SCUBA, SCUBA...Scooby doobie dooba...Here we go SCUBA...Come on!*

OHHHH YEEAAHH!

Tsunami Scuba on Camp Foster ROCKS! As part of the Deployed Spouses Program, they offer one free tuition to the spouse of a deployed service member (about $120 worth...I only had to pay for my books...about $70). Originally, I had no intention of learning to dive when I got here, but after being on top of the water snorkeling, watching the divers below going around to look at whatever they wanted...I was totally jealous! I HAD to learn to dive. As soon as the weather warmed up, I tried to get into a class, but in vain. It was PCS (moving) season and as a result, there was a shortage of instructors. By the time I was able to get into a class, Cliff was almost due home. By the time the class started, Cliff WAS home. So this is how we ended up taking SCUBA together, two days after he returned to Okinawa.

I know what an awesome opportunity it is to learn to dive here. The base classes are CHEAP, and some divers live their whole lives wishing to come here to dive just once. And we LIVE here...for three whole years! Knowing that, I wanted the whole family to take advantage of the opportunity. Jake was totally eager...and he's old enough, but only if we can find 3 other children 10-14 years old to take the jr. class with him, as he's too young for an adult class. Coree said NO WAY, NO HOW! That eel just did her in. Patrick was in for sure, but since football season is the time and season for only FOOTBALL, Troy would have to miss out until next year.

Cliff, Patrick and I started our week long course with a night of classroom work, followed by a night of fun in the deep end of the pool, more classroom work (including a final exam), ANOTHER night at the pool, and finally, time for our first 2 dives in the actual ocean!


Here's the first group, about to disappear into the deep...



While Patrick (still healing from a broken collar bone, mind you) practices his Parkour on the jacks...



under mom's watchful eye.



"Yeah, I still got it!"



"What?"



Chillin' on the seawall, waiting for our turn.



Finally, it's our turn to go...



The sign for "Everything's good". I had to keep reminding myself not to give the "thumbs up"...which means, "Let's go up now".



Patrick demonstrating his skillz



And he wouldn't be Patrick if he didn't ham it up.



This guy is my favorite. I love blue.



This deadly poisonous sea snake swam right up beside us as he headed to his hidey hole in the wall. I wasn't afraid, he didn't look like he cared that we were there, but it's still a little scary to contemplate.


Here's some other friends we made:








This guy seriously would not leave me alone. It's like he was in love with my fins. Doesn't he look like he's trying to tell me something here?

Conditions were actually pretty bad that day...so the water was very choppy and murky, which really interferes with visibility. Even at that, I was pretty excited by all that we saw. I couldn't believe I was actually SCUBA diving!

Unfortunately, Patrick and I woke up the next day (the day we were supposed to do dives 3 and 4 to finish our certification) with heads so soggy and ears full of so much pressure, we knew there was no way we could go back into the water safely. Patrick's ear even started bleeding a little. We each saw our doctors and although there was lots of visible pressure, neither were too worried, but even still we were cautioned to stay out of the water until we could be medically cleared.

Can't wait until we get to finish our certification, and we can go whenever we want! My partner in crime, Susan, took a refresher course so that she can join me, too! snorkeling was fun, but taking the kids SCUBA diving? Priceless!

*Bonus points if you can tell me where this title comes from.