It was with slight trepidation that I set off from work on Thursday for my evening “dive refresher course” with Al Boom Diving. I sat in traffic at the Trade Centre roundabout for what seemed an eternity with steam practically blowing out of my ears. I arrived late – not a good start.
However, I was made to feel very welcome by Sam and his colleagues and before I could say ‘BCD’ found myself back in the classroom doing a test. A test!?! Help! I hadn’t even done any sneaky swotting. The first question almost had me flummoxed, talking of ‘neutral bouyancy’ and ‘positive bouyancy’. Well, suffice to say, twenty minutes later Sam was calmly and accurately explaining the answers to me. Out of 3 tests I’d managed an 80% pass rate – result! So, onto the pool… Standing poolside beside Sam in his ‘dive gear’ brands I felt a little out of place in my somewhat dated swimwear. Sam went on to explain the equipment, most of which looked vaguely familiar. Bearing in mind I’d passed my PADI Open Water Dive course back in 1990, I was pleasantly surprised. Sam showed me how to attach the air supply to the tank and put my BCD on. One thing I’d definitely forgotten was how heavy the tank is! Fortunately it’s a lot lighter when in the water … all that ‘negative bouyancy’ or is it positive? So, fully kitted out, into the pool we went. Sam took me through a series of tasks ranging from ‘deflating my BCD’ to ‘flooding my mask’. Safety was of the essence and Sam ensured I was ‘OK’ after each task. A couple of hours later we emerged from the pool and Sam showed me how to dis-assemble my kit. One thing’s for sure, I was a lot calmer (and of course, more knowledgeable) than when I’d arrived! Then it was off home to bed before my 5.30am start the following day. Fujairah here I come!!
I reached Al Boom Diving promptly on Friday morning. It was a hive of activity with staff and students readying themselves for a full day’s diving. I was asked to sign a disclaimer form. Fair enough, but the first sentence ‘… outlining the possible dangers of diving …including but not limited to decompression sickness, embolism, or ….’ nearly had me running for the hills. Instead, onto the bus I climbed and off we set, north to Fujairah leaving the hazy skyline of Dubai in our wake. We arrived at Le Meridien Al Aqua in good time, before 9am. Into the dive shop to buy a log book, then out into the sunshine to find my kit. Everything was highly organized, with three boats due out that morning. I was in the yellow boat with a mix of nationalities from Brit to South African, French to Filipina. After a brief introduction we sped off towards Martini Rock where we were to do our first dive. As it turned out we had several Dive Masters on our boat, so I felt I was in safe hands. A very kind gentleman next to me offered to lend a hand assembling my kit. It turns out that he set up Al Boom Diving twenty years ago and still has a vested interest. I promised to keep quiet about that if he promised not to mention I was doing some ‘investigative journalism’ … no point in putting people on their guard!
He was taking his son out for his first dive since he’d qualified. It was great to see father and son enjoying a sport which has obviously been a key part of their lives. Fully kitted and by now feeling like a hippo (not to mention a little queasy) I dragged myself to the side of the boat and perched nervously on the side. The weight of the tank dragged me backwards into a rather inelegant backward roll and into the sea I went. A strong current took me by surprise and within no time I was twenty yards from the boat. I managed to re-join the rest of my group and clung to the anchor rope until we were ready to descend.
Keeping close to my buddy and the two lead divers, I deflated my BCD and carefully descended using the anchor rope as a guide. We reached the seabed then headed anti-clockwise around the base of Martini Rock. A wealth of sea life awaited us, from clown fish to cuttlefish, beautiful soft tree corals in glorious shades of purple nestled within the clefts of rock. It was hard to know which way to look. Shoals of fish swam above us, seemingly oblivious to the divers within their ranks.
Our lead diver was vigilant and frequently asked us to check how much air we had left and generally make sure we were OK. At one point we moved left and found ourselves in a strong current. Clinging to a rock by my fingernails, I was relieved to see the more experienced divers staying close by. We started our ascent and popped up close to the boat. As we clambered back on board the other divers were chatting animatedly about their underwater experiences. The boat sped back to Le Meridien for a brief lunch break. The crew loaded more tanks of air and checked the equipment whilst we enjoyed the five star facilities of the resort. Back on board, this time heading for Dibba. More confident this time assembling my kit, I made a slightly more graceful entry into the water. We descended only to about 10m this time and were greeted by a colourful display of marine life. We saw cuttlefish, clown fish and even three sharks. With clearer visibility we were able to see further, giving more prospective to the underwater world. Time flew and in what seemed like no time we’d surfaced and were back on board taking our kit apart. As the boat sped back towards the coast I reflected upon my days’ diving – a sport which I hadn’t participated in this millennium! Would I dive again – absolutely! A sport for beginners and experts alike, to be enjoyed with friends, family or even completed strangers. Exhilarating, exciting, with no two dives the same and endless oceans to explore! Enjoy!
Kim Perks
