The End is Near
Last
weekend I found myself strapped to an incredibly heavy air tank with
a snorkeling mask pushed up on my head and weight belt wrapped
snugly around my waist. I teetered my way across the deck of the
rocking boat, shivering in my wet stinger suit both from chill and
nerves. The diving instructors guided me down the steps to sit on
the edge of the diving ramp. Slipping on my flippers, I got the OK
to go, so I eased my way into the water, clinging to the metal rails
on the side of the boat to make sure the air tank (which weighed
almost as much as I do) didn’t pull me down to the watery depths
below. Before I had much time to realize what I had gotten myself
into, the instructor shoved the breathing piece into my mouth and
told me to dive. I sank below the surface of the water, holding my
breath slightly and feeling the pressure of the ocean compress my
lungs and restrict my efforts to breathe. Once the pressure got too
much, I finally took my first short breath. Instantly, the
piercingly cold, fresh oxygen entered my lungs. I tried to suppress
every instinct that told me I should not be able to breathe
underwater. Steadying my breathing in a zen-like in-and-out, I
waited for my instructor to give the signal to begin our descent. As
we hooked arms and swam to our first stopping point at a hundred
year-old, giant saltwater
clam, I had to think about taking every breath through my mouth,
making sure not to breathe through my nose or break my mask seal. I
continually had to reach up and plug my nose to blow in order to pop
my compressed ear drums.
At
this point, I finally got into the groove of breathing and became
more comfortable about being in this new environment. I realized how
slow everything is underwater. The blue expanse surrounding me was
only interrupted by giant coral columns or beautiful fish swimming
past. It didn’t seem like I was really several meters under the
water as I looked at this beautiful world through a mask and heard
only the long, drawn-out Darth Vadar-like breaths that I took. Every
now and again, I would panic as my instinct told me to begin
swimming to the surface for a breath, but my mind would reason that
I had all the air I needed here. Before I knew it, we were ascending
back up to the surface slowly so that our ear drums accustomed to
the pressure changes. My instructor pressed a red button next to my
collar and my diving jacket inflated, shooting me to the surface. As
I broke the surface of the ocean, relief swept over me as I realized
that I just had my first scuba diving experience.
I
spent the rest of the day snorkeling and swimming around the coral
reefs, exploring areas and chasing fish. The colors were vibrant,
though I saw some areas that may already be affected by rising sea
temperatures and coral bleaching. But it was definitely the best
snorkeling experience I have had thus far. The diversity of life was
incredible. We found Nemo, a clown fish, rushing in and out of a sea
anemone. Some others saw a small shark and a giant sea turtle. A
little chilled, I got out to sun-bathe like a lizard on the top deck
of the boat. All I can say is: the Great Barrier Reef is a must see.
Final oral presentations were this past Thursday and Friday. I was
the first to go on Thursday morning at 8:15am. My final paper was
handed in on Saturday and we had a brief poster presentation on
Monday. Tuesday was a relaxing “magical mystery tour’ where we
headed to Nandroya Falls for some chilly swimming and hiking.
Getting near the falls was like walking into a hurricane as the
drops of misty water pelted my skin like sharp pin-pricks. Our next
stop was a café based on a biodynamic dairy farm where I split a
brownie sundae dish with Kaitlin along with a cuppa tea. Our last
stop before home was the Millaa Millaa Lookout, which was a
breath-taking view of the Tablelands. It was perfect as the setting
sun cast a golden hue on the tips of the pasture grass before us.
The sun felt warm on my face as I breathed in a sight that I most
likely will never get the chance to see again.
My
experience in Australia has been nothing less than fantastic. Some
experiences I have not been able to adequately put into words, while
others are feelings that I can only keep to myself. Although I will
want to share my stories with friends and family back home, I know
it will be difficult to fully express what I have gone through in
the last 3 months. All I know is that this area will keep a special
place in my heart and I will carry these memories with me throughout
my whole life. Australia is a beautiful and diverse country; it is a
place that is rugged and unmerciful at times, but one that you form
a connection with. I hope you have enjoyed reading these entries and
following my adventures. Before I close, I would like to share a
poem that would have been Australia’s national anthem. It has come
to encompass a sort-of nostalgic feeling I have now associated with
Australia.
We
are one, but we are many
And
from all the lands on earth we come
We
share a dream and sing with one voice:
I
am, you are, we are Australian.
