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(To read all of Esther Tyson’s “Swimming Underwater” posts on one page, please click here.)

The Grand Finale.

Open Water 3 and Open Water 4, Swanage, Tanville Ledges! It’s 28ºC. I’m in a wet suit, hood, gloves and boots. I have 10kg of weights around my waist and 2kg of ankle weights. We are diving in salt water from a boat in a controlled environment. I have 230psi in my tank and we are about to do our giant stride!

Skills: Equipment preparation, donning and adjustment. Pre-dive safety check. Entry and weight check. 5 point descent. Buoyancy control/Oral inflation fin pivot. Full mask flood and clear. Controlled Emergency Swimming Ascent. Cramp removal. Free descent. Underwater exploration. 5 Point Ascent with a 3 minute safety stop (hovering the correct way up for a change!) and a tired diver tow (I was the tired diver by the end of that!).

16º at the surface, 16º bottom temperature and 7.7 depth. Done, and it all went well.

I’ve read a number of times not to eat fatty foods before a dive. Well, what harm could it do? One cheese burger and chips later, half way into open water 5 & 6 and I’m feeling as sick as a dog.

Not only does Faye have to assess my skills, but she also has to put up with a sea sick diver who isn’t the easiest to work with. I misunderstand her instruction initially, but an extra briefing on the surface sees the compass skill carried out well.

Mask removal didn’t go so well. When it came to replacing the mask, my hood got in the way and I started to inhale water. I quickly removed the mask again, held my nose and got my breathing under control, replaced and cleared the mask. Done. I’d have enjoyed the dive, had I not been battling nausea.

30 minutes in and the last skill is complete. I’m all done. I am a fully qualified open water diver and I can’t enjoy it!

I get cramp on the swim back – Lou fins over and stretches out my leg, then forces my fin forward, massaging my calf. Boy, that was debilitating; I wouldn’t want to be on my own with that.

We climb the steps up to the pier… don’t talk to me… I can’t talk yet.

By the time I’ve rinsed my kit and changed, the seasickness has subsided enough to string words together. An hour later and a cup of tea at the dive centre, they can’t shut me up!

Wow. I really didn’t think this day would come. Open Water Diver! How cool is that!