Number of scuba dives this holiday: two and a half. The half was the orientation/refresher dive, which started out in the lagoon, but the visibility was so poor and the current was so strong, that the instructor fairly quickly bailed on that idea -shortly after I was almost impaled on an outcrop of coral – and we repaired to the swimming pool of a local hotel, much to the dismay of the seven year old girl that was swimming there under the watchful gaze of her grandmother who was resting her eyelids close by. The girl asked us what we were doing, and when we said we had come to practice diving, she scoffed at us. “You don’t need all that fancy gear! I can dive in the pool in just my togs!” She radiated with scorn. I tried to explain what we were doing but she wasn’t having it. Lucky I don’t care about the opinion of a smarty pants 7 year old. Also lucky that no one saw me poke my tongue out at her.
That was followed the next day with a couple of dives out beyond the reef. It was windy and a bit choppy, but in spite of that the water was a beautiful rich royal blue and the visibility was good. The best part was seeing an old turtle, trying to mind it’s own business and munching on coral. The pushy novice in our group accidentally smacking his head on the underside of our boat and getting blue paint in his hair was also a highlight.
The girls have been inspired to get their PADI certificates this summer. I have never dived in Wellington but I hear it’s very good although I suspect we will need to invest in some very thick wetsuits.