I have never enjoyed night diving. It wasn’t even that I was afraid of it, I just chose to completely ignore any comments or remarks anyone had about night diving. I had made up my mind about it and it was not for me. However, recently I went out for a night dive and to my surprise, it was not all as bad as I had imagined it would be. As an Instructor, I guess I should really be fearless and enjoy venturing into the darkness of the ocean like many other instructors that thrive off the light of one torch. It never appealed to me. Not only did I decide to conquer this distaste I had for night diving, but I actually came to enjoy it. Diving itself offered me a calm that I could not find elsewhere. Night diving – well… that’s a whole new level of serenity, something I never thought I’d say.

As per my usual routine, I drove onto the beach right up to the waves by Point Moore, Geraldton and started getting my gear ready. The sun was setting rapidly in front of me and I felt the need to double check my scuba unit impeccably. After all, I am relying solely on my equipment to allow me to breathe underwater; an odd yet remarkable concept. Unnerved I barely said a few words before we headed out into the sedated ocean. I had never seen the water so calm. Taking the first few breaths underwater, I felt as if I was floating and not in the usual ‘diving makes me feel like I’m flying’ way but in a way where everything was magnified. Diving to me has become my way of life, instinctively, I equalize, hover, and signal okay without having to think about doing it. Whilst night diving I felt as if I would pay more attention to things that would otherwise come so natural to me. But I came to love every minute of it. Gravity receding into the sand below and I would glide effortlessly into the darkness I feared all this time. There is something very special to overcoming a fear, better yet, conquering your fears and then craving it even more so afterwards, not letting it consume you. To me, night diving was something I was always apprehensive about. Today, I can say that I would gladly jump in the water with nothing but my own torch guiding the way.