Scuba Diving at North Bay Island of Andamans
Age is just a number and scuba diving was one of the items on my bucket list. Yes I am at a stage of life to get as many new experiences as I can.
The closest I came to scuba diving was when I wore the costume some years back in the middle of the ocean of the Australian Coral reefs, and then I refused to dive below the surface waters.
So I had to get over this old jinx and fear of scuba diving. Only 6 of us from our group of 39 decided to try out this adventurous activity.
After the initial safety briefing and signing of the consent forms, we wondered what was in store for us.
Once we wore the smart tight fitting costumes we looked and felt as if we were ready to board an overhead spaceship… Instead we were taken almost underwater where we had to trust and properly follow the instructions of a personal diver guide. It was important to understand how to communicate in sign language with the instructor as we couldn’t speak underwater. An oxygen tank was easily strapped on to our backs like a school bag and it was not as heavy as it looked.
Next a tight mask covered our eyes and nose too, and we were asked to practice breathing through our mouths.
Then we were given a small kind of mouthpiece and we had to fasten it in between the teeth, lock our lips on it and take in the oxygen from the tanks only through that.
I practiced this quite easily, when I was just below the surface of the water. But all this calmness disappeared once the instructor took me under the water level. Again and agin I forgot how to hold on to my mouth breathing apparatus and I had to rise to the top of the water level in panic.
But after some more minutes I got a practice of this scuba diving breathing technique, and then I got mesmerized in the magical world of the underwater life.
First, I saw so many of bright yellow and black striped medium sized fish swimming next to me. It seemed like a case of so near and yet so far as I couldn’t actually touch any one of them inspite of reaching out.
Then I observed from above a photo session of my friend Rajesh touching a coral reef with many coloured fishes swimming all around him.
As we made our way towards more coral reefs of different shapes and colours, suddenly a huge colourful fish crossed my path… Actually we were the intruders crossing their path.
I silently observed the calm underwater sea creatures and the other marine life, and realized we have no clue about the amazing life that lay hidden below the unsuspecting waves of the beach.
I also had to pose for the professional mandatory photos and video taken below the waters. However it captured only my underwater antics with hardly any of the amazing corals and fishes that I had seen below.
By the time I just about got used to the scuba diving underwater treats, it was already 25 minutes and time to go back to the reality of life above the waters. We 6 friends felt like victorious heroes as we exchanged notes and took group photos after our adventurous underwater quest.
We shared our experience with other group members who had seen the same things from behind the glass walls of their submarine ride.
It was time to quench our thirst with kulfi and lassi and I just had to do some more local pearl and coral jewelry shopping.
As we left the North Bay island, this memorable scuba diving experience would forever bring a smile on my face.
So in 2018 do notice these simple smiling moments.. Have a smiling year!
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