I was nervous when I took my first breath through a diving regulator - and was even more so when I first dived in open waters - but my instructor and training had prepared me well. I shuffled clumsily forward in my flippers towards the edge of the jetty and leaped into the ocean. I bobbed at the surface, and with the signal of my instructor, we began to descend. The weight on my shoulders soon eased as we slowly floated downwards, and I suddenly gazed upon a rainbow of colors! "This is why I constantly return to Sharm El Sheikh," fellow divers tell us, "it holds the most beautiful corals on Earth!"
As we gently propelled ourselves forwards, I swerved my head to my right, peering through inky, silent darkness. But when I turned to my left, the underwater cliff face was bursting with life! The northernmost tropical sea is home to over two hundred different coral species, and it is quite hard not to notice their brilliance! The marine invertebrates' vibrant color seemed to glow in the sparkling sunlight, and if you looked even more intently, you could discover the dwelling of tiny fishes. Lined with dazzling scales, they danced gracefully for just a moment and suddenly vanished as I swam by. The darkness and light of the sea were a peculiar contrast, but yet it was reality.
I continued following my instructor through the reef, checking my air and depth on the dive computer that was wrapped tightly around my wrist. We soon floated to a long metal chain that was anchored from the sandy floor to a bobbing buoy above. I clung on, and following my instructor's instruction, I performed a few skills. I took off my mask and put it back on, clearing it of water with my nose and performed other drills in different situations. My instructor nodded and with a thumbs up, he signaled for our ascent. I looked up and the blanket of translucent violet jellyfish began to appear closer and closer until their harmless bodies began to brush against me. I climbed up a ladder, bearing the weight that was on my shoulders once more, and returned to land.
My parents have told me many stories of their own diving adventures, and I never expected I would ever be able to explore the seas in the same way - especially at such a young age! Through videos, textbooks, and tests in a little swimming pool, I learned underwater sign language and about the strange gear I wore. Learning the science and way of diving is all quite fascinating, and I am very privileged to have experienced the beauties of the ocean from such a different point of view. Diving not only gained me a license and a new skill, but I also collected memories that I will keep and continue to make in the future.
