#xiaoliuqiu
破沉船 (Po Chen Chuan), 小琉球, 屏東, Taiwan
August 19, 2017 | 08:30
Finally, here we are in Xiao Liu Qiu! My first boat dive experience, and an experience to dive with 10+ buddies. As you can imagine we kept bumping into each other on our first dive hehe.
#emsdivingdiary #lovemydivebuddies #4+3 #thirddive #xiaoliuqiu #liuqiu #morningdive #boatdive #readytorocktheboat #seaturtle #wreck... More
It may yet turn out to be the most important day of my life. We were off on a weekend trip from Taipei down to Xiaoliuqiu, an island off Taiwan’s west coast. She caught my eye as soon as we met
outside our subway station rendezvous. Her name was Jackie. Bubbly and full of light, I was watching carefully trying to work out if the guy she was with was a friend, dive buddy, or something more.
It was December 2015, and our group was doing our PADI Advanced OW certificate. On one of the early dives, Jackie got into difficulty with her breathing just below the surface. I watched as the instructor took her hands, met her eyes, and calmed her down, all the while wishing I could have done something for her myself. At the same time, I admired her strength and self control in overcoming that horrible feeling and persevering with the dive. Back on the surface, while discussing the episode and what may have caused it, she said: “All I really need is for someone to hold my hand.” Naturally, I made a mental note.
The next day, while halfway through the deep dive, we encountered a strong current. I’d been keeping an eye on Jackie through the dive, in case she ran into any problems. We were approaching a wreck–an old WW2 ship loaned to Taiwan by America and later sunk off the island’s coast. The brief had told us to expect a swim through of the ship’s bridge in single file, and as Jackie’s buddy made his approach ahead of her, I saw her freeze and tip vertical in the water.
Sensing something was wrong, I booked it over to help as fast as I could to take her hand in the water. Holding her fast and breathing calmly, I guided her breathing back to something like normal with my eyes. I had no idea what she thought until she thanked me for it back on the surface. It was the first time I’d been aware enough to really do something for another diver. It felt fantastic.
On the way back to Taipei, I asked her out for a drink after we returned to Taipei. She said yes. The rest, as they say, is history. We have been together for a year and are as happy as can be. We dive together whenever we can, and took our Rescue Dive course together. I now know the breathing thing happens as a result of vertigo whenever she can’t see the bottom or another landmark beneath the surface, and while we’ve worked out ways to deal with it, sometimes holding hands is the only thing that will do.
Disclaimer: Only approach people you fancy underwater if they are in difficulty and you are pretty damn sure they like you ;-)
#Taiwan #Xiaoliuqiu #Wreck #Advanced #Love... More
thanks for sharing your story :)... More
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破沉船 (Po Chen Chuan), 小琉球, 屏東, Taiwan
August 19, 2017 | 10:14
Boat dive is like taking cab? to your destination directly, easy and more hassle-free. Even though I consider myself tough enough to carry 20+ kilogram gears, it still kills me after a long walk. I'm in love with it already... ????
#emsdivingdiary #4+4 #forthdive #xiaoliuqiu #liuqiu #morningdive #boatdive... More
箱網 (Cage Fishing), 小琉球, 屏東, Taiwan
August 20, 2017 | 08:28
Experienced strong tide when waiting for other buddies on the surface, thank god I did remember to take medicine before every dive. ???
It was amazing seeing a huge cobia cage right in front of you, and it turned bigger and bigger when we dove deeper. Stunning! ?
During this dive, we were lucky enough to bump into a giant sea turtle. ??? I kept a certain distance from it as I did not want to bother it that much. It's better to be a quiet and polite passer-by, isn't it?
#emsdivingdiary #cobiacage #fishingcage #boatdive #4+5 #5thdive #xiaoliuqiu #liuqiu #morningdive #seaturtle... More
美人洞 (Meirendong), 小琉球, 屏東, Taiwan
August 20, 2017 | 09:59
"how to deal with your foggy mask" ???
#emsdivingdiary #4+6 #6thdive #boatdive #xiaoliuqiu #fogging #liuqiu #morningdive... More
哈哈哈哈... More
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