Day 153 – Ao Nang, Thailand – 3:34PM

My four-day stop in Koh Phi Phi was different from previous destinations during my travels.  Unlike prior stops, Koh Phi Phi was a business trip.  I did not arrive to sightsee or explore tourist attractions; I arrived to complete my Open Water SCUBA certification.  I chose Barakuda SCUBA on a recommendation from travelers I met in Australia.  The three-day course began Wednesday at 9am. The first day consisted of introductory paperwork and computer-based training.

I fell asleep Wednesday night excited for Day 2 and my first foray into the water.  I awoke Thursday morning and gathered my things.  I threw on my swimsuit, grabbed a towel and sunscreen and departed for Barakuda.  I stopped at a nearby fruit stall and purchased two bananas.  I continued down the small lane and turned left onto the main thoroughfare in Koh Phi Phi.  Tourists and locals flowed in both directions.  I arrived at Barakuda minutes later and Lisa, my instructor, welcomed me with a smile.  We exchanged pleasantries and she invited me to sit at a nearby table.

She disappeared into a backroom and emerged minutes later with an aluminum air tank, black vest and regulator.  I pulled my chair close and examined the items she laid out before me.  For the next fifteen minutes Lisa detailed how to assemble SCUBA gear prior to entering the water.  She assembled the items in a slow, step-by-step manner explaining a number of things along the way.  I watched attentively.  She assembled and disassembled the system and then smiled at me.  It was my turn.  I stepped forward and slowly mirrored her actions.

I rotated the tank until the open side of the valve faced me.  I took the vest, known as the buoyancy compensator (BC), and slipped it over the tank.  I ensured the tank sat at the correct level and secured the BC strap around the tank.  I connected the regulator, a piece of equipment that allows the diver to safety breath the compressed air.  After a few additional steps the process was complete.  Lisa then asked me to disassemble equipment.  I repeated this process two additional times.

Once satisfied I had a grasp on assembly and disassembly, we moved to a nearby table.  Lisa started to describe the skills I needed to demonstrate once in the water.  These included clearing the regulator and mask of water, removing and reattaching both the weight belt and BC with attached tank underwater and on the surface, free flow breathing from the regulator and emergency out-of-air ascents. I continued to go over each skill in my head as we loaded our gear onto a nearby cart.  Once everything was loaded, we pushed the cart through the narrow streets to a section of beach buoyed off from boat traffic.  With a maximum depth of 8-10 feet, this was where I was to perform the previously described skills.

We donned our gear and proceeded down a set of five stairs into the turquoise waters.  Once in the water, we attached our fins and inflated our BCs.  We swam away from the shoreline as the midmorning sun reflected off the surface.  Lisa asked if I was ready to descend and I nodded.  I continued to go over each skill in my head as I started to breath from the regulator and deflate my BC.  We sank below the surface and I was remarkably calm.  I noticed Lisa descending faster than me and tried to increase my rate of descent.  Our plan was to kneel on the bottom and run through the skills.  I eventually descended but could not remain on the bottom.  Lisa approached and placed a couple weights in the pockets of my BC.  I had not yet realized how much of a difference the size of your inhalations and exhalations make in regards to buoyancy.  With each inhale I rose and with every exhale I sank.  However, I could not control my breathing enough to remain on the bottom.  Lisa added another weight and I began to settle on the bottom.  I calmed my breathing and we began working through the necessary skills.

I quickly worked through the mask and regulator requirements.  I noticed my breathing was increased but moved on to the next skill, free flow breathing.  In this skill, I removed the regulator and rotated it up so the mouthpiece faced the surface.  In this position air bubbles flow upward.  I then placed half the regulator in my mouth that remained open the entire time.  The rush of air kept water from filling my mouth and I took short inhalations.  I completed this task and placed the regulator back in my mouth.  By this point I was out of breath from the skills and the air from the regulator was not enough.  Or the thoughts in my head were telling me it was not enough.

I indicated with the thumbs up sign that I needed to surface.  Lisa and I surfaced together and I removed the regulator to take real, non-SCUBA breaths of air.  We chatted on the surface for a bit and Lisa told me I was doing great.  After a couple brief minutes, we replaced our regulators, deflated our BCs and descended back to the depths.  Once again I struggled to descend to continue the skills. Doubt slowly crept into my mind as I willed myself to descend gracefully to the sandy ocean floor. It was not happening. I turned my thumb towards the surface once again and we ascended. I pulled down my mask disgusted with myself. Was I going to have to throw in the towel? Maybe my goal of becoming SCUBA certified was a pipe dream. Lisa asked me what the problem was. I told her I was struggling to descend and that was causing me to panic out of frustration. She informed me that our lungs play a large role in ascending and descending. On our next descent she wanted me to breath normally and ensure I emptied my lungs on every exhale. First, we were going to complete two surface skills: taking off and replacing my weight belt and the BC with attached air tank. I completed those tasks without a hitch and my focus shifted back to descending and completing the underwater skills. Lisa told me to ascend slowly and completely exhale on each breath. She indicated I had more than enough weight on my belt and in my BC pockets to take me to the bottom. We replaced our regulators and deflated our BCs once again.

As my eyes sank below the surface, I told myself to stay calm and concentrate on calm respirations. I ascended partially with each inhale and descended with each exhale. I began pausing for a brief moment between breaths to allow the weights to carry me further below the surface. I eventually reached the bottom and breathed a sigh of relief. Lisa gave me a thumbs up and motioned for me to continue breathing in a slow, calm manner. Seconds later, she signaled for me to run through the removal and replacement of the weight belt and BC and tank. I unlatched the weight belt, held it in front of my chest, Lisa gave me the thumbs up and I successfully reattached it without significant trouble. Next, the BC and air tank. I kept reminding myself to breath during this exercise. I’d have breathable oxygen the entire time, even after I removed the tank from my back. Lisa gave me the go-ahead and I looked down and began loosening the straps and opening the clips that secured the BC to my torso. I freed my left arm from the BC and used my momentum to swing the BC and tank towards my right side. I placed it in front of me in the sand and removed my right arm. Keep breathing Paul…short, calm breaths…empty your lungs after each exhale.  Lisa gave me a thumbs up and I reversed the previous actions to reattach the BC and tank. I guided my right arm through the opening on the BC and rotated my body to get in position to slide my left arm through.  After the tank was situated against my back I glanced down and secured the straps and clips on the BC.  Once completed, I looked at Lisa and she gave me a small round of applause. I continued to take deep, even respirations as I caught my breath after the two stressful tasks.

I successfully completed two additional below-the-surface skills dealing with out of air ascents and a long underwater swim without a mask. Lisa and I surfaced and she congratulated me for not giving up and indicated the hard part was behind me. I had two remaining tasks: a 200 meter surface swim and drag Lisa by the air tank for a short distance to simulate a rescue situation. These proved to be no challenge. I successfully completed the morning skill session after some serious doubts about my abilities. Lisa and I departed for a lunch break agreeing to reconvene at Barakuda at 1:30pm for two afternoon dives off surrounding islands.

I walked back to Marine House to relax for a couple hours and rehydrate. As I passed the time before returning to Barakuda, the morning session played through my head. The brief moment when I contemplated giving up stuck out in particular. I was able to keep the doubt at bay and successfully complete each skill asked of me. I drew confidence from that. However, I hoped the same panic and shortness of breath would not plague my afternoon dives. There was only one way to find out. Shortly after 1pm, I grabbed my bag and a fresh, ice-cold water bottle. I bid farewell to my hostel mates and walked with a sense of purpose back to Barakuda. Lisa welcomed me with a weight belt and regulator. The remaining equipment was already on board the boat. We walked along the Phi Phi waterfront until we reached the pier. As I strolled along the wooden planks that carry divers, tourists and locals, I was excited to prove to myself I had what it takes to be a SCUBA diver. The engines kicked over soon after our arrival and we pulled away from the pier. Lisa and I stepped to our assigned air tanks and assembled our equipment. Once completed, we ascended to the top deck to discuss the first of our two upcoming dives. There were certain skills that I completed earlier that now had to be achieved from the depths. The early afternoon sun and ocean breeze fell on my skin as I mentally rehearsed the skills needed during Dive #1.

After the information session, Lisa and I returned to the main deck to begin gearing up. I stepped into my “shorty” wetsuit and zipped up the rubber boots that protect against chaffing from the fins. Next came the weight belt followed by the fins. Lastly, I sat on the wooden bench and slipped my arms through the holes in the BC. I secured the clips and tightened the straps ensuring the BC and tank sat flush against my torso. Others began to appear and prepare for their afternoon dives. Great, an audience was on hand to witness my potential unraveling. Soon after, a whistle sounded indicating we reached our dive spot off Ko Bida Nok. Lisa was first off the boat and I followed moments later. We swam away from the dive platform and quickly went over the skills I needed to complete after we descended. With a renewed sense of confidence, we deflated our BCs and slipped below the surface. We slowly descended and I concentrated on equalizing my ears and taking slow, steady respirations. With each exhale I descended a little further. I felt much more confident since the skills session earlier that morning. Lisa and I eventually made it to the bottom. We ran through the mask and regulator skills without a hitch. After a round of applause I proceeded to the weight belt removal. Once it was re-secured, our necessary “tasks” for the dive were complete and we set off to explore the depths.

Lisa led the way and I followed close behind. I continued to take calm, consistent respirations as we floated over colorful coral. The whites and purples stood out in contrast to the turquoise blue water that surrounded us. The occasional barracuda swam among large schools of golden damsels. False clown fish peered out from colorful anemones attached to coral. Blue sea stars sat draped over rocks or laid flat along the ocean floor. Every so often I glanced at my dive computer which documented remaining air pressure within the tank, total dive time, depth and water temperature among other vital calculations. When my gauge indicated I had 50 PSI of air remaining, I used hand signals to convey the message to Lisa.  She acknowledged my hand signals and we started our slow climb to the surface. Around 16 feet, we conducted a three-minute safety stop. This mandatory break in a divers ascent ensures accumulated nitrogen is able to exit the bloodstream before reaching the surface. Failure to do so can lead to irreparable damage to the lining of the lungs. Once our three minutes were complete, we proceeded to the surface. Lisa signaled for the dive boat and minutes later we removed our fins and stepped aboard. We shed our gear and proceeded to the sunshine of the top deck to go over Dive #1. Lisa and I were both very pleased with my performance. I successfully completed the necessary skills and breathed consistently enough to remain underwater for nearly fifty minutes. After a shaky morning session, I could not have been happier with Dive #1.

Dive #2 later that afternoon and Dives #3 and #4 the following day followed a similar pattern. My worries from the original skills session never resurfaced and my comfort level breathing from a tank of compressed air grew with each minute spent underwater. The remaining skills I needed to demonstrate were no problem ad each drew a small round of applause from Lisa. For my final dive, #4, Lisa provided me a compass to wear on my wrist. Before beginning our dive, she went over the basics of using a compass underwater and how to position your arms to ensure it sits level inside the housing. Once underwater, we had yet to begin our short navigation session when a large Hawksbill turtle sauntered past. He floated just off the bottom nibbling on vegetation. We buoyed feet above mesmerized by his graceful movements. His flippers gently waved up and down as he moved from plant to plant. We remained stationary for a few minutes before moving on to complete a brief compass journey. Once completed, Lisa and I spent the final forty minutes exploring the depths around Malong. A few times Lisa turned to indicate she spotted a shark off to our right. I trained my gaze in the direction she pointed but never spotted the finned creature. That was case until her final sighting. Lisa pointed off to our right once again and I turned quickly. There in the distance I saw the faint shape of a Black Tip Reef Shark. It remained in my field of vision for a couple seconds before vanishing into the abyss. Lisa and I continued on to a depth of sixty feet. White Eyed Moray Eels peeked out from their coral homes while White Banded Cleaner Shrimp went about completing their hygienic tasks.

We completed our dive, waited out the three-minute safety stop and ascended until our heads broke the surface. The dive boat swung by and picked us up. After stepping from our gear, Lisa congratulated me on our previous four dives. There was only one hurdle that remained…a fifty-question test. Pass that and I’d be a SCUBA diver. Once all divers were aboard, the crew fired up the engines and pointed the bow towards Koh Phi Phi. Lisa and I sat at a table in the sun and I thanked her graciously for leading me through the Open Water certification and for remaining patient with me during my brief moment of self-doubt the previous day. She smiled and said she knew all along I was going to pass. We returned to the pier and completed the short walk to Barakuda. She led me up to a classroom and handed me an answer sheet and a packet with fifty multiple-choice questions. A few caused me concern but in the end I passed, only missing six. With that, I became an Open Water Certified SCUBA diver!!!

I have always been fascinated by the ocean and have spent many a summer and fall day immersed in its glory. SCUBA diving long intrigued me as well and has been high on my bucket list for many years. Once again, this journey around the world has enabled me to check another item off that ever-growing bucket list. Without the help of Lisa, my patient and knowledgeable instructor, and her coworkers at Barakuda, I would still be just another prospective diver yet to experience the joys of floating weightlessly among various species of fish and other marine life as they swam in and amongst coral of every color imaginable.

 

* Additional photographs from my time in Thailand can be found within the Thailand portfolio section accessed from the Perpetual Footsteps homepage.