favorite people and they promised to take care of me (and I wholeheartedly knew they would), so I decided to give it a try.

It was really hard at first, getting used to breathing with my face in the water. That took a lot of practice. I was also struggling to swim in general, as I’d never used flippers before and I am just generally not a very good swimmer. Two volunteers, Diana and Nick, actually gave me legit swimming lessons. They watched me swim, told me what to fix (a lot), modeled it, and then had me swim back and forth between them (can you tell we’re teachers?). I eventually figured it out and I am so grateful to them for taking the time because I had such an amazing experience as a result. 

I was able to snorkel over so much coral reef and see some of the most amazing fish. These are things you only see in fish tanks, or at aquariums, or in Finding Nemo. But I’m here to tell you, those fish really exist in the wild. Fish of every shape, size, and vibrant, incredible, beautiful color. It was almost too surreal to believe. And I was perfectly content just floating there for hours, watching fish amongst the coral and anemones. Which, is what I did, hence my horrific sunburn on only my backside. Luckily for me, due to the modesty requirements, I was wearing shorts and a rash guard, so only my legs from behind the knee down got burned. But they got roasted. I got burned on my forearms too, due to my swimming posture, and my face has awkward burn streaks across it, but I would do it all again in a heartbeat.

As I said, words cannot express the beauty I was able to experience today. I was way too uncoordinated to handle my camera, but a lot of volunteers brought theirs out into the water, and I’ll try to get a hold of some of their pictures, or at least give you the links to their facebook albums so you can get some idea. The experience solidified that I have to get scuba certified. No doubt about it. I have to get closer, see more, be in the reef. It is terrifying, no doubt. And yes, there were huge manta rays nearby (and sharks I’m sure, luckily we didn’t see any) which kind of freaked me out, but it was still insane to be that close to one in the wild. Incredible cannot even begin to describe it. 

So here’s to continuing to push myself to do things I would have never have considered before. I mean, I already jumped on a plane and flew across the world into the unknown. I think my playing it safe days are behind me.

Wishing you well,

Christy