diving the reef

i am now an officially certified open water scuba diver! i spent last weekend (a three day weekend due to the celebration of Pan American Day - NOT Columbus Day) in San Pedro, on Ambergris Caye, learning the ins and outs of air compression and density, equalization of the body's air spaces, and the buildup of nitrogen bubbles in the blood. oh yeah, and i practiced breathing underwater without panicking. that's an important one. did you know that too much nitrogen in your system can have effects similar to drunkenness? but only underwater... the effects wear off once you ascend to the surface. drat!

i've ended up with a nasty ear infection as part of the deal (too much dirty sea water hanging out in my ear canal, it would seem), but the opportunity to hang out in such an incredible and alien environment made it well worth it. i was amazed at how much iridescence there is under the surface. and despite the lack of light, the colors are so vibrant! i've never been much of a fish fan, but the more i see of them in their natural environment, the more they grow on me. the ease and grace with which they navigate their world is incredible to watch, especially considering how ungainly i felt as a brand new diver. but by the end of the weekend i was learning to control my movements by just a slight shift in body position or the shallowness of my breath. pretty freaking cool. AND i got to pet a nurse shark!

Belize has the world's second largest coral reef, so there's much to be seen. next time i'll definitely be bringing a camera...