Scuba Diving at Grand Cayman

We are definitely back into the swing of things at home...literally speaking we have been swinging the spanking spoon a few more times than usual as we need to whip (haha) those kids into shape after being spoiled by grandma and Miss Erin for a week straight! Okay so I don't really mean that-it just sounded like a good introduction to a new post-post vacation. Wow, the word play is just flowing out of me! Okay, okay.
Well, our 10 year anniversary vacation was a blast! We relaxed a ton, but also did a lot on the island. For now I'll just give a taste of scuba diving so you all can imagine that you were there with us...
Scuba diving. I've never thought much about it-it looks cool, adventurous, fun, and amazing. We had maybe mentioned the possibility of doing it on this trip, but then came to understand that you have to be certified to go out. So the thought was dismissed, and we were content to snorkel, especially since we had no idea what we were missing. So we snorkelled, and had a great time and saw all kinds of things. Massive tarpon immediately when we entered the water. I thought I might have a heart attack at the sight of these 5 foot long fish with large silvery scales. They just kind of sat motionless in the water, swaying with the current, eyes bulging. 4 of them. Then there were these amazing squid that were changing color to camoflage themselves. At least 30 or 40 of these. When you think of flounder, you picture the cute little yellow and blue striped guy from Little Mermaid, however we found these amazing little flat fish that were hiding under the sand on the ocean floor (camoflaged) and would only move if you frightened them. They were some type of flounder. Parrot fish were one of my favorites- they have these big lips that make them look pretty goofy, but they have every color of the neon rainbow (if there is such a thing) in them and are beautiful. Every direction you looked under water and it was an amazing sight with every color of the spectrum represented and fish swimming around everywhere, acting as if they didn't see you. They certainly were used to swimmers. It was amazing.
Church Sunday. We had a great Lord's day, and met some wonderful people. A "friend" we met (Kurt won't let me risk exposing the law-breaking scuba enthusiast) was a great guy with a great family. He and his son "Jonathan" (that's what we'll call him) scuba dive. After having lunch with them, our "friend" mentioned to Kurt that he would like to take us scuba diving if we were interested. A very generous offer, and Kurt was eager to do it, but maybe I would just come along for the ride and chill (sweat, rather) in the boat. We joined them for dinner another evening, and they began discussing it again...I'm still not sure I'm up for it. I'm teased a little for the hesitation, but the plan is made. By the time we get to the destination for the dive, I am informed that there is no boat, that we will not be taking the certification course, and that basically we were diving at our own risk. The choice was mine. Even with my hesitation, it just looked so fun to me. How can I pass this up? I was also told that this is the greatest dive spot in the world. Our "friend" knew of my hesitation, so after we geared up and were swimming out on our backs to the spot where we would dive, 1) he told me that he hoped to see some sharks, 2) that no one offers insurance for scuba diving, 3) he had been bitten by a moray eel, 4) that we may see poisonous fish, 5) that the fish we saw snorkeling the other day was a baracuda, and 6) that they shut down a diving operation on the island because of shark attacks. You know- all the things that instill confidence in your decision to try something new. Thanks "friend"!
At this point I wasn't sure that I was going to enjoy this at all, especially since 1) I was also a little nervous about breathing out of a tank under water for so long, 2) I couldn't keep the buttons on the oxygen tank straight, 3)my ears pop under water, and 4) my mask kept filling up with water. I started to understand that a scuba diving course with certification was the way to go. I guess it was a little late for that. Oh well, trust the Lord, right? He knows all things and at this point I realized that I must rest in Him.
Time to dive. Wow. I don't know how to even explain what it was like when I flipped from my back to my stomach and took my first look under us, but it was not what I expected. And then we went 60 feet down. I guess that's pretty deep for a first dive, but once you're down there, it's absolutely captivating. The colors that you see are beautiful, the creatures are amazing and we must have seen at least 50 different kinds of fish. Black fish with what looked like tiny blue neon Christmas lights all over his body. Then there were black fish with bright yellow stripes, yellow fish with a black spot on their flat bodies, lobster hiding under a rock with amazing striping, a poisonous scorpion fish (didn't find out what I saw until after the dive), lots more parrot fish, tiny orange and purple fish, and I could go on and on. The best part of this dive was the sea turtle that we saw. He was absolutely adorable, and totally friendly! He swam around us a couple of times, and I kept up with him and even pet him on the shell! It was amazing to watch him swim around so gracefully, the sun light beaming down around and on him, and to swim so close that I could touch him! In that moment I was struck with the kindness of God to allow me to experience this, and the beauty of watching the turtle swim with such grace. It was overwhelming to be in this underwater world- the sheer immensity of it was breathtaking. It is one thing to look out over the surface of such an immense body of water, and quite another to dive down, be what feels like in the middle of it, and then to realize that it is 6000 feet deep only a quarter-mile from where we were diving (termed "the wall" around the island of Grand Cayman). Our God is so powerful, creative, immense, amazing, and more.
Thankfully, our "friend" did not point out the shark that he saw during our dive, and I was so caught up in my own world of coral and cute fishies that I didn't look up to see it. He refrained from pointing it out to me, and I'm quite glad that he didn't mention it until I was out of the water. I think I still panicked when he told me.
I was so proud of my dive that I had to call my mom and tell her about it. I was quite shocked at her initial response when I told her we had just gone scuba diving.
"YOU DID WHAT???"
"I went scuba diving, mom. You know, with the tank on your back and swimming with the fishies?"
"I would never do that. Don't tell me you really did that!?"
Now is there a more perfect opportunity to disclose to her all of the pertinent information about the dive?
"Yah mom, and we saw a shark, too. And we weren't even certified, and I pressed the wrong button during the dive on my tank, and mom did you know that they had to shut down a diving operation on the island because of shark attacks? And we went 60 feet down! And I saw a scorpion fish and it's poisonous!" On and on I went, as my husband laughed hearing my mom through the receiver panicking for me.
"I'm going again tomorrow too, mom."
"Don't tell me that! You have 5 children!! Oh, I can't believe you, Julie. I can't believe that you are going again!"
Anyway, we loved it, we went again, and I would do it again if I had the opportunity. (Not to spite my mom- my interaction with her was all in fun and she knows that and can appreciate it now that she knows I made it without being attacked by a shark) It was an amazing experience that I won't soon forget and will tell people about for the rest of my life!! Pictures tomorrow.