Wreck Diving
My First Wreck Dive
As the cool water closed above my head, I glanced around me, getting a bearing on my surroundings. The water was a pale green - somewhat murky; visibility only about 3 or 4 meters. Letting out a long breath, I felt the whoosh of bubbles pass me, rushing up to the surface, and glanced down to see my dive buddy about a meter below me, casually holding on to the anchor line.
Kicking once, I moved forwards and reached for the line. Glimpsing down again, I met eyes with my buddy and he gave me a sign - thumbs down. Nodding, I gave it back to him and waited as he started to descend. Following slowly, I equalized as I went. The world was completely silent; the only sound was the air being pulled from our tanks. The limited visibility created a feeling of claustrophobia and I felt a strange feeling of alarm as I began to wonder what things could be lurking just beyond my vision.
Suddenly, a dark shape loomed up out of the gloom. Pausing for a moment, I was faced with a decision - to either continue, or decide that it was too intense, too spooky. A reassuring nod from my experienced buddy was enough to calm me. Kicking, I moved forwards once again and approached the mighty wreck.
Like an explosion of fireworks, we were suddenly surrounded by fish of every shape and color. Most prominent were the nesar - bright yellow fish, about 7 inches long, with a black spot on each side. They swirled about the wreck in schools of hundreds, taking no notice that we were even there. Together, my dive buddy and I swam the length of the wreck, noting the positions of the hull and its sweeping sides, long since broken into smaller pieces. I glanced up, looking at the thick mast rising towards the surface. It was my first wreck dive, and although I had been slightly nervous at the start, it proved to be one of the most rewarding to date.
Once we had surfaced and were back aboard the dive boat, I couldn't wait to go down again. Wrecks have a forlorn sort of beauty to them and I soon found myself fascinated. Where did it come from? What was it carrying? Why did it sink? The answers to my questions and many others lie within the rusting ruins.
All we must do is visit them...
by Marie
