It began in Puerto Rico. On a family vacation in Rincon, we
went to Playa Tres Palmas (Steps Beach), featuring one of the biggest elkhorn
coral reefs in the Caribbean. Suited up with snorkels and fins, we floated the days
away, and Number One Son (#1S) was enthralled.
If snorkeling had this much to offer, wouldn’t it be cool to scuba?
#1S turned 13 the next April (the age required for dives
greater than 60 feet), and we began the dive certification process. It culminated with our open water
certification in the balmy waters of the White Star Quarry near Toledo,
Ohio. Throughout the process, I kept
reminding myself about something our classroom instructor said on our first
day: “under the water, you will see more wildlife in the first 10 minutes than
you are ever going to see on a 20-mile hike through the woods.” I needed that quote to get me through the
trickier parts of the certification, such as underwater mask removal and
replacement, and navigating with the compass.
It took more than the quote to get us through our first open
water diving, on Caye Caulker in Belize; it was God watching over us. Drift diving from a small boat in strong current
and low visibility; it is amazing that we ever attempted it again. But, never ones to be put off by a challenge,
we learned from the experience to choose a different environment and outfitter
for our next dive trip.
Enter Living the Dream Divers and Grand Cayman. (The name alone would inspire you to choose
this dive company. Number One Daughter
keeps going back for the Rice Krispie treats.)
This March marks our fifth trip to Grand Cayman, and we have been
thrilled with every aspect of our dive experiences.
Accompanying this post is just a handful of pictures that Spousal
Unit has taken during our dives.
(I still think the dive instructor was generous with my
grade on the compass since I ended up on the bank of the quarry by myself.) |
| Yellow Tube Sponge |
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| Loggerhead turtle |
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| French Angelfish |
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Queen Angelfish
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