Where to begin? Well you will notice that the title of my blog is "One Diver's Life" that is because I am a scuba diver and have been for about 12 years now. I know some of you are thinking WHOA... she's old... I'm 24. That's right I've diving since I was 12. Do I have any other certifications? NO... I never got past Open Water Diving. I love it. There is nothing like that feel of water holding you and the sound of real ocean and nothing else but your own breathing. I quit diving for a while after I turned 17... why? Well a couple of reasons played into it. One... I lost my diving buddy(my dad who moved to Mobile to open his own business) and two... I met a boy. **I'm smiling now too** This wasn't just any "boy"... I was 17 and in love and busy trying to map out who I was going to be after high school. My husband (the boy I met at 17) was certified about a year ago along with my baby brother (who really isn't a baby any more). I went along for the certification dive just to keep an eye on things. Boy that went over well. I got a rude awakening when I couldn't fit my shorty anymore (bc I had gained ALOT of weight) and then on top of it I found out I'm not in the same physical shape I was at 16.
The day started like any normal dive would. We hit Vortex Springs for the freshwater portion and yeah I got in that cold ass water without a wetsuit in October. I didn't freeze or catch hypothermia like most think I would have. I was raised swimming in Wakulla Springs and I was pretty comfortable with the water temperature. Well after everything went well for the spring dive we headed for Panama City, FL for our shore dive. This part is where it got a little scary for me. I thought I would be okay to swim with everyone and I was for the most part. I achieved a neutral buoyancy (I wasn't on the bottom and I wasn't on the top for you non-divers) and was hanging out with the group having a good time. Then I got caught in a rip current that shot me to the top of the water before I could get anyone's attention in the group. Once there I went ahead and filled my BCD with air so I could float with ease. Then I looked around for help. Luckily there was a fisherman on the Jetties... I got his attention and let him know I was caught in a rip current and needed help. I saw him and a couple others whip out their cell phones and they also got the attention of a free diver who was video taping grouper in the Jetties and he came to my rescue. I remembered my training and went ahead and started swimming parallel to the beach until he caught up with me and with his swimming skills and that HUGE monofin he had on I managed to get back to shore just as the Coast Guard showed up to help. Exhausted, pissed at myself, and shaken up but all in all ok, I called my dad (my original diving buddy) and cried on the phone telling him about it. I decided then and there I was going to get a handle on my weight issues and my physical wellbeing.
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