With the correct size BC and additional weights in place, it's time to make my first open water dive. Open water dives are ones made out side a pool. They are performed in various locations. If you are inland, they are often done in rock quarries. If you are near the ocean, maybe there. In southern California the destination is the pacific, that can be pretty chilly. I'm very fortunate to be here in Bonaire, where the water is warm and the dive locations are just a short boat trip away.
Routine
The routine that we'll follow while I'm here is, breakfast starts being served, buffet style, at 6:30. Down to the dock to pull your equipment out of the pier-side locker in time to board the boat by 8:30 and departure at 8:45. We'll have 2 morning dives each day and back into port for lunch with the rest of the day for ourselves.
Dives
We have about 25 divers the group split between 3 boats. The I'm on the boat with the 2 other beginners plus 12 other divers. Sue and Doug from Cedar Grove Divers Supply to insure our safety. Each boat also has a boat captain and a dive master. It's the dive master that will lead us on the dive and will guide us to interesting sights.
We head out at 9:45 for a fairly quick run to the first dive location. The first dive is typically the first dive of the day, the second dive it more shallow. We consume a tank for each dive. I'll have more to say on the sights that we see on the dives in later posts. At this time, each dive is so new to me, I'm more focusing on the technical details; buoyancy control, clearing the mask, breathing and my kicking. It's almost like being a beginner snow skier where you spend your time looking at your ski tips and not taking into the beauty that surrounds you. It will be much nicer in the coming dives as things become second nature.
Brian
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