Villingili
MY 60TH DIVE IN THE MALDIVES
Herbert Ungar my Dive Master SUPREME decided to make this a very special occasion. He created a card and put a 60 on it, then strapped it onto my tank.
Off we went on the dive boat with a crowd of fellow divers. Herbert
always gave us a pictorial briefing, showing us the underwater layout
and what to expect, the types of fish, coral formation and approximately
the length of time we will be down. It’s very informative.
As the number was on the high side, he had that day another one of his other younger dive leaders.
After a short distance from Villingili they all went overboard; Herbert held me back! Some ten minutes later he said "right off we go."
Slowly descending together, at about 10 metres he stopped!
Facing me he started to unzip the front of his wet suit and to my utter amazement what did I see but a small bottle of champagne. I watched him open it and take a sip! Then he passed to me. My eyes were boggling! But the thought of taking my mouth piece out of my mouth and drinking fizzy champers initially held be back. I just hated doing this!! But the thought of Champagne underwater at 10 metres in MY Maldives, well, the champagne won!
I DID IT. Just too lovely, but not to be repeated, all that fizzy and the thought of choking got the better of me, I gave the sign to COME UP!
It was the most beautiful day. Not a cloud in the sky. The sea was totally calm, the colour of almost violet and no sign of a single boat or any people. Silence. Just me and Herbert!! Silence. Villingilli in the distance and Male ahead. In those days Male was half the size and NOT one sky scraper in sight. I had a wonderful feeling of calm, or was it the champagne lulling me to sleep!
We finished the bottle. Herbert put it back in his wet suit. We then dived to 30 metres for my 60th dive and came up slowly pausing along the way.
When our heads came out of the water there was our boat and all the jolly other divers laughing at us “where have you been"
Back to Villingili we went. This was not the end of celebrations as that evening all the divers and my close friends were told to come after supper as myself and Herbert were going to cut and share the most delicious enormous cake made for me by my wonderful Sri Lankan Cook.
I have since had loads of dives; Sri Lanka, Muscat, South Africa, Kenya and the Laccadives but not one of them even compares with my 60th. Why not try it some time!
As the number was on the high side, he had that day another one of his other younger dive leaders.
After a short distance from Villingili they all went overboard; Herbert held me back! Some ten minutes later he said "right off we go."
Slowly descending together, at about 10 metres he stopped!
Facing me he started to unzip the front of his wet suit and to my utter amazement what did I see but a small bottle of champagne. I watched him open it and take a sip! Then he passed to me. My eyes were boggling! But the thought of taking my mouth piece out of my mouth and drinking fizzy champers initially held be back. I just hated doing this!! But the thought of Champagne underwater at 10 metres in MY Maldives, well, the champagne won!
I DID IT. Just too lovely, but not to be repeated, all that fizzy and the thought of choking got the better of me, I gave the sign to COME UP!
It was the most beautiful day. Not a cloud in the sky. The sea was totally calm, the colour of almost violet and no sign of a single boat or any people. Silence. Just me and Herbert!! Silence. Villingilli in the distance and Male ahead. In those days Male was half the size and NOT one sky scraper in sight. I had a wonderful feeling of calm, or was it the champagne lulling me to sleep!
We finished the bottle. Herbert put it back in his wet suit. We then dived to 30 metres for my 60th dive and came up slowly pausing along the way.
When our heads came out of the water there was our boat and all the jolly other divers laughing at us “where have you been"
Back to Villingili we went. This was not the end of celebrations as that evening all the divers and my close friends were told to come after supper as myself and Herbert were going to cut and share the most delicious enormous cake made for me by my wonderful Sri Lankan Cook.
I have since had loads of dives; Sri Lanka, Muscat, South Africa, Kenya and the Laccadives but not one of them even compares with my 60th. Why not try it some time!
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