Tuesday, September 18, 2018

Tuesday Slice: Passing the test

Thin gray clouds scattered the light of the dawning sun as we gathered on the Mediterranean beach.  It was summer, but the heat of the day was hours away.  I felt awkward, the only child in a class of teenagers and adults clad in swimsuits and flippers, masks and snorkels.

Our instructions were to swim out into the sea to view a sunken vessel, sightsee a bit, then return to the beach.  We plunged into the water and started our PADI skindiving final test.

The pool at the military base where we practiced in the evenings felt like a bath, water heated all day by the sun.  The sea was colder; I felt the chill seep into my bones as I made my way towards the wreckage, swimming a little harder in hopes of warming up my muscles.

Then I felt the seaweed.  Long, slimy tendrils wrapped around my short nine-year-old legs.  I could kick and wriggle free, only to meet up with another patch in a few strokes.  The effort was exhausting.  I was falling far behind the other swimmers, accompanied only by an instructor.  Unable to swim consistently, my body succumbed to the cold, teeth chattering behind blue lips.

The instructor turned me around, and we headed back to shore.  I had swum far enough out to pass the swimming test (or so they said).  Having mastered the written test, I had earned my PADI skindiving license.

12 comments:

  1. Wow! You were so young. Beautiful description in this piece. I snorkle and love it but have never been brave enough to scuba dive. What is skindiving?
    Is it the same as snorkeling? Lovely post.

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    1. Yep, same as snorkeling. I think I planned on learning to scuba dive next, but after that swimming test, the plan just faded.

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  2. I could feel your cold! Funny how vibrant and detailed some memories remain for us. Thanks for sharing.

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    1. Thank you, Rose! Not even sure why the memory arose, but glad it did. May have a lesson to teach me...

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  3. Your description is so clear and engaging. I could feel the creepiness of the seaweed and the shortness of my own breath as I read.

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    1. Thanks, Meaghan. It was an intense experience, for sure!

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  4. That was a story I didn't remember. Love Ya, Dad.

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    1. Maybe it was on a weekday and Mom took me? That part, I don't remember either.

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  5. Funny how some memories come back to us! And your attention to detail was refreshing! (Pun intended)

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    1. Ha! Yes, overly refreshing! I'm just glad I still enjoy swimming!

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  6. What a fantastically vivid vignette! The cold, the seaweed, the sense of apprehension comes through with remarkable clarity.

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    1. Thank you, Sherri! I was surprised by what came to the surface as I wrote. I need to remember that intense feelings make good fodder for Slices!

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