Angi's Scuba Diving Lessons and Snorkelling in the Thousand Islands
2007
Summary: Angi the non-sailor, basically a non-swimmer, takes scuba diving lessons from Barra Scuba and goes snorkelling at Camelot Island in Lake Ontario's Thousand Islands area.
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In the winter of 2006-2007, I took scuba diving lessons at the YMCA in Hamilton
with the Barra Scuba club (http://www.barrascuba.com), along with a friend of ours,
Paul. Dave had taken the same lessons two years previously, so he, two of his
sisters, and a number of their friends, also had their scuba certificates.
I figured I could handle working with the gear; I was just unsure of the
swimming part. Several people suggested I would have twelve weeks to work up to
doing the swimming test, so I shouldn’t worry about it.
Unfortunately, on the first night of classes, we were told to swim the 12
lengths of the 25 yard pool non-stop, only touching the pool walls when turning.
Luckily they said we could swim any stroke we wanted and take as long as we had
to, because after the first two lengths, I could only do the back stroke and
not too quickly at that.
Paul is a strong swimmer, so he had no problems. The other three people in the
class consisted of two 13 year-olds girls and the younger sister of one of them. All
three girls had had swimming lessons all their lives and swam like the
proverbial fishes.
After the lengths, we were to attempt to swim a length of 60 feet underwater in
one breath. I think two of the group managed that part. (By the end of the
course we had to be able to do the 60 feet in order to get our certification.)
Then we had to tread water in the deep end for 12 minutes using arms and legs,
then one minute legs only, and two minutes arms only (or vice versa for the last
two). We had rubber arms afterward.
Since I had never had swimming lessons and hadn’t swum anywhere or for any
length of time for years, this was torture; however, I managed everything except
the 60 feet underwater.
As I expected, I learned how to do everything and passed the course, even doing
the 60 feet on one breath. The only thing I couldn’t do was haul myself with all
the gear up onto the wall at the deep end. Eventually the senior instructor said
I could just go up the ladder, since that’s how it’s generally done from a boat
anyway. (Thank you, Doug.)
Dave here: Angi is being very understated about passing the swimming
requirements! She started the scuba course a mostly non-swimmer who was nervous
in pool water of depths over her head, let alone open water swimming. Throughout
the duration of the course, she and I would go to the local pool once or twice a
week extra and work on her swimming, especially the underwater breath-holding
part.
When we first started, she was only able to push off and go about 10’ before
popping up and needing air.
She worked really hard at relaxing, making her movements through the water more
efficient, and improving her cardio, and, in week 11 of the 12 week course, she
was finally able to make it the whole 60’ during one of our practice sessions!
She repeated the feat the next week, and was all geared up for the last scuba
class as she knew she would pass.
Much to her relief and my chagrin, after all that effort, they forgot to test
her on it! She passed her written exam with no problems, and after her checkout
dives, got her certificate.
Angi: What did I learn from this course? I am no longer afraid of the deep end
of the pool. This was a major accomplishment. We spent so much time there,
bobbing around, that I actually felt comfortable. Once again, thanks, guys.
When we were in the Thousand Islands in 2007, we had a scuba diving weekend with
Paul and, close friend, Kim. I stayed on deck and helped people get organized and
then helped them when they came up. On the second day, several boats rafted
together at a public dive spot, so it was a good thing I was there to tie off
ropes.
Dave: While Angi’s got her certificate, she’s still not comfortable with
buoyancy control and needs more time getting used to the equipment, and so she
decided to give that dive a pass. I don’t blame her at all – scuba can be
dangerous, and it’s wise not to push things if you’re not comfortable.
Hopefully, when she’s ready, we might be able to get some additional practice
time in so that she can join us on some open water dives in the future.
Angi: Later on during the trip, we went snorkelling off Camelot Island. Dave was
surprised that I just jumped in off the back of the boat. The water was about
20’ there and dropped off to 40’ very quickly. We snorkelled around the island
in water depths ranging from 60’ or more up to three feet of weeds at one end. I
was very comfortable. Amazing.
Al Hoceima at Camelot Island |
Al Hoceima at Camelot Island |
Dave: What was it like for you, seeing the underwater world really for the first
time? How did it feel to literally swim along with the fish?
Angi: I was surprised at how relaxing it was, floating about, gazing at
everything. I didn’t go diving with the snorkel, but stayed submerged most of
the time. It really is a different world, in colour, silence, activity – grasses
flowing with the current and fish of different species weaving in and out of the
grasses.
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David S. Malar and Angelika Jardine. All rights reserved.
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