I spent a week on the tiny scuba-diving mecca of Koh Tao about three years ago and it was one of the most enjoyable places I’ve ever been. When Lex said she wanted to head down here in order to get her Scuba cert I was thrilled. After a looooooooong, bUmPy, and sleepless ride down the Thai “highway”, then a reasonably quiet boat ride over, we pulled in to Ban Mae Had (the main port).
Koh Tao has changed quite a bit in these past three years. The main town is about twice the size as it was, and the number of people zipping by on scooters has become excessive, if not dangerous. I don’t know if it’s because I was staying down on the south side of the island or if just the whole place has changed, but our little cottage (above) is only a hundred yards to the beach but only twenty yards from a walking path that has scooters zipping up and down all the time. Rather dissapointing and go-go-go, but there are still good things to be had, like great dinners while the sun dips into the ocean, amazing Thai massages, and some of the best Scuba spots in the Gulf of Thailand.
So that’s what we’ve been doing since we arrived, diving. Lex had half a day of rest then went straight in to the academic and water-based excercises for her basic Openwater course. I started the first day we arrived with a CPR/EFR class and then three intense days of Rescue Diver certification. This course was one of the most challenging things I’ve done in a long time. Involved study, special skills, and some real taxing excercises in the water. We start with some basic activities like helping a tired/panicing diver on the surface, then move on to more involved procedures such as rescuing an unconcious diver on the surface (performing resuscitation in the water, towing them back to the boat, and getting them up a ladder without help). The final skills involve searching for a missing diver, dragging them up (slowly) from the bottom, and repeating the whole excercise. Add to this a masochistic group of instructors who I’m convinced have gone nuts from a little too much sun and nitrogen narcosis, and they come up with some pretty insane scenarios for you to deal with.
All in all, a fantastic course though. The best class I’ve had in a long time and a hell of a lot of great information (I hope I never have to use). I think I’m on the PADI band-wagon now, and will probably continue to take a few specialty courses towards a Master Scuba Diver rating. But first, I have to convince some friends back home to take their Rescue Cert so that we can practice together to keep our skills sharp.
Alexis’s class should be on their last dive of the day right about now. From here we’re going to rest for a little bit and then make our way back over to the mainland, across the peninsula, and try to hop aboard a live-aboard dive boat for 4 days/4 nights of stupendous Scuba in the Similan islands. Hopefully I’ll get a chance to take my new camera housing under water!
