I’m one more tick on my to-do list before I die by signing up for a diving course that I’ve been considering for a long time but haven’t taken any steps to do.. Koh Tao is one of Thailand’s diving centers in terms of both price-quality and dive sites.. I’m looking forward to the theoretical training in the afternoon.
After watching videos from Noah Nebi with my course mates for a few hours, our diving instructor Ty gave us page-by-page homework, and on top of that, we went to the evening’s celebration. invites. He announces that he will check the homework at 8 in the morning and that we will do the practical diving training planned to be held in the pool in the afternoon, together with the instructor candidate Danny and 2 experienced diving instructors, in the ocean.. First, after jumping off the boat for the swim test and doing 10 laps around the boat, they want us to stay in the water for about 20 more minutes.. Well, what’s up, we’re chatting on the one hand and swimming on the other hand, saying that the one who comes to the top will withdraw.. First, after getting the snorkeling tactics, we put on our equipment and start the practice.. There are a few skills we need to complete. Such as swimming underwater without a mask, removing and reinstalling the regulator underwater (a breathing thing), refilling the mask with air after filling it underwater, etc.. I have no problem swimming without a mask.. I feel quite comfortable, but when it comes to filling and emptying the mask with the mask on my face; that’s when i panic. Practically no difference. Again I need to be able to continue swimming without a mask, but for some reason I feel stressed and suddenly I’m out of the water. I try again after my instructor Danny calms me down a bit.. I’m panicking again and I’m leaving. Danny actually says I’ve completed the skill, not just giving the okay sign. It doesn’t seem like that to me. We try again, this time I push myself and jump into the water as soon as I hit the “I’m OK” sign.. I realize that I actually did. My mask is filled with air but I still don’t feel comfortable. Danny says okay enough for today let’s not push you we’ll repeat tomorrow. Now let’s dive together says. Always holding my hand underwater, I feel safe. I’m sure Danny will make a great trainer. Then we go to the beach and cross to the opposite side.. The beach in the area we dive connects the two islands and the sea on both sides.
We are performing our first dive under the leadership of T.. At 12m, we see beautiful corals, colorful fish, and baracudas.. I suddenly feel a painful burning on my face; I feel something like a jellyfish when I touch it and it starts to burn in my hand. it hurts so much. I show Ty my face, the burning place. His eyes are getting small, we are coming to the surface in a hurry. Checking. It’s not jellyfish, it probably says sea lice. What’s wrong with sea lice!!! My face is burning hot. The man says nothing to me. I’m getting on the boat. I show it to another trainer, he says the same thing, he immediately puts vinegar on my face and hands.. Other trainers are coming, hearing is coming, hearing is coming, looking at them; everyone agrees on sea lice. not harmful. Well, if so many people are saying something, I say they know something, I’m relieved.
We are talking to my doctor in the evening.. Before I come, he says a cream from my small medicine bag that we prepared for such situations, and I use it.. There is no pain in the morning. Just a red.
On the third day, there is only Ty in training.. This time, I have an unknown comfort and I complete all the skills I need to complete in one go.. Then we move on to more different skills. Changing the regulator with the body, asking for help when the oxygen is gone and helping the body, or taking off the mask and putting it back on. How the hell can the mask come off underwater?! We had already filled and emptied it completely with water, now why take it off and put it back on.. Anyway, I do that too, reluctantly.. After completing all this we follow Ty. With his guidance, we explore the underwater world.. We are more comfortable today.. Everyone is confident and having fun.
The third day is certificate day.. We will repeat all the trainings we have received, this time in front of the camera for video recording at 18m.. We’re going to Chumpon Pinacle, one of the most famous dive sites in the area.. The intensity of the current underwater can be felt very clearly after diving.. We move in teams. First team behind Ty at the front I’m second team and 3 following us. there is a team. The current is so violent that the field of view is so low I can’t see Ty, I only see what’s in front of me. They lose sight with Ty too I guess one goes one way the other the other. I stop and wait for a while. they’re packing up. we continue. After a while, something (someone) hits my head and my mask comes off.. So I say it really can happen and put my mask back on.. Thanks guys for not letting me skimp. We come out after being under water for a short time. Ty says if you dive here, you can dive anywhere. Are you saying it seriously or am I saying it to motivate?. No, I’m serious, the field of view was very low, the current was very high, we got out without getting lost, he says well done.. Well, at least if we did justice to the education we received..
We are going to the area called White Rocks.. There is no current here. First we repeat all we learned in 18m one by one. Ty makes joyful gestures that show that we have all passed the exam. After a pleasant final dive, we receive our certificates and say goodbye.. The night ferry and Krabi await me.
