So on Tuesday, April the 20th, I made my first Scuba dive in the ocean. I went 3 miles offshore with some of my good friends. We dove what is locally known as the liberty ship. This is a link to the shipwreck that I dove! http://www.nc-wreckdiving.com/WRECKS/RAMSEY/RAMSEY.HTML Due to the fact that I do not have a waterproof camera, I have no photos, sorry, I am working on that!
What an incredible experience! I spent 30 minutes underwater at depths between 48 feet and 30 feet. I was a bit uncomfortable at first but once I was underwater and saw the wreck and my buddy, who was great, not to mention a school of Sheepshead, a favorite target of mine as a newbie spear-fisherman, I was more than comfortable! I couldn't help but feel that I have been missing out on this for too many years!
For those of you that have not dove a shipwreck, you simply have to! This wreck is part of the artificial reef system so it had no "cool" history behind it, other than being over-fished due to its proximity to Masonboro Inlet! None the less it was a great first dive! Needless to say I surfaced super excited!
On Friday April the 23rd, I started my freediver course. Intense! I am tired and exhausted and full of sushi will write more about this soon, when I am not burnt out! In the mean time I will leave you with a post that I wrote on the Carolina Freedivers, ( a Club of which I am a member), forum on spearfishingplanet.com.
Hi guys and gals,
I spent the last 2 days taking Ren and Ashley's course (Evolve Freediving). For those of you who have not taken a formal freediving course, YOU NEED TO! You owe it to the people that care about you! I can guarantee that you will exceed your expectations. The safety issues that are drilled into your head will save your buddies life and vice a versa!
Personally I was more or less scared, but Ashley and Ren made me feel more than safe, mentally I was ready to go deeper than my ears and sinuses would let me, which was frustrating, but after discussing what I went through, I am ready to keep working towards my goals at my own pace. I have a lot of work to do to reach my goals and feel confident that I can reach them with the help of Ren and Ashley.
If you have not taken "the course" as it has become known among freedivers, you have to! If you are one of those "tough guys", such as myself, you will be humbled! What I thought was freediving experience, was really snorkeling. Many of you reading this have much more experience than I do, and for that I commend you, but some of you may be at the same level as me, for the latter you simply have to take this course. If you don't, good luck explaining to your dive buddies family why they are not coming home. Remember what I just wrote!
You will meet new people who have the same interests as you. After the past 2 days I can guarantee you that I would never dive with anyone who has not been trained by either Evolve Freediving or PFI.
Dive safe friends!
Brian
This oughta keep you amused since I know my writing was less than stellar tonite! This is a video my instructors made. I SUGGEST YOU WATCH IT! http://vimeo.com/9746803
Pay attention to the second song. LISTEN TO THE LYRICS! It really hits home for me!
Posts
Another good post! I watched the video...scary to think of you in the water with those BIG fish, but I know you love it! The music was great.
ReplyDeleteit is only scary when you don't know how to handle it, I am working hard at that, thankfully I have some great people helping me! The ocean is my home and freediving has me more focused than I have ever been, which is not a bad thing! You have to know your limits and I know them and will go at my own pace. As for the BIG fish, they are kind of like dogs i guess, you have to let them know you are the dominant one, but you don't want to feed them!!! Thanks for the comment Mom! Love you!!!!
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