Bula Fiji - Learning How To Dive

After the cold weather in New Zealand, it was time to get some tropical sun on my face and skin. In other words, I was heading to Fiji. More specifically, the Yasawa Islands in the north western part of the country. The goal for the following three weeks was to island hop around the Yasawas, staying on different islands/resorts, learning how to dive and, ultimately, diving with Bull sharks.

My first stop was Nanuya Island, home to the Mantaray Island Resort, where I would stay for four nights and learn how to dive. To get there, a bus picked me up at my hostel on the main island and drove me to the harbour. There, I dropped off my big bag, checked in and in no time was on the ferry to Nanuya Island. Along the way, we passed the Mamanuca Islands - a collection of small but beautiful islands - and once we reached the Yasawa Islands, I could not stop taking pictures or being amazed by the beauty of the different islands we were passing.

After 3h or so, our ferry arrived at Nanuya Island and we were welcomed on the beach with a song and some welcome drinks. Afterwards, I visited the dive shop to clear everything for my diving course starting tomorrow (I was told 9am and to not be early) and then I just chilled on the beach and enjoyed my first full day in Fiji.

The next day, I headed to the dive shop after breakfast to get ready for my first ever dive. I was preparing myself mentally, when I heard a sound coming out of a big shell, like a horn - Manta Rays were spotted. Everyone at the resort ran to the dive shop, grabbed the snorkeling gear and headed to the boats to drive out to the mantas. As this meant no boat was left for us to go diving, I took the opportunity and grabbed a mask, fins and jumped onto the boat to see the Mantas as well.

And I have to say, they are beautiful. Once I was in the water, they swam right below me. They move through the water slowly but elegantly and gracefully. I thought they might as well be called the queens of the ocean. They look stunning and when they circle up to the surface their silver bellies are glistening in the sun. It was such a great experience - a perfect introduction to the Fijian ocean.

Then it was time to learn how to dive. We went straight into the ocean for the first dive, as the resort does not have a pool. After a brief intro to the diving equipment, my instructor, Malakai, and I took the boat to drive just off the beach. On my very first dive, it was all about skill - ie. I learned how to breathe underwater, how to take out the breathing regulator and put it back on, how to find, grab and use the back up regulator, etc. The sensation of breathing under water is quite unique, I have to say, It's an interesting concept to just look up and see the surface of the water, while being down there.

The next dive was still about skills and it was the worst kind of skill. I had to learn how to clear my mask of any water, in case some comes in during a dive. We started with a little water then filled the whole mask and then took it off completely underwater, put it back on and then cleared it. It was such a strange feeling to have water constantly touching your face. And for the love of god, I did not manage to clear the mask - in order to clear it, you tilt back your head back, hold the mask in place at the top with two fingers and then breathe out through the nose. I did not manage to do that for quite some time. I was already worried about not passing the certification. Luckily, on the last of the six dives, something clicked in my brain and it became the easiest thing.

Dives three to six were classic diving. We jumped into the water and just dived in the ocean, looked at cool underwater fish, colourful hard and soft corals and learned about the underwater signals, since it is a bit tricky to talk to each other underwater. By the end of the fourth dive, I got better at balancing the buoyancy (ie. holding the balance and not constantly moving up and down) and really started to like diving. It is such a cool thing and opens up the possibility for me to explore an entire new world beneath the ocean's surface.

After our last dive, I had to do a final theoretical exam for which I simply studied on an app the days before (more just reading through it and remembering). Once I passed that, I was officially certified and have become an 'Open Water' diver. Whoop!

Since the dives took place in the mornings, in the afternoons and evenings, I was hanging out with people I met in the resort, eating. playing beach volleyball, lounging on the beach, reading, snorkelling just off the beach, playing funny games in the evening hosted by the resort staff, attending a Kava ceremony (Kava is a drink made out of a root - tastes very earthy) and just enjoying the time in Fiji and with the people. I have to say that it was far easier to meet other travelers than I initially would have thought, and Mantaray Island was definitely a perfect intro to the country/island life. Plus, I now know how to dive!Read more