Under the Sea

I give him the thumbs up once I’m seated and suddenly I’m dragged down to the ocean floor.

At first I feel nervous, remembering not to hold my breath. Every part of my body is wet, but my head remains dry thanks to the oxygen being pumped into the head of the sub.

My guide, fully equipped in scuba diving gear, guides me to the other divers.

I look up towards the surface of the ocean. Sunlight is dancing above us with each wave.

There’s a nurse shark nearby, nestled at the ocean floor near the reef. He glides away at the sight of us.

Stuart Cove’s Operations Manager Hartman Rolle explained to me earlier that the SUB attraction is “like our baby”.

“A lot of people who dive or swim do that tour. We have a lot of novice people do that,” he said.

“It’s like driving a scooter underwater. You stay under for 30 minutes exploring a shallow reef area.”

I move the sub forward, watching the fish beneath me. They seem curious, perhaps wondering why dozens of big yellow things are floating above their home.  Rolle told me that during certain times of the year Spotted Eagle Rays frequent the reef.

“You can see as many as 12 at one time,” he said.

“Sometimes you can see a pod of dolphins who come and circle around the SUB and go about their business. Those things don’t happen every day.”  No rays or dolphins appear today though.  Suddenly our guide approaches me and breaks a stick of food in front of my sub. Instantly dozens of fish rush toward me. It’s almost a frenzy. Each little yellowtail snapper moving swiftly for food.

I smile to myself. I look up again at the sunlight dancing at the surface of the ocean. It’s beautiful.