I spent a couple years in the dive industry at Sandwich Isle Divers on their boat as a Dive master/Deckhand working with students and tourists. Hard work – fun work, loading scuba tanks, helping the students with their basic mask and gear needs, getting them in and out of the boat which could be a challenge, unloading tanks and cleaning the wet suits.
We were on Puako Beach Drive, right next the Neil Young’s place, it was hot hot hot for our second dive around noon. Six students all passed their test and check outs, Dive buddies assigned, wet suits zipped, air checked “ON”, let’s go diving. “Stay close” I say, words I would regret later.
I always want my guest to have an experience worth talking about and this one I promise is still being shared around dinner tables.
I got everybody down to 30 feet without incident, kicked out a bit and spotted a small cave, I stuck my head into the cave looking to see what the sea had provided.
Maybe that triton sea shell I always dream of finding. To my surprise all six dive students clumsily pushed pulled and finned their heads into a cave barely big enough for the 7 foot White tip reef shark whom had been taking a nap; a unique shark indeed, yes – they do have naps.
A million panicked air bubbles blasting out of the fresh students face-masks created an underwater white out, then the shark bolted making a path with her tail through us as she did. While using one hand to signal if everyone is okay and the other to snap a shot on their very first “Basic Dive”. Now to clean those wet suits.
The Baldwins
