Discover Scuba Diving Experience

After my work week was over last week, we set off to a two-hour trip to Anilao, Batangas with our dive instructor. Yes you read it right, dive. Mina, Uncle Don, Ruby and myself decided to take on a challenge that we all never knew we would ever try in our lifetime (Thania, Ray and AJ were in the other car). All along the trip, everyone expressed their own fears. I think I had the most fear of all if I may say so. I have this profound fear of the open water ever since I was a little girl. I cannot forget biting my mom's shoulder when I was still a little girl when she brought me to the beach to swim. That memory would be on repeat every time I go to a beach. I would always be very scared and be very cautious. Anyway, back to my story, I was telling everyone if I can still back out of the plan up to the very last minute, even before I backrolled in the waters of Sombrero Island with the diving gear fully strapped on me.

We reached the resort where we are staying (Halo Anilao Dive Resort) just in time for lunch. We had a sumptuous meal of fish cooked in coconut milk, fried chicken and sinigang with fresh ripe mangoes for dessert. We were then asked to accomplish a questionnaire about our health and a waiver in case any untoward incidents will happen. Imagine the shock of my life upon reading a line that says accidents may happen that can lead to death. Whoa! How encouraging?

After ingesting all the food and accomplishing the necessary paper works, we were asked to change to our diving clothes. We then had a lesson on the gears, proper breathing, techniques on equalizing, and so on and so forth. It was a crash course that made excited and scared at the same time. Up to the very last minute, I was convincing myself that everything will be okay. I didn't want my mind to play tricks on me so I did not entertain any negative thoughts, I just kept motivating myself. I'm sure the rest of my companions were thinking the same too. After the lesson we then set sail to go to Sombrero Island. It was a bumpy ride which further increased everyone's anticipation.

Sombrero Island resembles a hat underwater, so its profile makes the name Sombrero quite appropriate. The rim of the "hat" stretches a long way underwater from north to south. Gorgonians, black coral shells, turtles, rays, grunts, jacks, snappers, and a great variety of soft corals are abundant. Currents are normally strong during the full moon. Diving is fairly shallow on the rim down to about 50 feet in certain area. -SOURCE

When it was my turn to dive, I just completely gave my trust to Sir Allan, our dive instructor, who guided me  and my companions to see the beauty of the marine life in that part of the very vast ocean. I was awed. It was so beautiful. I was proud of myself for taking the plunge. I have done something I never knew I could. It was a simple case of mind over matter.

Now I feel like encouraging everyone to dive to see what's under the ocean. It might seem scary at first and really challenging but if you have an open mind to learn something new and the willingness to do something you think you could not do, then give diving a chance. After all, our planet is still 2/3 body of water. Wouldn't you want to explore just a fraction of that? If you are interested to join our next diving trip, please let me know. Let's explore the oceans together, one diving spot at a time.