Sooner or later I usually get asked how, or why, I got into scuba diving. Since we're not near any oceans or reefs, scuba diving is not extremely popular here in the Midwest except to the very adventurous souls or those that travel. I must credit my sisters' first husband Eric to introducing me the hobby. First I was introduced to the hobby of marine aquarium keeping where I spent hours watching and learning about marine life. I watched amazing things happen inside the confines of that glass box and wondered what it must be like in the actual ocean, but I still had no plans to join Eric in the water . It was a passing thought that maybe someday I would try it. Erics family owned a business in Jamaica and he often traveled there and had been diving for some time. It wasnt really in my plans or goals to travel with him there or to learn to dive. Through an unfortunate turn of events Erics was killed in an auto accident and for several years his dive gear sat in my sisters closet unused. I thought it was a shame that the gear was just wasting away there and began researching what it would take to learn to dive. I found a local dive shop and convinced a buddy of mine to get certified with me.

We got certified and dove locally where ever we could get underwater. We were both enthusiastic about diving and the thrills of discovering what was at the bottom of all the lakes an quarries around us. I began planning how and where I would make my first trip to the tropics. I didnt have the good job yet so I knew I had to wait and save while my buddy make several trips without me. It took me several years to save up enough disposable income to go diving and it was well worth it when I hit the waters of Roatan for the first time! It was better than I ever imagined it would be....a truely giant aquarium! So much to see...so little air. From then on I was hooked and my future vacations would revolve around getting to the reefs. I didnt think much about going to Disneyland , Grand Canyon or the other typical vacation destinations. I wanted to get back to the ocean! Again...I must credit my late brother in law for opening up that door to a completely different world that was beyond the cornfields and shopping centers of the midwest. Dont get me wrong though....my midwest , farm heritage is strong but the call of the ocean is almost as strong. What I wouldnt give to livw on farm where the cornfields and woods end at a beach and some good reef diving!