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Published: February 19th 2007
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101 things to use tomato sauce for
No:98 After practicing breathing underwater in the swimming pool, Cath had to use tomato sauce to remove the chlorine from her hair. Well! Since last writing we've moved about a bit, but most excitingly - Rob & I are now qualified PADI Open Water scuba divers! Way Hay! Yes, I took the plunge (literally) and decided to join Rob on the 4 day course, run by the lovely people at the Buddha View dive centre on Ko Tao. After two days of beach time we started the course with a two hour session to watch an introductory video (a bit ra ra with people doing hi fives and other nauseatingly happy stuff) and got our manual.
Once you start one of these courses you definitely realise how focused the island is on diving. Talk focuses on whether you're training, where you dived, where else you've dived, how many dives, what you saw when diving... You get the idea. The first day involved classroom time in the morning followed by our initial donning of the equipment before practicing in the pool. I nearly fell over when I tried to get the tank on for the first time, they weigh a tonne!! Our instructor, a lady called G, was brilliant. Very enthusiastic and clear about what to do. Luckily once you're in the water
Kitted out
After the swimming pool and tomato sauce, we're ready for the big blue. the weight disappears (otherwise Rob may have had to pick me and tank up each time to throw me in the sea), and the only issue I had to contend with over the 4 days was getting cold very fast underwater (despite wetsuit). Apparently you can buy thicker ones... Also had some minor issues with an inability to walk in fins on land, and to get them in the right position (i.e. not scrapping across coral, propelling me in the right direction, folded under me) in water.
First time I breathed underwater I freaked out, it takes time to trust that you're actually going to get air. Managed to stay underwater though and slowly got used to it. It helped when we had stuff to do to keep our minds occupied. That first day we just learnt basic things, and the second day they took us out into the sea to get used to a different environment. The current meant that I gained many new coral scrapes on my knees, but it was pretty cool. You don't even notice how deep you're going. Unfortunately two of the blokes on our course decided that going out drinking until 6am was
All the crew
We've completed our last dive and are officially fish! a good idea before the first sea dive, one pulled out after not reacting well to the swaying waves and boat, and the other forgot his wetsuit so was a little cold all day.
The final two days involved us doing our 4 qualification dives. Basically involved completing skills underwater, on the surface, descending and ascending, and going for a short fun dive each time as well. I managed to freak one of our instructors out because about 99% of people equalize by holding their noses. I don't, I swallow and move my throat instead, so she thought I'd descended to 9 metres without equalizing (not a good idea as sinuses etc would suffer lots). Seeing all the fish was great! Can see how people get hooked on it. We went for a fun dive the day after our course finished in the hope of seeing sharks (Rob is deciding to combat his phobia of sharks by the familiarisation in the flesh method), but we were travelling to the dive point in at least 15-20 foot waves and wouldn't have been able to get back on the boat (boo), so went elsewhere. Saw a Moray eel which was very
Cath in hammock
A well earn rest after all the fun and excitment swimming with the fish. cool. Looked just like they do on telly!!
Rob loved the diving. Every time I looked around for him he was either above, below or to one side of me, doing somersaults and harrassing fish. No sea sickness for me, in Thailand they have ultra strength tablets which actually worked. Mind you everyone gets the weird wobbly sensation, where you feel like the world is slightly off kilter once you get off the boat after being in motion for so long. I've got that now, just sitting here in Chiang Mai typing this, from the overnight train, so such things are all leading me to believe that my body wasn't designed to be moved about too much. It has been recommended by a friend (thanks Emma) that I drink through it as the alcohol will balance out the wobbly feeling...
We had a final beach day before leaving Ko Tao. We took photo's of Cartman enjoying himself in a hammock on the beach. We got a different boat off Ko Tao back to Chumphon. Eager not to repeat the experience of getting to the island we decide to avoid the catamaran and took a single hulled boat. I
Cartman on beach
Cartman finally made it to Koh Tao and joined us for a day on the beach. dosed up on the super strength tablets and all went well for an hour and a half, when, getting a crick neck from sitting and looking at the horizon, I decided to swing myself around to look the other way. Unnecessary movement is always a mistake. Rob made a speedy trip to grab some necessary bags. Luckily there was only another half hour until we docked...
All in all Ko Tao was lovely. Very relaxing and very easy, everything is sorted out for you from accomodation to food so we've just been able to relax and enjoy ourselves. The dive resort where we did our PADI put on a bbq on the beach each night (YUM) so we've been spoilt food wise. Met some great people on our dives and in other courses, most of them are all headed to Ko Panyang for the full moon party. Rob and I won't be going (we're so old!), but we really don't have time if we ever want to stand any chance of leaving Thailand.
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