6:45 AM - The Adventure Begins
The traumatic sound of my morning alarm clock was buzzing in my ear at 6:45 AM. I jumped out of bed and started to get ready for my first day at Camp Emerald Bay. I was especially excited because I was also doing the Advanced Open Water certification process at camp.
After doing my morning routine and putting on my Class A Uniform, I rushed down to the main square in front of the dining hall, where they were about to start the flag ceremony. After the flags, we were told to turn around but not approach the dining hall; that's when a young counselor burst out of the dining hall doors and yelled, "Goooood Morning Camp Emerald Bay!"
I was still a bit startled, but I listened as she listed out the day's announcements. I went into the dining hall to grab my breakfast. I knew I had to eat quickly because I had to go for my first dive at 8:30 AM that morning. I ate until I was full and then walked back up to my tent to change into my swim clothes.
Gearing Up at In 2 Deep
The walk to In 2 Deep is filled with anticipation. I struggled to put on my tight wetsuit and boots, but I eventually managed to get them on. I sat on the bench listening intently to the dive briefing. Once I was finished with that, I put on the rest of my gear and sat on the bench to dissipate the weight.
At 9:00 AM comes buddy checks. "Beans With Rice And Fish," it sounds like a silly food combination, but it is a crucial part of every diver's life. Buoyancy, Weights, Releases, Air, Final check. My dive buddy and I go through each step methodically. We check each other's buoyancy, ensure our weights are secure, test our quick releases, verify our air supplies, and do that final sweep for fins, masks, and dive computers.
First Dive - Doctor's Cove
The walk to Doctor's Cove is short but feels like an eternity with the heavy gear building from a slight inconvenience to a real pain. As I waded into the cool water, I felt the weight of my gear lift from off my back. I paddle out into the deep water while putting on my fins and prepping my mask.
As I descend, the world transforms. Colors become more vivid, movements slow and deliberate. It's as if I stepped into a portal leading to a whole new world. It was like an alien forest with kelp and fish everywhere.
A Close Encounter
We paused to regroup by the rocks. I was just looking around when my dive instructor suddenly yanked me away from the rocks. There was a giant sheep crab where I had just been kneeling, staring at me with its pincers ready to attach. That startled me enough to be super cautious of my surroundings after that.
The rest of the dive went smoothly, and I was able to see many cool things like lobsters, sea urchins, and an octopus.
Land Navigation Training
Once we got to shore, the weight of my gear was returned to my shoulders. Walking up the unstable rock beach was like walking up a hill covered in oil. One wrong step and you're sliding all the way back to where you came from. Once you manage to climb up the steep shore, you then have to climb up a flight of stairs and walk back to the shop.
After I took off my gear I then prepared it for the next dive. My dive instructor, Abbie informed me that I was going to move on to the next training section, which was land navigation. After a quick information session, we went into the main square for a land navigation exercise with the compasses.
Once we had completed that, I noticed that it was almost 12:30, meaning that it was about time for lunch. I gathered my things and started heading over to the cafeteria. After a hearty lunch, I get a little bit of a cooldown before my next dive at 1:30.
Second Dive - Underwater Navigation
After food and some well-deserved rest, I was able to muster enough strength to drag myself out of bed and walk back over to the dive shop for my second dive. This dive was an underwater navigation dive, navigation with a compass is pretty easy for me because of my prior experience from scouting. Because of this, I was pretty confident going into it.
The exercise itself was pretty straightforward: navigate in a square with a buddy and then navigate back to shore. After navigating the square, we went along the kelp forest to go back to shore. While doing so, we saw a humongous sea hare and an awesome Spanish shawl.
End of an Amazing Day
Once back on shore, I was relieved that I could go to my tent and rest. I showered and changed into my Class A uniform for flag ceremony. I guess I lost track of time during the shower, and I had to speedrun, getting changed and rushing to make it to flags in time. Once I got there, I had a delicious teriyaki chicken dinner to end the day.
"As I descend, the world transforms. It's as if I stepped into a portal leading to a whole new world - an alien forest with kelp and fish everywhere."
This first day at Camp Emerald Bay marked the beginning of my Advanced Open Water certification journey. The combination of Scout training, diving skills, and underwater exploration showed me how different experiences can complement each other in the most unexpected ways.