Scuba Diving, Part Neung

You are now reading the words of a certified open water scuba diver. Yeah, staaaand back.


This weekend was my first scuba dive (actually, dives) and I’m pretty much hooked. Our launching point was Pattaya, also known as Sin City. It certainly lived up to its name, but I went there knowing what to expect so I never experienced that initial feeling of aversion many people have described. And considering that I’m a difficult person to offend, I actually found couple aspects of Pattaya I enjoyed. It featured the neon lights and sleaze of a city like Vegas, but still maintained the gritty, outdoor authenticity of a Thai metropolis that I can never quite articulate but I always find comforting in its candidness. And Pattaya certainly is candid; the city wears sex and gambling on its sleeve, and people traveling there know exactly what they’ll find. Most importantly for me, Pattaya had a beach and a boat waiting to take me out in the morning for my first dive.

I was still adjusting to my heavy equipment during the pool dive last week, but during the open water dives this weekend it didn’t seem quite as clunky. Granted, wearing scuba equipment on land will never be graceful; the heavy tank pulls me backwards, my face is smothered by a mask and regulator, and I’m forced to waddle thanks to the awkwardly large flippers. But the moment I descend underwater, I feel pretty much weightless, and the gear becomes an afterthought. Granted, I still need to work on my buoyancy, my kicking, and my general fluidity, but being in water has always felt natural to me, and breathing underwater almost felt like the next logical step.

My first dive was an hour and a half off the coast, at a small island called Ko Wichaia. Visibility was poor in diving standards, but the moment I caught my first glimpse of coral and schools of fish, I felt like I’d entered a different world. I’ve spent my life in the ocean, and I’ve snorkeled before, but somehow with scuba I felt like I was floating through a foreign space. The complete silence of the ocean, the calm of my instructor, and the smooth movements of everything through water seemed to make time become fluid as well. After surfacing Steve asked how long we thought we’d been underwater—Ross guessed 15 minutes, I guessed only about 10. It turns out we were under for 36 minutes, but the experience felt so concentrated our perception was completely distorted. I can’t remember the last time my estimate of time was so warped by an intense experience.


Steve spent each dive practicing skills we’d learned in the pool, but allowed for a little time to look around. The low visibility definitely forced everyone to be acutely aware of where others were at all times, and I think it will benefit me to have that experience under my belt. In between dives we ate lunch on the boat and enjoyed the salty breeze of the ocean as we swayed next to an island. I can see how this becomes a lifestyle for some people.


On Sunday we dove by an island called Ko Rin, and a tiny offshoot island called North Rock. Visibility had improved that day, and the water was warm and blue. The coral was a little more diverse, and I felt even more comfortable with a smaller BCD and a better balance of weights. I passed my final review test with flying colors, and left the boat with my open water diving certification.


The whole weekend left me feeling generally satisfied and eager for what’s next. Learning through my cousin Steve was probably the best situation I could have hoped for; I was working with someone familiar, so I felt comfortable the entire time. He’s already offered to take me on a dive in Phuket during winter break, which will be much clearer water and more interesting marine life.

So I’m adding scuba diving to the list of things I probably wouldn’t have gotten around to in the States. I can't believe the amount of things I've done in less than two months. Thailand is starting to feel like an energy drink that never runs out of steam, and I've decided to be careful not to burn myself out (I’m amazed it hasn’t happened yet). I’m leaving tomorrow for a long weekend trip to Ko Samet, an island not too far off the coast, and I plan to do nothing but melt into white sand with a Singha beer in one hand and a book in the other.