Rendezvous with the Fishes and the Sea

We have this unique opportunity to visit the under water world during the company outing last July 16, 2011. When asked if we want to go scuba diving, my first questions was, "Can I dive eventhough I don't know how to swim?". They just smiled at me...:>



We met at Carabao Dive Center Davao at 7:30 AM to fetch our diving gears. Then after that, we've crossed the vast Ocean through a boat from Sta. Ana Wharf at Magsaysay, Davao City to Talikod Island. Since we have plenty of time in the boat, our scuba diving guide oriented us about the basics of Scuba Diving. I learned that it is not necessary that you know how to swim to dive, so I was relieved with my apprehension. We've been introduced to the different apparatus used to dive and it's functionality. SCUBA is actually an acronym and not a word. It means Self Contained Underwater Breathing Apparatus. In order to survive under the sea, you need to wear all those scuba diving gears such as the mask, compressed air tank, and many more. We have been taught also about the different sign language that we should use since we could not talk under the sea. There's hand signal to use on how to say that you feel something bad, ok, danger, up and more.

I'm ready to dive with my wet suit and all diving apparatus.It's my first time to wear all those stuff, so I'm a little bit of excited and afraid. We will about to explore the sea at 30 feet in 30 minutes. Before diving, my guide briefly oriented me what to do under the sea when pressure starts to attack.

I am not sure about that pressure, what I'm feeling at that moment is a different pressure, more on emotional. So I eagerly listened and followed all his instructions. It is important that you know how to equalize, a.k.a. pinching the nose and breath in through the mouth and breath out against your nose. This will puff some air out of your ear. You need to do this under the water to overcome pressure.

In the next few minutes, I found myself under the sea watching these sea creatures.

I can't believe I can even touch them and look at them closely. Before, I can only see them in the aquarium, it's a different feeling when you know you can actually play with them. They are very beautiful to look at swimming in their own comfort zone.

At the first 5 minutes, I felt a little pressure in my ear. As we went down to the bottom of the sea, my ear started to feel something bad. It is actually normal, all you have to do is to equalize.

I started to enjoy the diving experience. I've seen a lot of corals and stones and living things under the sea. I just realized that we humans are not actually alone. There is actually a wonderful world down there and I love to see these fishes with different colors swimming freely and naturally.

Here are the things that you can see under the sea. Since I don't know what to call them, let's just call them names.

DISCLAIMER: These photos are just shared to me, these are not mine.

This one, I think we can call this a blue pearl.

Some of the healthy and happy coral reefs under the sea:

I've seen several of this kind in the aquarium:

This one is very nice. It looks like a giant flower

Who says you can only see green things in the pastures and meadows? We also have that under the sea, look:

And if you think coral reefs are just plain brown and black rock, you are wrong, they are actually colorful under the sea:

And they also come in different shapes and sizes:

These coral reefs are very important. They are playing a vital role under the sea. Of course, we also need to see those creatures inhabited these coral reefs, what else, of course, the fishes:

Let's start off with these beautiful clown fishes:

I've been finding for Nemo the rest of my life, and I found him here:

Aren't they adorable?

Aside from the clown fish, of course, you can also see this. I honestly don't know what is this. Is this a fish or a coral reef? But it's good to look at.

Some fish actually can't make it to smile at the camera, so they look snub:

But some of them are actually friendly and smiley:

Some of them are a little bit of reserved:

And some of them are cute:

Oh no!! That's not a fish, sigh....that's me...excuse me for that.

Some of them will look you in the eyes:

And I also look them in my eye:

But some of them are scary:

and fierce:

Oooppss...not again...lol

If I were a fish, I think I will live in this reef:

After seeing the beauty under the sea, I don't know how they can afford to use dynamites in fishing and throw garbage in the sea. I think we should require those people who are doing this to dive so they will see what kind of world they are destroying. I believe diving is not about disturbing the peace and tranquility under the sea, it's about letting us see and realize that we are not alone in this world. There are lives deep down under the water, and it is our responsibility to take care and preserve these lives.