Our Diving Story in Maldives

Alimatha dive spot

I never thought I'd say this, but I am starting to fall in love with diving. I didn't at first. Because... I don't know, doesn't make sense. I mean, you have free oxygen to breathe in while you're on the surface, but then you want to go down bringing an oxygen tank to be able to breathe underwater...?

I tried my first diving certification which was failed because I got sick in the middle of the course, and think that "It doesn't make sense that you have to open your mask underwater, have to learn how to breathe from airflow... Don't you know that eyes hurt without a mask on?" Of course, I understand that those could be the worse possible scenario that may happen to us when we go diving. But ugh. It's hard work you know!

I am pretty light, only 50kg, and I had a problem descending so Ali add weight to my BCD.

On our first day of confined and open water, H asked me if I want to do another dive in the future. I boldly said, "Nah, I am not sure about that. I don't think so." For sure I made my husband a little bit disappointed.

We finished our diving course pretty slow not because we are slow learners but because we wanted to take time. We just don't want to spend the whole day diving in the morning and evening. It just doesn't make sense. That obviously will get me super tired. 

After learning from the book with H, I realize now that I am learning faster when I am not with him. Man, he's pretty annoying. You know, a typical smart guy who will think about covering all the basics even if we don't need them, so when I didn't do the same I'd be nervous. That kind of guy. So first, we need to finish at least 3 chapters before we jump to the water. We obviously did. Then the instructor need to check the answers we did on the last part of every chapter. Slow? Oh yes of course, because we had to argue that I love to write the answers in my booklet while H loves to do it the otherwise. So he can keep his book clean, ffs.

Decompression stop, 3 mins in 5 meters depth. Of course, I had to hold the rope so I wouldn't get swept away. 

The first day we were in the water, I was a bit surprised because Ali - our instructor, did our BCD and tank. I was like, "Hmm is it normal? I thought we have to do it ourselves first?" Because the first time we tried to dive, this is what we do first. Assemble our BCD before jumping into the water. But now I realize how flexible Ali was. (and this is why I passed this certification)

Ali babysit me during the whole open water. He checked up on us every 5 mins. He always showed us where to look so we wouldn't miss some cute poisonous creatures.

So we had to bring our own BCD to the shore from the dive center. Not far, only 2 mins walk. But man, it didn't feel like 2 minutes with a tank on your back! He briefed us on something simple like how to equalize, how to inflate deflate BCD, basically all basic stuff I still remember. So I had no difficulties at all. Surprisingly, I had no idea that he would take us to open water, directly! 

Jeng jeng!!!!

If it were me 4 years ago, I might be dead right away! Because I was so afraid of the ocean, let alone diving. The thought of being in the water always gives me the vision of struggling to get the oxygen for breathing. But I get used to the ocean since I moved to Bali. Even if I can't swim, I always think that "I am floating with inflated BCD so what's the problem? Can't swim? We don't need to swim, we just need to sink!" Although I fell a few times crashing coral because I can't orient myself and was swept away by the strong current. I didn't even want to hold the camera haha.

Of course, then we dove down for 12 meters. I didn't even know it was 12 meters. It felt like 5 meters. Because I had no dive computer as well. So we relied on Ali. We stroll around a small dive site, cute, lots of fish, but I didn't really remember much because I was focusing on my breath and how I dive. It was my first open water anyway. 30 mins later, we're back to the boat. 

I still can't believe that I just did my first diving. Left me speechless. There's not much of big fish so I felt relieved.

The day I wanted to give up.

On day two, I was about to give up. Because it was the hardest really. The confined water test were all UGHHH DAMN I HATE IT. I was about to puke, I can't breathe, I can't control myself, I feel like the BCD isn't right. Really. Felt like dying. Then Ali said, "Prisca come on you can do this! It's easy eh? You can do this. Let's go down, it will be better down there. Trust me."

Well, he was right. Still not so satisfying but I survived. Then he offered us to dive in the evening to Alimatha. I was about not to go because meh, I didn't even survive that much this morning. But I am so so glad I did that dive. 

"Well... at least we have to see one shark ok?" 

What the hell! No, why have to? No one told me that we were going to see the sharks. But come on guys. I was a bit afraid and of course, I was the only one who asked, "what should I do if the sharks swim next to me?" They said, "Lay low, make no harsh movement, just relax. They won't do anything."

I was a skeptical girl when it's about safety but I trusted them, the professional divers. So yes, we dove. And that became my first favorite spot ever! 

The first time I swam with the shark was 4 years ago in Bali when I did snorkeling. No one saw that, but me. But this time is different. When I first saw the shark, I was amazed, mesmerized, I can't believe how big it was. Not too big but big enough. Then I saw a shoal of sharks swam above me. I was speechless. HOLY SHIT! I was swimming below them! Damn!

I felt like holding my breath but it is not allowed during the dive so I tried to control myself. What surprised me more is they love to snuggle, at the bottom of the ocean. OH, LORD. Like, seriously? At that moment I started to fall for diving. I am no longer afraid of it. I mean, the ocean is a very mysterious place indeed but it offers you calmness at the same time. No noise at all. I felt no negative emotions at all. It is absorbed by the ocean right away. We are trying to breathe like we normally do on the land, enjoying the view, as well as not bothering underwater beings.

Alimatha left me speechless. 

My deepest dive was 22.2 meters. I was only allowed to go as deep as 18 meters but the current carried me away deeper. 

This one is so so so big!

To be honest I don't really remember the other dives, that much. I didn't remember what kind of creatures I saw there but I was busy making myself adjust to the new world. But I surely remember how calm the underwater world is. Accepting how calm and nice the underwater world is. All I can hear was my breathing through the tank. I consciously tell myself, "This is another new world for you, try to absorb as much the energy around you, make yourself feel at home, enjoy it as much as you can. These creatures here won't do any harm to you as long as you don't make a jerk move. This is something new for you. You are safe and you will be fine." I really enjoyed every bit of it, as if I live in the moment, I was living the best, not even thinking about what to do next. 

The sunset after Alimatha dive.

I thank myself for finishing what we started and falling in love with it eventually, H who keeps telling me that he's so proud of me for trying a new thing, and of course Ali the instructor of Fulidhoodive! He's a gem! The best instructor.

Legally, we can dive with dive buddies anywhere since we are certified now. It's an autonomous diver certification (Level 2), but we do have a plan for the next certification in the future. We'll see about that 😆😎

At the end of our diving course, after we are officially certified by PADI, H asked me again, "Would you want to do another dive in the future?" So I said, boldly, "HELL YES!"