Scuba Diving

In Lake Atitlan and in Puerto Vallarta I learned how to Scuba dive. You have to do a lot of studying, have to read a very big book, answer a lot of questions, take a lot of tests, and then do skills in  the water to prove that you know what to do, when to do it, and why. To the dives.


On my first Open water dive (In Lake Atitlan) Sam (my dive instructor) and I went down to 10 meters (30 feet). We swam in an underwater swimming pool, and then went into an underwater sauna. After that we swam to a far away rock. We put our hands under the rock and the sand was warm! It was an underwater hotspot! This dive site was called auga caliente (hot water).
My second dive (also in Lake Atitlan) was also down to 10 meters (30 feet). This dive site is called Casa del Mundo. (house of the world) At this dive  site there were lots of underwater stair cases, terraces, and platforms. Under those, there were lots of big rocks. Around those we found a screw, a large rusty Allen wrench, (which I lost a little later) and a cool looking stick. (which looked way cooler under water than above).
My third and fourth Open water dives were in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico at Los Arcos. Los Arcos are large, naturally formed granite rock formations.
The first and largest is 130 feet high and 1500 feet wide. The second is 160 feet high and approximately a mile wide.
One of Los Arcos
The first dive was near the large one. We went down to 10 meters (30 feet) and we saw lots of fish, sea urchins, a sea turtle, and a puffer fish which Steve (my dive instructor) inflated by touching it. After exploring we did some skills underwater. After that we came up and about fifteen minutes later went back down for the fourth dive.

Sea turtle
Sea Urchin
Sea turtle

My fourth dive was probably the best. Again, we went down to 10 meters (30 feet). We swam along the bottom and came to some coral we saw fish and sea urchins. After we looked at the coral and sea life we kept swimming and then I felt a tingling where my skin wasn't covered (Around my mask, hands, etc.) So I tap my buddy and we look around and right above us was a massive Manta ray. Apparently Manta rays can send off electrical charges ranging from 8 to 220 volts. This ray probably had a 7 or 8 foot wingspan, and was probably 8 or 9 feet long. We swam with it for about 5 minutes before another ray came over. Then there were two, and they kept circling us. It was so cool. My dive instructor said that he had done tons of dives and this was the first time that he had seen a Manta ray.
                            This is the bottom side of the Manta Ray                             
This is the top of the Manta Ray

This is the side of one of the Manta Rays


Comments

  1. Way to go Desmond! We miss you, your friends in 5th grade at Oak Grove School

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  2. Wow Desmond! Thank you for sharing your underwater adventure with us. We read it today and experienced synchronicity because we are studying underwater explorations. Kids look forward to seeing you upon your return. Karen

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