Winding Down

On May 16th, my school's senior project board presentations were held and I gave my presentation for the final time. It wasn't nerve-wracking at all, actually! I'd written out my script the night before and memorized it in no time, then practiced in the morning and on the way. I was so much more prepared the second time around!

I walked in wearing my scuba gear over a sundress and Hawaiian shirt, and told them all about how I came up with the project idea, how I carried it out, my successes and failures, research I'd done, my final product, learning stretches, and many other topics! It was natural standing there speaking in front of Mr. Brauch (my three-year math teacher) and four other women also very interested in outdoor adventuring - two of the judges had also dove before too! It was a perfect set up!

All in all, I'm very fortunate to have had the experience of senior project. I got closer to my mentor on a somewhat professional level, I learned a brand new skill, and I am very happy with how things turned out!

Now that senior project is over, however, I'm going to discontinue focusing this blog primarily around the underwater world. There's an entire unexplored earth right at our fingertips, and diving isn't exactly the easiest or most accessible sport in Cincinnati! On June 1st at 5:00 Eastern time, a small group of me and my friends will leave for a backpacking trip out west in California where we'll be spending 18 days camping in Yosemite, the Redwoods, Sequoia, Gold Bluffs beach, Lake Tahoe, Zion, the Arches, and many many other locations. Roughing it will bring us all infinitely closer together, and we'll see parts of the country we've never imagined going to on our own. It's going to be the adventure of a lifetime, and I'm ready to tackle it full force.

Look out world, I'm coming for ya!(:

Instructor Tribute: Twink Miller

I learned all I know about diving from the beautiful and intelligent Twila (Twink) Miller. As owner of the Lima, Ohio Long Lake Scuba Diving quarry and a professionally certified diving teacher with over 5000 completed dives, I have the utmost respect for her. I wouldn't have wanted another teacher and I'm so incredibly thankful my mentor set me up with her! Thanks for all you've done Twink!

Life Update

My final day of "class" was yesterday. My senior day of reflection was today. Tomorrow, I'll be presenting my senior project for the final time. These past four years have flown by - so much has happened, and I'm so thankful for all the experiences I've had in this time. In two weeks exactly, I will be a high school graduate... Where has the time gone?!

I'm actually incredibly thankful for the senior project. It was nowhere near as dreadful as past seniors made it sound - all except for the research paper I literally almost died because of - and I gained a fantastic new knowledge of the ocean and skills because of it. It has opened my mind and expanded my horizons, opening up a whole new realm of possible career choices and personal interests. Though it was tough to get into the freezing cold water, a little pricey to carry out, and time consuming, I am grateful for the experience of senior project and I'm glad to have participated. 

Song #7 - Temples

I'm falling hard for this psychedelic rock band. Thought someone else might enjoy them too (:

Thoughts

Once this senior project shebang is finally done and dealt with, I'm going to continue to keep this blog up and running. There's so much to see in the world above the water, and the day after I graduate I'm going to go see just another small slice of it! Me and a pack of 5 friends are trekking out west for senior trip where we'll be camping for 18 days at Gold Bluffs, Lake Tahoe, the Redwoods, Sequoia, and Yosemite - just to name a few locations where we'll be!

Giant Redwood trees in Redwoods National Park, CA

There's a world that was meant for us to see, and I'm gonna go find it for myself.

Senior Project Practice Presentations

In one word: painful. I was well-prepared and I had a speech in my mind ready to be presented, but juniors are a tough crowd man. Can't say I've rambled so much in my entire life o_o

Guess this just means I need to be a little more comfortable with my project when I present for the judges. A little more practice goes a long way!

Song #6 - Cashier No. 9

With practice presentations tomorrow, I need calming music and this song hits the spot :D

Final pool dive!

Here are some photos from my final pool session last week on April 27th. I've said it before and I'll say it again, diving is not an attractive sport.

Bae caught me swimmin'

Me throwing up gang signs

Ayy lmao feat. Twinkie

Me being uglier than I usually am

Twinkie hay gurl!!!!

Equipment

Every diver needs their own set of gear (or a generous instructor who lets them borrow). When I dove, I rented my gear. During my training I typically used many more pieces, but those seen here are only some of the pieces I used for my pool dives the past weekend:

(From left to right)
Air tank, BC vest, fins, lead weight belt, regulator, and mask & snorkel

The regulator is required to always have two air hoses. In the event that a diver loses their main mouthpiece, there must always be a backup so that they don't run out of air. It is also for situations in which divers need to share air, and two divers can swim together sharing the two mouthpieces. 

The regulator also has a small air valve that attaches to the BC (vest) so that a diver can inflate it and increase buoyancy. Additionally, there's a monitor that gauges water depth and the PSI of pressurized air remaining in the tank.

The weight belt is not always necessary, although it can greatly assist a diver in resisting buoyancy. Lead weights are attached to the belt, and the more weights added, the lower you sink! This belt I used during my pool dives only held about 2lbs of lead, and when I dove in the quarry I used more, though I'm not sure how much.

Visibility underwater is restricted and nowhere near the visibility on land due to factors such as water salinity, sediment particles, etc. Even if you've got great vision, the mask and snorkel are crucial for underwater diving because without it, you can't see!

Divers must clear their masks before they can get in the water, and my instructor's method for doing so threw me off the first time haha. You spit directly onto the glass, rub it around, then rinse it with water. This defogs the glass and ensures clearer vision.

The fins are a vital piece of equipment because they stir up much more water with every kick than our feet do. Underwater navigation with a pair of fins propels a diver far faster and keeps them afloat while treading much more easily. Every time I took off my fins in the water during training it felt liberating because my feet were free, but I suddenly felt like I'd drown because of the weight of my equipment on my back and my sudden lack of suited swimming feet!

Finally, the all-important BC hold the entire set together - literally. It holds the tank like a backpack, attaches to the regulator and inflates or deflates to adjust buoyancy, overlaps the weight belt and wet suit (if the diver is wearing one at that time, which I did not during my pool dives but did during my quarry training), and contains pockets in case a diver finds something underwater and wants to carry it to the surface!

One of my most profound regrets of senior project is that I didn't begin blogging earlier! It was kind of a snap decision to begin diving when I did because I had to beat the intensely cold winter we had, but I hadn't decided on a final product by that point so the blog was just a consideration. I haven't posted much about my own personal dive experiences because it's been so long since I began my training ):

Here's what I remember from when I began:

The language used by experienced divers sounds like a foreign language when you're not familiar with the gear/procedures. I've been involved in this project for several months and I still get confused and lost beyond all reason when my instructor talks a little too fast hahaha (it's terrible I shouldn't be laughing). Once you learn all the equipment and how it's used, it's pretty easy to figure the rest out yourself!

Before you can even think of getting in the water, you have to prep your equipment and make sure it's all there. The primary pieces of the set I used included a mask and snorkel, a lead weight belt, fins, a BC (vest), a regulator (air hose/gauges), and the all-important pressurized air tank.

Me & Twink at Long Lake Diving

During my training around October and November, my gear included several layers to keep warm in the frigid waters. I wore a swim shirt and thermal leggings, a 7mm full wet suit, a 7mm jacket, a hood, gloves, and diving boots in addition to the other necessary gear. 

Observe me and my instructor climbing out of the relatively warm quarry and back into the unforgiving cold October air together.

Once you've dressed for the weather, assembled all your gear, and ensured it's in good condition and ready to be used, you have to wet the BC and attach the regulator to the air tank and open the air valve and check that air is flowing through it. Finally, attach and inflate the BC!

Entry into the water can be done several different ways. My personal favorite is simply easing yourself into the water from the pool/quarry's edge because I am lazy and the tank is heavy haha. 

My instructor made sure to teach me multiple techniques for retrieving my regulator in the case that it ever fell out of my mouth underwater. I didn't know it, but even if you're not breathing any air in, you still have to let out a steady stream of bubbles to keep the balance of gases within your body.

Me and Charlie at Long Lake Diving

One other thing I remember she stressed was to take my time and swim at the pace of the fish. If you observe at their level and swim at their speed, they won't swim away and you can really see them! When you ascend, you absolutely have to take your time. Ascending too quickly relieves the pressure on your lungs so suddenly and they can inflate beyond their capacity, causing all sorts of problems collectively known as the bends. You can see how quickly you're ascending by breathing out and seeing how quickly you're rising relative to the bubbles. If you're coming up faster than the bubbles are, slow down!



I truly enjoyed learning to dive under my instructor's teaching, and I don't think I ever mentioned her name! Twilla (Twink) Miller of Long Lake Scuba Diving taught me much about the sport of diving and I couldn't have asked for a better teacher. Additionally, I couldn't have asked for a more patient, generous, and overall awesome mentor :D

Song #5 - Bob Marley

Nothing says "islander" like Bob does, yo.

My Grand Epiphany... I Guess?

It's come to my attention that my scuba diving blog is hardly about scuba diving... 

While that may defeat the purpose in some eyes, I realize I've simply chosen to post primarily about topics and fields that correlate with diving in the environmental aspect. A good number of my posts are expressions of my concern for the ecosystems and overall well-being of our waterways, as was my research paper. I think that's all a part of becoming a diver. It's a learning stretch, if you will, to become more aware of the environment you're in and to put forth effort towards keeping it preserved.

Keeping that in mind, I will continue to post things that inspire me, but I will also post information regarding diving as well... because that was this blog's original purpose hahaha

Gone Diving

I'm at it again, folks. 

Well, not really.

Since the air's still a little nippy, the water's gonna feel even nippier (even though it technically is warmer in the water than in the air!). Diving in the quarry and finally getting certified isn't really much of an option before any presentations, but today I'm going to the YMCA in Wapakoneta, Ohio and I will be practicing assembling my gear and underwater navigation with a diving class. Should be even more fun the second time around...

Fish-Eye View?

What does a fish see, exactly? While there's no way to know for sure, it can be interesting researching and observing fish's vision.

I won't bore any of you with words and facts because even typing it out was boring, so here's a photo taken by a photographer curious about what lobsters see!

What this guy did was extract the lens of a lobster's eye and place it partially over his camera lens. He focused on a starfish and you can see the difference between what we see and what a lobster sees!

Did You Know: PLASTICS

The #1 thing that grinds my gears is litter. How many times have you seen someone toss a cig out of their window while driving? Or leave a candy wrapper on the sidewalk? Or even just spit their gum out willy-nilly? 

Here's a little something you might not have known about plastics:

1. Plastics are the No. 1 type of trash found by Dive Against Debris volunteers, making up about 66% of the total number of debris found to date.
2. Over 700 entangled or dead marine animals have been reported in the past three years. Plastics are not only harmful substances, they're literally deathtraps.
3. Over 1400 dive surveys that report plastic litter have been submitted from more than 60 countries.

I HATE IT I HATE IT I HATE IT. This world belongs to all of us and it is not your personal waste bin go home and trash your own place if you're okay with doing that to all of us! STOP KILLING THE PLANET WITH YOUR DIRTY HABITS PEOPLE.

Interactive Diving Debris Map

For anybody interested in what lies on the ocean floor, this interactive diving debris map shows a map of many diving sites in various regions of the world and some of the items collected by divers at the sea floor!




I looked at several of the dive sites and noticed a pattern. Most of the items are not artifacts or anything interesting my any means - it is mainly plastic. 

Even in the empty open waters of the Atlantic and Pacific, there's still traces of waste and garbage due to human littering. There's plastic food wrappers in even the least most populated areas! 




This site gives insight to just how much litter humans are responsible for and advice on how we can help clean up after ourselves. We must all do our share to keep our waterways clean; it's a collective effort between all of us!

I MEAN COME ON PEOPLE DON'T BE NASTY

Welp.

Senior year is winding down and that means senior project is coming to a close... but not before practice presentations, the real presentation before the judges, and a whole lot of other stressful factors that must be squared away before I can mentally check out for the year.

During this final month of senior year I'll be diving at least one more time this coming Sunday and blogging like a madman. Hopefully more people will look at my blog so my efforts don't go to waste... Wish me luck frans.

Song #4 - Lord Huron

There is no musical group, perhaps even another song, that describes my love for adventuring and for the world quite like this. Enjoy, folks (:

The Lost Underwater Lion City

China's take on Atlantis is one of the most breathtaking underwater diving sites I've ever stumbled upon. 

Qiandao Lake, an artificial waterway located about 150 km from the city of Hangzhou, China, goes by many names and is often called the Thousand Island Lake. It is also commonly known as the Sunken Lion City, and for good reason.

The two great, ancient cities that make up the underwater site are located at the bottom of Wu Shi Mountain (Five Lion Mountain) and were built around the 2nd and 6th century. In 1959, the region was flooded to establish a hydroelectric power station and food reservoir. In order to flood the area efficiently, countless villages, cities, and residential homes in addition to the two cities were drowned and almost 300,000 people were relocated to make the project a success.

Shockingly, the Chinese government has been nothing but apathetic towards the protection of the underwater ancient civilization, and it remained forgotten until about 2001 when it was rediscovered by divers. It's a phenomenon how well-preserved the city has remained over the past 1300 years.

LOOK HOW COOL THIS PLACE IS GOOD GRIEF >>>

THIS IS AN ENTIRE UNDERWATER CITY AS IN CIVILIZATIONS ONCE POPULATED THESE STRUCTURES AND NOW THEY'RE HIDDEN BENEATH TONS OF WATER

Undiscovered/forgotten relics of the past like these are why I want to dive.

MEET MY MENTOR

Charlie Williams. Ah, what a guy (left).

My mentor, Charlie Williams, is in fact my mom's boyfriend and quite possibly the coolest MOST TOTALLY RADICAL (I know he'd appreciate my saying that) DUDE EVER. The man who sparked my interest in diving is sea-bound once again! His latest dives have been down south in Aruba where he's seen amazing sights. He originally planned to explore a sunken Nazi battle ship but due to flight delays had to make a change of plans and still saw some great sites. Instead, he saw a sunken plane ~200ft long and all kinds of underwater sea life including a seahorse and a sea turtle! Hopefully once I am certified we'll take trips and dive together!

When will I dive again?!

It's so frustrating not being able to dive since the quarry's still iced up... I just want my certification aye

Fun Fact: The Mariana Trench

The world-famous Mariana Trench is a wonder humans have yet to fully understand. As it currently stands, the Mariana Trench holds the record for the deepest ocean depth at 36,201 feet (or 11,034 meters).

Venturing down below water this deep puts an immense amount of pressure on a vessel or a human body so high that we cannot explore beyond a certain point, so how was this depth measured? Much like dolphins using echolocation, oceanographers used sound waves. Sound waves were projected from the surface and bounced off the ocean bottom, the time it took to bounce back was recorded, and the distance to the bottom was recorded.

Strange and even frightening creatures dwell in the trench, such as the Angler fish.

What's in your sunscreen?

A good number of sunscreens, cosmetics, and fragrant body soaps contain a chemical called benzophenon-2, or BP-2, which oceanic scientists now claim is incredibly harmful to ocean reefs. Through the innocent act of protecting your skin, you could be unintentionally furthering the destruction of our worlds' reefs!

How much damage are we actually doing? Read the article here.

Song #3 - Israel Kamakawiwo'ole

I said I'd post songs that convey an island vibe to listeners but ya know I've just been posting songs I've had stuck in my head as of late, so enjoy this Hawaiian ballad by one of my favorite artists. Israel was actually the inspiration for the name of my ukulele Izzy (:

POOL DIVE UPDATE

As I stated in my most recent post preceding this one, I'm back at diving again! At least temporarily...

Dis muh cru don't mess don't hate

Even though I was restricted to a 10ft deep YMCA indoor pool and couldn't complete a REAL dive (considered 20ft or deeper) it was great just to reacquaint myself with the gear and get back to diving. My instructor, Twink, helped me brush up my skills in preparation for my final dive (to be scheduled at a later date once the weather warms a bit) and we were done within an hour. I never even had to swim in the cold!

Now don't be fooled by my dashing good looks, scuba diving is not an attractive hobby.

Back at it! ....finally

Today I'm driving two/three hours from Cincinnati to Wapakoneta (or however it's spelled) to practice diving at the Y. It's been too long! Pics posted later (:

Fun Fact: Dolphins

Dolphins communicate and navigate underwater by means of echolocation. They send out messages through clicks which assists them in underwater navigation much more than sight alone.

Song #2 - Radiohead

Nothing boosts my confidence like understanding physics, and that only happened because my teacher started talking about scuba diving and the bends haha. I had to share this song after it got stuck in my head

Journey to the South Pacific

I went to the Cincinnati Museum Center OMNIMAX last night and this movie succeeded in lifting my spirits! With all the snow we've had it feels like winter will last forever, but his movie instantly transported me to sunny shores and warm breezes. Informational and uplifting, I'd highly suggest any and all to go to their local OMNIMAX theater and watch Journey to the South Pacific (:

Song #1 - The Paper Kites

This song just makes me happy and spreads all-around good vibes 

Slow Beginnings

I've been dive training since October and I've never even made a post yet! I shame myself.

Technically I'm almost done with training. I have one dive left to go before I am tested for certification. I can't wait to get out into the world and explore beneath the waves (:

Under the instruction of Twink Miller from Long Lake Diving in Lima, Ohio, I've learned the basics of scuba diving and I've already completed four successful dives. It was freezing cold when I first began training in late October, so unfortunately in mid-November when I completed my fourth dive, it was my last for the year ): The water was a mere 38 degrees Fahrenheit and she said we shouldn't risk hypothermia and call it quits until spring.

Well it's March 3rd and Cincinnati's experiencing a bit of an ice storm... Nothing unusual this winter... I'm so tired of all this cold weather! I used to love winter but hell froze over this year -___- It's ridiculous how much snow we've gotten... When will it be warmer?! I NEED TO GET OUT AND DIVE AGAIN!!!

Introduction

My name is Diana and I am a senior at Seton High School here in the heart of Cincinnati, Ohio!

The primary purpose of this blog is to document my progress in my senior project. I've chosen scuba diving as the focus of my project and I am working one dive at a time towards an end goal of diving certification. (: