PADI Open Water License | 潛水執照經驗

(Please scroll down for English translation.)

快恭喜我拿到潛水執照！感謝主我們平安沒事，安全上岸。也感謝主創造海底的美麗景色，讓我們能慢慢欣賞！

對任何水上活動都非常有興趣的UN，第一個禮拜在沖繩已經幫我報名潛水執照班！課程維持一個禮拜，兩天教室上課，兩天泳池練習，週末到海邊實際演練！那週好忙但也更了解自己，原來學潛水不但能看到超美海底世界還能更認識自己！

泳池練習第一天，教練教我們一些水裡技能。一切都很順利，直到需要在水底12英尺把蛙鏡裝水然後吐氣清空。我的天啊，把我嚇壞了！我不但嗆到還感覺到溺水，一度緊張失控想衝上水面（潛水大忌）。好險老師把我抓住，安撫我的情緒，讓我能在水裡練好清蛙鏡這技巧。超感謝老師那時把我抓住，讓我覺得安全不害怕！

那天被嚇壞了，一直夢到在海裡溺水，整晚沒睡好。起床後身心疲憊，完全不想繼續潛水執照的課程。第二天的泳池練習，一度太驚慌遲遲無法進入水裡，還和UN說我想回家了。講完那話，我就進去水裡潛水（那畫面也太戲劇化了吧！）第二天非常順利，也把該學的技巧學會了。

那週末我們到海裡練習，總共四次潛水。海底下景色超美，真慶幸當時教練和UN的鼓勵讓我沒放棄！還有，我要感謝我的同班同學們（全班共四人），不但沒笑我還一直鼓勵我。在浪大時我無法抬起氧氣筒時幫我一把，在我快崩潰時確定我一切都好。

有些朋友問到我們的課程資訊，在此解釋一下：
課程是美軍提供。執照是PADI（國際潛水協會）認證，一班學生不超過六人。價錢美金300含潛水教材、電子手錶、潛水裝備（需自備潛水靴、蛙鏡、吸氣和fin），共維持一週。最後兩天海底練習，教練會視情況而決定潛水地點和時間，通常約早上六點半。共四次海裡潛水，能到海裡60英尺，前三次海裡練習確定學生們熟悉潛水技能，第四次教練帶著學生們參觀海底生物。過關後，學生會收到PADI潛水執照。

My instructor Everett and classmates!

I am now PADI certified open water scuba diver!!! PTL that we safely resurfaced. Also thoroughly amazed by the beauty of God’s creation down in the deep blue ocean!

Being the beach boy that he is, UN signed me up for open water diving class the first week we got to Okinawa. The class was one week long, first two days in the classroom, second two days in the pool, and weekend in open water! It was a busy week, but not only did I get to see the beautiful water world, I also got to know myself more!

We started learning some skills on the first day we got into the pool. Everything went smoothly until when we got to 12 ft and I had to fully flood my mask and clear it. I totally freaked out!!! Water got into my nose and I felt like I was drowning, lost control and instinctively tried to resurface (a big no no in scuba diving). Thankfully my instructor held onto me and calmed me down so I could master this very important skill!

Terrified from that incidence, I had nightmares about drowning, and didn’t sleep well that night. I was so physically and mentally tired that I didn’t want to continue on the second day. I hesitated going into the pool on the second day, and even told UN that I wanted to go home. After I said those words, I went back into the water (what a dramatic change!) Glad to report second day went splendidly and I mastered all the skills taught that day. 

On the weekend we practiced in open water, and dove for a total of four times. The view under the sea was spectacular, so thankful that my instructor, classmates and UN were so encouraging and didn’t let me give up. They even helped me carried the very heavy oxygen tank when the waves were crashing on me, and made sure that I was good at all times!

Some people have asked me about the class, here’s some info:
Our certification class was done through a military base dive shop, and is PADI certified. Each class has no more than 6 people. Costs about $300 USD per person, and includes instruction materials, dive computer, equipment rentals (need to purchase your own mask, snorkel, shoes and fins), and it lasts for a whole week. The last two days of open water dive, the instructor will determine suitable dive spots according to the weather that day. We started the day’s dive at 6:30 am. We dove for a total of four times and down to 60 ft. The first three dives were skills testing and the last dive was a fun dive. After we passed all written and underwater skills testing we will receive our PADI certification in the mail!