Dive a wreck

“Swim, swim, swim,” the guide yells to me as I desperately try to pull myself to the mooring line. As we begin our descent, my body becomes lopsided, and I start to spin around the line. “Did you see that?”I hear Natalie call. I have lost my integrated weight pocket. The guide has a spare weight and slips it into my wetsuit pocket. All the weight is on the right side of my body. I am lighter than the first dive and have to fight to descend. My breathing is labored as I try to get straight and descend. My lungs are screaming for air, and my calves are cramped viciously. I can feel waves of panic engulf me as I think I am going to drown. I can’t manage it; exhaustion is flooding my body, and I am in a world of pain. I have no choice but to return to the boat, unsure if I can even swim back. With help, I get back on board. They offer to weight me correctly and get me back into the water, but I am done. Every inch of my body is shattered. Mentally and physically, I am exhausted.”

“I’ll never forget my first wreck. I was completing my PADI advanced open water course when, during my deep dive, I noticed a massive dark object about 45 meters ahead of me. Those same feelings of wonder which I had experienced in the cinema years before immediately gripped me and my excitement was translated into stupidly fast kick cycles and incomprehensible giggles. I could not wait to get closer. The visibility was excellent and I could almost immediately make out the stern of an enormous ship, with the bridge towering about 10 meters above me. I felt small. Tiny, in fact. I signaled “OK” to my instructor but immediately knew that this was no place for messing around. I drew in a few deep, clear breaths and followed my instructor around the bridge and stared in amazement at the enormous sight before me. It stretched as far as the visibility would allow my eyes to see and well beyond.”