maggie

Tues 27.11 - Got to Dive Centre at 8.30am. Sarted by watching videos and answering multiple choice questions on video. Went to Arkies for lunch. We were talking to another couple from Belfast who were on the same course, Brett and Holly. Hi to you if youre reading this. In the afternoon we were shown how to set up our equipment, to do buddy checks, and finally got a chance to go to the bottom of the pool. We watched the instructor, Aaron, doing different skills and then had to do them. These included throwing your regulator (the mouthpiece you breathe thru) behind you and retrieving it, half filling your mask with water and then emptying it, fully flooding mask and then clearing it.

Back to Geoff Place for dinner and then to answer the questions on the first 3 Chapters of the Dive book we were given.

Wed 28.11 - We started the day with a 200 metre swim. I just about managed to finish it, but I really did think I was going to die. I was exhausted. It was then followed with 10 minutes of treading water. I had to hold on to side 2 or 3 times but it was only for a few seconds.

It was then on with the gear and in to the pool to do more skills, removing BCD on surface and replacing it, removing weight belt and replacing it.

Off to Arkies for lunch again. Then it was out to Alma Bay (pictured above). We set up our equipment and did our buddy checks. We then swam out from beach and went down. We swam about for aboput 15 minutes and looked at a little bit of coral. The visibility was quite bad, about 3-4 metres. We came back to the shore, waited for an hour and then went back out again. This time to do some of the skills. Claire managed some of these but had difficulty with the full mask flood. She was given the chance to do them on tomorrows dives.

Back to the campsite, dinner and did last two chapters questions and went to bed.

Thur 29.11 - Final day. Woke up to lashing rain. Went to Alma Bay to do last two dives. The BAy looked more like the North Sea, with large waves and grey sky. Claire decided against goiung out, Holly tried to but had a cold and decided against it also. My new buddy was Brett.

We did our final two dives and all the skills. The salt water makes it a bit different.

It was back to the Centre to do the test. 50 question, multiple choice. Claire and I got 50 out of 50! I got my membership card. Claire was given a letter to verify the skills she has performed and can take that to another Dive School to complete the course at any time.

We all went for a meal at Horseshoe Bay, and had a few drinks to celebrate. Claire, and I, Brett and Holly, Natasha, Martin and Flora.

Fri 30.11 - Little hungover. Got ferry back to Townsville, with Claire, Brett, Holly and Miriam (from Cork). Caught bus to Cairns and stayed in International Hostel.