SCUBA Certification Open Water Dives

I know that my faithful family and friends had absolutely no doubt that I would pass my open water dive requirement for SCUBA certification. To get certified you must do 4 dives in something other than a pool. To eliminate any suspense, I can tell you that I made it with "submerged" colors (pun intended). The dives took place at the lovely diving resort called "White Star Quarry" (which is definitely something other than a pool) located in beautiful and convenient Gibsonburg, Ohio (Town Motto: Even we don't know where the hell we are!). The drive to the quarry is roughly equivalent to driving through the Bonneville Salt Flats, but with less scenery and about as many hills. To be fair, my friend Mike warned me about the intercontinental trek I was in store for, but you have to experience to believe it. I swear it is so flat that you could roll a quarter around Vermilion and it would meet up with you in Gibsonburg.

After the very long drive you arrive at the quarry ready and raring to go diving. Here is where another of Mike's warnings came into play. He told me to be prepared to wait alot for your dives. I thought he was merely exaggerating when he told me this. Turns out it was an understatement. I got up on Saturday morning "before a sparrow farts" (I guess that's old English countryside for "real frickin' early", made the 4 month drive to the quarry for a 9:30 a.m. "dive", and finally entered the water well after lunchtime. Pacific time zone.

Anyway, I put the word "dive" in quotes for the simple reason that I would have to characterize the first adventure not so much a "dive" as a "plummet". This was due to the fact that the weight belt I was given to make sure I stayed buoyant, was measured in tonnage. Needless to say it took me awhile to adjust my buoyancy. The weight belt was incredible because I swear, that after the day of diving I had "phantom" sensations on my hips for several hours after, much the same as an amputee has phantom sensation in lost limbs. I remember thinking "I still have that damn weight belt on," as I was driving home!