Water in my face
We love diving, we know that when people start exploring underwater they become protectors of our waters. It is proven that being underwater is relaxing, feeling the weightless sensation only otherwise felt in space is centering and balancing. We believe that focusing on your breath underwater is similar to meditation. We also believe that the first part of learning to dive can sometimes be the toughest. Learning to take your mask off underwater and continue breathing through your snorkel or regulator can lead to anxiety. It isn’t the most natural feeling, not at first. However, it is one of the first tests you need to pass in order to obtain your Open Water Dive Certification.
As I’ve grown in my own personal dive experiences, I have met more and more people that say they gave up on diving because of this one task. An essential part of being safe in the water is being able to clear your mask and/or simply to be without. You have to be prepared for your mask to leak, the strap to break, you could accidentally drop it or it could get kicked off by the person in front of you. It is an instinctual reflex to hold your breath if your face is in water, therefore, learning this seemingly simple exercise early is quite useful.
We live on thousands of miles of coastline in Michigan. 3,288 miles of freshwater coast to be exact, largest in the world! Yet, so many still don’t even swim, let alone snorkel or dive. We are never more than 6 miles from a body of water or 85 miles from a Great Lake here in Michigan. Opportunities to experience our waters and be safe in the water are important. Like good ole, Albert Einstein said, “Information is not knowledge, the only source of knowledge is experience”. Giving our youth experiences to grow powerful connections and safely confident with our water is immeasurable. I say immeasurable, because it isn’t being done. We hear of children dying more and more due to lack of knowledge and the know how of what to do if they find themselves in a compromising situation.
We’re working to change this by offering snorkel camps where kids 6-8 will experience the sensation of being underwater, breathing through a snorkel and learning to clear water from a mask that is leaking, how to take their masks off completely, put it back on and remove the water, all while under water breathing through their snorkel. They will have these experiences in a fun and safe atmosphere while exploring the environment below. Even building a small fish crib at the beginning of camp to see if anything moves in by the end of the week! Snorkel treasure hunts and art trails will be built and explored, every day they will be in the water, gaining confidence and learning life saving techniques. The experiences of having a personal interaction with the water and learning what to do if caught in a riptide will help youth feel more confident and relaxed, be more safe, and have loads more fun at the beach!
