Scooter divers

Back from a recent dive trip to Aur and all I can say is that it was fcuking fantastic! As promised, I've picked out the memorable bits:

This time, I'd a scooter (like a motorised propeller that kisses tiresome finning goodbye!) and I was on my way to fly the watery skies. Think weightless, think endless robin blue water vista, think cold waters rushing the lengths of your body in place of fast winds. And a machine that's sensitive to every slight turn of your body, like you're melded as one. Struck by that first time sensation, I admit I zoned out to enjoy the view. My photographic memory clicked this one for posterity. I wish I could've bottled up that sensation to savour. I daydreamed like that for about 3 seconds underwater before I nearly crashed into my buddy who had slowed down in front. Ah well, he suppressed the urge to swear at me and I earned a lecture after that on alertness underwater, heheh, but what the heck. Currents, big fish.. we chased and rode them all.

Speaking of, diving makes me hungry these days. Prior to diving with this group of divers, I had no idea that you could have a veritable feast. And oh what fun we had spotting the spotted groupers, snappers and threadfins. And the possibilities! The yummy possibilities! What did end up on the dinner table was what we fished with a rod - barracudas, threadfin, sotong... I'm really inspired to write a Diver's Cookbook, honestly. And divers who don't drink? Scrap that. We had amazing wine vintages to go with. I wish I had the pictures, but I don't.

What I do have pictures of is the jacuzzi tub, lots of soapy foam, wine and three smiling girls though. Ask me nicely.

For all this, I have one person to thank. (The person in question is publicity shy, so no names) but now I understand why dive buddies form such instinctive bonds after a few dives together. And why some people don't dive with unfamiliar company. Even though you don't communicate much verbally underwater (how's that for irony), there's an intrinsic trust when both basically share the real possibility of drowning underwater and the responsibilities of making that a zero. In sharing air, or even knowing where to find each other when you get lost in unfamiliar waters, you know you've made a real friend you can depend on. Below the volatile watery skies, that's a life and death difference.