Day 3. Today was going to be the first time diving in the ocean on the Great Barrier Reef. First we had to be transported from Cairns to a bigger live-aboard boat, since we were going to spend 2 nights on the boat. I had a package of sea-sick pills with me, which I’m really glad I bought before the trip. I took one before the departure since I still did not trust my stomach even though I am usually fine on small boats. It took two hours to get to the reef which surprised me since I thought Cairns was practically sitting on the reef. The waves were rough, and the boat swayed hard from left to right soaking everyone on board. The journey was too cramped and too long and by the end of it more than half the passengers were standing in the back staring out onto the horizon with their pale faces.

When we arrived to the big boat we were given our rooms, lunch, and then it was time for the first dive. Getting ready was the same as in the pool but when I stepped into the water it was salt and not chlorine I tasted and that’s when my nerves started. Thoughts about not being able to equalize, not being able to breath, or not being able to do the skills in the ocean ran through my mind and I began to feel panicked.

Once we were all in the water we were to begin the decent. Since it was our first time we were supposed to hang on to a rope which attached the boat to a huge cement block. We all lined up along the rope with our buddies and let the air out of our BC to descend. The rope was slimy and green but I clung to it as if it would somehow save me. Very slowly I moved my hands down the rope equalizing at every inch. When my ears bothered me I’d inch upwards again, and I did this a few times. The bottom arrived sooner than I expected and we kneeled in a semi circle around the instructor as we had in the pool but now we were on a patch of sand. We did our skills for the last time for the instructor because this was our test we had to pass to get certified. Once in a while a fish would distract me but I managed to do everything well and then it was time to go back to the surface. Ascending is easier since you don’t have to equalize, but it has to be done slowly, 9 meters a minute to be exact. When my head broke the surface I was relieved, and felt comforted breathing air not from a tube.

I thought it was over but we had more tests on the surface such as removing and fastening the weight belt in the water. I didn’t know the point of this exercise since if I was to take off the weight belt I would drop it and therefore couldn’t put it back on. The problem was my belt was even heavier than it was in the pool and shorter, meaning I had no slack to grasp to buckle it. I did panic a bit thinking I’d drop the belt to the bottom of the ocean, since it is very heavy to hold, or that I plain and simple wouldn’t be able to put it on again. After some time of struggling I managed to buckle it around my waist again. Then we had to take off the BC and put it back on, but that was easy and I could do it with no problem.

I was definitely glad when I was back on the boat and relieved of all the heavy equipment, but knew I’d be back in the water sooner than I necessarily wanted to.

I was a bit more relaxed during the second dive. We sank into the water without the aid of a rope which was more calming than crawling down the rope, and this time we did some sight seeing of the coral world. The only thing I could hear is the wheezing sound of breathing through my regulator and the bubbles which then formed as I exhaled. It can either be a very calming or nerve wreaking sound. We played follow the leader with our instructor and saw magnificently colored fish and sea life. I loved looking at all the creatures but couldn’t help feeling that I was just inside an aquarium exhibit and not in the vast ocean.

Near the end of the dive we had to do one more skill before we could be certified and that was sharing air in case your buddy ran out. I was paired with Hendrik and we did everything well, hand signals and me giving him my spare regulator correctly. Then as we slowly ascended together with linked arms and we nearly reached the top Hendrik decided he was done and let go and blew up his BC with air from the tank, forgetting that he was supposed to be out of air and with the aid of using me as a flotation device he was supposed to blow up his BC with his mouth. So we failed the bit and had to do it the next day again. I didn’t let him live that one down.

After the second dive I was totally exhausted and didn’t know how I was going to manage four dives the next day. That night we filled in our dive log books and went to bed early, since our first dive was at 6 in the morning. I felt ill as the bed swayed on the waves and had to take another pill which was like magic. The pills were the only reason I survived that trip. I didn’t sleep too much however since I have trouble sleeping in new environments especially if those environments move.