Scuba try-out

Just got back from the YMCA pool where Crisp and I went for our “Discover Scuba” session.

I wanted to see how Crisp actually handled being underwater and in all the gear, and to see if he liked it, before we went ahead and booked a full course while we’re in Tobago in August; I have only been scuba diving once before myself (in a pool on the liner “The France” when I was about his age) and I remember it being a little weird, so I wanted him to have the chance to try it without any pressure. I found out that the local dive shop in Mamaroneck rents the Rye Y pool on Monday evenings and they offer a $25 session to try it out to see if you like it, and so I’d booked that a few weeks ago for tonight. I had already gone ahead and ordered all three of us our own fins, snorkels and prescription masks so that we can all enjoy snorkeling and actually being able to see what’s under the water, and they’d arrived last week, so Monkey and I had had a chance to try them out at family swim last Friday.

Well, I needn’t have worried- Crispy took to it like a proverbial fish to water! We had a fantastic instructor called “Trigger” who took us through all the gear and then gently introduced us to being under water, and Crisp was excellent- he listened carefully, asked sensible questions and did exactly what he was told. We were in the pool for about an hour and a half, and about 80 minutes of that was under water. We learned about the signs you make to let people know if you’re OK or in any trouble, how to use the gear to make yourself neutrally buoyant, and generally had lots of fun just swimming around. Crispy’s own take on it was: “I thought I was going to like scuba diving, I was wrong, I LOVE it!” And the instructor looked at me at one point and said, “I think you’ve created a monster!”

So, I guess me and the boys (Josh is coming to Tobago with Mum and Dad) are going diving in the Caribbean! Can’t wait!!!