I found myself standing on the edge of the platform at the back of the boat, fully dressed in my SCUBA gear with a flashlight in my hand, wondering what was waiting for me in the dark, warm waters off Grand Cayman. It was the end of my first day as a certified SCUBA diver and somehow I thought it’d be a good idea to do a night dive.
It Sounded Like a Good Idea
I flew to Grand Cayman a few days earlier to complete the check-out dives for my PADI Open Water certification. I could have demonstrated my skills to an instructor in a local stone quarry, but decided I wanted something better and booked a trip to experience the warm, blue waters at a dive resort in the Caribbean.
The certification requires 4 dives, which I completed with my instructor in two subsequent afternoons. Upon returning to the resort after the 4th dive he asked, “Would you like to join us on the night dive tonight?”. Without thinking what was in store for me, I immediately exclaimed “You bet!” and asked what time I needed to be at the dock that evening.
What Did I Get Myself Into?
The coursework for my freshly minted PADI Open Water certification had informed me that diving at night is VERY different than diving during the day. First, and most obvious, is the limited visibility. During the day the waters off Grand Cayman were so clear it was like there was no water at all. Visibility was close to 200ft!! Tonight my visibility would be limited to the end of my flashlight beam. In addition, all the sea life I had viewed during the day would be tucked away for the night to avoid being consumed by the nocturnal hunters – HUNTERS!
As dusk approached I gathered my SCUBA gear and headed to the dock where I loaded it onto the boat, unpacking what I needed to get setup on a full SCUBA tank. The tank was almost full at 2,850 psi, I thought to myself that I was going to need every pound as I hyperventilated my way through the dive.
After the Captain confirmed all were aboard, we left the dock for the dive site. Boats from other resorts and dive operators all seemed to be heading for the same location, the wreck of the Balboa. As we neared the dive site I realized that I did not have a dive buddy. Divers always dive in pairs so you have someone close to assist in case of an emergency. Tonight seemed like an emergency just waiting to happen, so I introduced myself to a guy on the boat who also appeared to be alone. His name was Mike and he was visiting from Chicago. Best of all, he’d done multiple night dives. His words provided some comfort, “Don’t worry Rick, stick with me and you’ll have a great time.”.
The Time Had Come
Mike entered the water and I took my place on the platform to join him. As I scanned the dark water below me I could see the flashlight beams of countless divers below and beside me. I put my regulator in my mouth, but the lump in my throat and the knot in my gut made breathing difficult. The divemaster tapped me on the head and shouted “GO”. I instinctively took that giant step, seeing Mike issue the OK sign to me as I entered the water.
I signaled to the divemaster that I was OK and started the descent with Mike. The warm water entered the back of my wetsuit adding to the “chill” of being underwater in the dark. Mike looked back to make sure I was OK, signaling that I was, I couldn’t help getting distracted by the chaos of light beams in the water. After reaching the wreck we confirmed neutral buoyancy and Mike gave me the hand signal to follow him.
My fear subsided a bit as the temperature in my wetsuit stabilized and I followed Mike around the remains of the Balboa. He pointed out multiple lobster hiding in the nooks and crannies of the reef, resting Parrot fish and found a Moray Eel exiting its den to start the evening hunt. That eel was as big around as my thigh with its mouth open and teeth exposed – SO COOL!. After 48 minutes underwater I signaled Mike I had reached my threshold on gas and that it was time to surface. We surfaced together and completed our required 3 minute safety stop at 15 feet. I inflated my buoyancy vest and swam toward the ladder on the boat. After waiting my turn I climbed back onboard to the “safety” of the boat.
My Lesson
I made the decision to complete my dive certification in Grand Cayman vs. the cold water of a local rock quarry so I could experience ALL diving in the Caribbean had to offer. Agreeing to explore its warm waters at night felt like the right move, until I was faced with the prospect of actually doing it. Placing my trust (and my life) in the hands of the process (and an experienced diver willing to lead) allowed me to return home with even better experiences than I had imagined. Now, I’m the experienced diver offering to help other divers through their first night dives.
This role of helping others get what they want by offering experienced reassurance, leadership through the process and partnership as we complete the tasks is exactly what we do for manufacturing clients at 25 Fathoms. I hope we’re able to help you experience your first giant Moray Eel, because if it hadn’t been for Mike the only thing I would have seen on the dive was the chaos of the event.
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