Do any of you out there enjoy scuba diving or snorkeling, or have you ever wondered what life is like below the water that comprises the majority of our planet’s surface?

I love escaping into the salt water world where fish, invertebrates, coral, and other sea life abound.  Ironically, when I first enrolled in a scuba diving certification course (too many years ago to mention), I thought that I would be intimidated by the deep wide open ocean, particularly in the cold water kelp forest into which I would be diving.  I was delighted to learn that it was actually quite relaxing, allowing me to let go of the troubles and stresses experienced on land.

The colorful and sometimes playful creatures, from tiny nudibranchs to large speedy sea lions, can be utterly mesmerizing.  Sometimes my laughter and excitement escape in large bubbles from the regulator in my mouth, while other times gentle stream-like bubbles of air drift to the surface when my breathing becomes slow and rhythmic.  There is so much to see in our magnificent oceans, and one guarantee is that no two dives are ever alike.

I have had the pleasure of scuba diving in both warm and cold water climates in several different oceans.  My adventures include ship wreck diving, night diving, gliding through reef-head caves, and swimming with harbor seals, angel fish, moray eels, octopi, and barracuda.  I love watching crabs scurry across rocks, rays settle to hide in the sand, and sea anenomes sway in the current as I search for the blues, purples, reds, oranges, yellows, and greens of the various fish and corals glistening in the sunlight that filters through on a clear day.

Although I do not get the chance to dive as often as I’d like in my land locked center-of-the-U.S. locale, I do still find myself happily dreaming of life under the sea.  Until my next diving opportunity, I’ll settle for gazing into my salt water aquarium.  Our starfish arrives today!