This is my debate. Guy was selected to go to a conference with his company in Australia this summer! Crazy huh! We decided that since we just had to pay for me (thank you tax return) that I could go too! I'm still pinching myself because I can't believe we are really doing this. Australia is a place I never thought I would ever go in my wildest dreams!! Anyways, we've been having a blast planning for this trip together and one of the things we have talked about doing is scuba diving. The Great Barrier Reef is right off the coast of Australia so obviously we want to see it. It's one of the best places to scuba dive in the world! Guy is all for it and is getting scuba certified right now. He has been training in the pool twice a week for 2 weeks and now just has to go out to a lake to do open water dives. So once he is done, the plan is for me to get certified next. But I am slightly freaking out and feeling a bit doubtful. In fact, ever since we talked about doing this I have had some sort of scuba diving dream every night. Haha, my imagination is a horrible thing! Anyways, these are my main concerns (they probably sound stupid, but oh well):
-I'm just gonna start with the obvious...I am afraid of sharks. haha, isn't everyone? I guess its pretty common to see them in the great barrier reef. Mostly like little reef sharks that are supposedly harmless but you never know. To me a shark is a shark. I'm almost going to guarantee if I saw one down there I would have a panic attack! And then I'm sure if I had a panic attack the shark would decide to become harmful and attack me since I will be drawing attention to myself. And from there I'm sure it would decide to eat me or at least bite off my leg. Which I have another question about sharks. What would you do if one was swimming at you? I mean, do you play dead? Do you swim away? Do you stare them down? See how much time I have on my hands!
-I think the Ocean in general just kind of makes me nervous. I blame a lot of that on Planet Earth... have you ever watched the Ocean segment? I watched it over at my Aunt's awhile back and some of the things I saw on there that live in the ocean are disturbing. I mean they look like your worst nightmares...and they are real!
-I'm afraid I might feel claustrophobic doing it. I'm not seriously claustrophobic in real life. Like the main thing is I hate feeling trapped. I'm afraid I'll get to the bottom and start to feel that way and want to get out but I think it takes some time to get back to the top because you have to let your ears equalize.
-The Great Barrier Reef is where the crocodile hunter died! I know the chances of that that happening to me are like one in a million but its still semi disturbing!
-I wear contacts so if water gets in my mask and it gets in my eyes, I'm pretty sure the salt water will sting and I will be blinded. And I'm pretty sure being blind under the water would not be such a good thing! I'll probably swim right up to a shark!
I could probably go on and on but those are my main things. I'm not really worried about running out of air or anything because everyone's dive tanks have extra mouthpieces on them in case someone's isn't working and they need to share. Plus I know we'll be down there with an experienced divemaster so I will just hang on to him. And I know Guy will share his air with me and fight off mean sharks and scary things for me, right Guy?? But I'm still a little nervous about it all. I'm going to do a session with a diving instructor in a pool next week and see how I feel, but I'm kind of nervous about that too! I'm just going to pretend that the ocean is exactly like Finding Nemo and its just a happy little place! :) And if I can't scuba I will snorkel for sure, but I just need to make myself try it so I won't regret it later! Has anyone else ever scuba dived or would you do it if you had the chance??
Here's is Brayden in some of Guy's scuba stuff. Brayden told me that he is not scared of sharks at all and if he ever "scupa" dived he would just go up to the sharks and pet them. But if it was a mean shark he would just pull out all its teeth and fight it. Guess I need to learn some bravery from my 3 year old huh :)
We'll see how it goes next week...
12 comments:
This sounds odd, but I have heard your supposed to punch sharks in the face if they charge at you! haha
Oh no, I'm in trouble! I can't even imagine doing that! haha
I would say do it cause its a once in a lifetime opportunity but then again I'm not the one doing it. I'm pretty afraid of sharks too.
P.S. I've been keeping up with your blog awhile now and I love it. Promise I'm not a scary stalker! I have 2 kids too.
k seriously the ocean is kind of my biggest fear, especially if you can't see under there. While at the same time what if you could see and you can't get away fast enough?!
i feel almost claustrophobic...cuz you don't have much control.
In Hawaii I had to take a boogie board out to snorkel haha I'm such a baby. BUT i did just barely learn to swim...like 2 years ago. Sad, I know...
This isn't helping
LUCKY!!!!
But seriously I'm beyond jealous that you get to go to Australia :) Take a billion pictures!
I think it sounds like a great opportunity..on the other hand I have a HUGE fear of sharks! I know its pathetic but just last night I had a dream that I was swimming and a great white swam right under me! lol, i did snorkel and even though I was having panic attacks it sure was gorgeous!
how awesome that you get to go!! k i would be freaking out about the same stuff as you cuz oceans really scare me for some reason... but you have to go! when will you ever get a chance like that again! ...and you should be comforted by the fact that the crocodile hunter died there... that was such a freak accident and the chances of it happening once are pretty small... and the chances of it happening twice are even smaller. so really, by him dying, your chances are even slimmer :-) k maybe that was a stupid point... but yes, i think you should do it ! :-)
Allison I'm so jealous! Laura and Cody are going to Australia next year sometime too. No fair! And I agree with everyone else - its a once in a lifetime opportunity! Plus they wouldn't let so many people do it if it wasn't safe - I'm sure they keep an eye out for areas that mean sharks are in. There are sharks that aren't mean aren't there? Good luck and have fun - maybe your scuba class will help you feel better about it.
Also I totally feel your pain with hauling a child around - except mine is now 3 years old and 30 lbs. I have been blessed however I think because I haven't really had a choice! And I've never thrown out my back so its definitely a tender mercy. I'm sure Tyler will get going soon - and then your back can heal!
I have a couple friends who've done it and they say it's the coolest thing.
I say go for it. Guy would totally punch a shark for you. :)
You'll always wish you had...but you only get to be alive once too...I say do it while you can...but if your gut feeling is not to do it...well, thats the spirit and that something very different than just being afraid...I love who you are by the way...go or dont go...we love you a ton and nothing could make me believe you arent a courageous woman after seeing you do a marathon and raise boys!
Do it!!! Better you than me! haha =) Just kidding, I think you'd love it, especially with Guy down there with ya. Let us know how the class goes.
holy crap that is amazing!!! I'm so jealous!! I know you will have an amazing and wonderful time!!!
You gotta scuba... your in AUSTRAILIA! when will you ever go there again... cant wait to see you guys in 3 weeks...
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