The Thrill of the Dive

By Gary Haun

Admittedly, jumping into the water when you are surrounded by sharks is not for everybody. The usual response is "You’re crazy" -- or, "Do you have a death wish?"

No, quite honestly, I have a life wish. The feeling of a ten-foot shark nudging up against you makes you very aware that you are glad to be alive. It is an electrifying, adrenaline-pumping and heart-thumping experience. It magnifies and intensifies life. It is much like skydiving -- a total sensory overload.

Before I could swim with the sharks, I first had to learn to scuba dive. I contacted the local dive shop and signed up for classes. Although they had never trained a person who was blind before, they were very enthusiastic and positive about my coming to class.

This was very encouraging, because I had been told previously that I could not become a certified diver. In fact, I would have tried scuba diving several years ago, but so many people told me that I could not do it, I believed them. This is why I always include this message when I give talks to elementary schools: Do not let others put limitations on your dreams and goals. If you are constantly told that you cannot do something, that your goal is unattainable, that your dream is unrealistic or foolish, you will eventually come to believe this -- and thus make those limitations a reality. It is frustrating not to be given a chance to try.

At the beginning of scuba classes, I was introduced to the instructor, Jeff Tobey. Jeff made it perfectly clear that I would be expected to do everything a sighted diver would have to do. That included classroom lectures, written examinations, swimming pool skills and, of course, the open water test. Then Jeff said that we would find methods that would help me accomplish all of these skills. I liked his attitude.

The classroom lectures and written tests were no problem. I would take notes with a tape recorder, and I used my reading machine to read the diver’s manual. I also had a Braille dive table made up. A dive table is used to calculate how much time you need for a surface interval between dives. It is important to know how much excess nitrogen you have in your body -- nitrogen builds up in the body during diving and too much can lead to decompression sickness.

I also used many different hand signals during the swimming pool instruction. Along with the standard underwater signals, we invented some new ones. For example, to let a sighted diver know he has completed a skill successfully, the instructor makes the "OK" signal -- a circle formed by touching the index finger to the thumb. Since I could not see this signal, Jeff would shake my hand. If he wanted me to practise clearing water from my mask, he would take my hand and tap it on my mask. We adapted many signals from rescue divers, as these divers often work in very cloudy water with sometimes zero visibility.

For the open water dive, I purchased a Mares Divemate dive computer. Dive computers can give the diver important data such as depth, dive time, no-stop time (time remaining before a decompression stop is needed) and surface time. It also has other functions. It gives critical warnings such as when a safety stop is needed. What makes the Divemate perfect for me is that it has an audio mode. It will actually tell you to slow down if you are making too fast an ascent. I suspect this technology was originally designed for cave divers, rescue divers and underwater welders so that the diver would not have to look at the computer, or in case of poor visibility.

I also acquired a Braille compass, which worked well underwater. A compass with an audio function is now on the market. I used a light probe to read my pressure gauge. I used a watertight bag, much like the bags in which some underwater photographers store their cameras, to hold the light probe. I have since found out that there is an audible pressure gauge that is used by divers in underwater welding and maintenance.

Jeff and I practised primary skills like buoyancy control, removing and replacing equipment, alternate breathing techniques -- over and over again. All the training paid off, because by the time I was ready for the open water tests, I was very confident of my abilities. I passed all my tests and became a certified Open Water Diver. I was so happy.

Since my certification, I still approach each dive the way I was taught. I check and recheck all of my equipment. I dive within my limits and capabilities, and always remember to "plan your dive, dive your plan."

A requirement of my certification is that I must always be with another diver. Even if I could see, I would feel much safer having a dive buddy around.

The first time I dived with Caribbean reef sharks, I chose one of the world’s best known dive operations, especially for shark diving: Stuart Cove’s Dive South Ocean, located on the island of New Providence in the Bahamas, about a 25-minute drive from downtown Nassau. Stuart Cove is known internationally for his work with the film industry and his expertise with sharks. He has helped with the underwater sequences involving sharks in "James Bond: Never Say Never Again," "For Your Eyes Only," "Cocoon," "Splash" and many more. He has also been featured in many documentaries about sharks. Stuart Cove’s was recommended by the Handicapped Scuba Association, of which I am a member.

The staff at Stuart Cove’s is so friendly that it takes your mind off the diving itself. However, reality sets in when you sign a waiver stating that you understand that this activity can be hazardous -- and you do it at your own risk. It reminded me of signing the forms when I went skydiving.

I met with the divemaster four hours before the dive. I would be with the divemaster at all times, and I wanted to go over all the hand signals we would be using. This is something I do on all my dives.

I was introduced to Alda du Plooy, a young lady who has dived with other blind divers. She was very professional and immediately put me at ease about the dive. We went over the hand signals we would be using, and added a new one: Alda would squeeze my wrist three times when a shark was near. This is very important because a sudden, erratic movement might cause the shark to react in an unpleasant way. She also wanted me to squeeze her wrist when I sensed the presence of a shark.

We discussed the behaviour of sharks. While all sharks are predators, they are not all maneaters. Alda explained, "Humans are not on the menu. Just remember that we are going into their environment, and we must respect that environment."

We would be making two dives. The first, called the "Runway Wall," follows the wall of the "Tongue of the Ocean," one of the deepest parts of the ocean with a depth of over 6,000 feet. There would be a free swim along the wall to a depth of about 60 feet. We would then swim to a flat, sandy area, and sit down to rest before heading back up to the boat. The second dive would be at the "Shark Runway." All the divers (there were about 14 in our group) would be assembled in a semi-circle on a flat, sandy area at a depth of about 50 feet. The feeder/divemaster would bring down a box of chum (cut up fish -- shark yummies) and sit in the middle of the group. He would open the box and spear some chum, and the sharks would come into the area for a snack.

On the boat, we were given last-minute instructions about the dive. Then everyone began donning their wetsuits and scuba gear. After all the other divers entered the water, Alda led me to the back of the boat. Just as I had been instructed to do, I sat down on the diving platform with my legs hanging over the edge. I then turned and pushed away from the boat and entered the water. The sea was very rough, but within seconds, Alda was right beside me. Because of turbulent conditions, we started our descent immediately. We both grabbed the dive guide line that went to the bottom. We slowly inched our way down the line, remembering to equalize when the boat rose with the swells so we would not be violently pulled up with it. When we were about 20 feet down we left the rope and descended on our own.

It is hard to describe what scuba diving is like for me. So many people have said, "Scuba diving is so visual. How can you enjoy it?" The feeling of neutral buoyancy is incredible. The sound of your bubbles is rather relaxing. The slow-breathing process is very soothing. Do sighted people think that the visual experience is the only experience in scuba diving? I often wonder if, by using vision so much, they deny themselves the whole picture.

Within about five minutes of leaving the dive rope I was bumped on my right shoulder. I thought that it was my friend, photographer Roger Kyler, who was diving with Alda and me. What I did not know was that Roger had had a problem with his weight belt and was still on the boat. Just as I was about to wave to "Roger," Alda gave me three quick squeezes on my wrist. We had a new diving partner. Alda would tell me later that a huge Caribbean reef shark came up behind us and bumped me on the shoulder. This is not that unusual, as the sharks were swimming along the same wall as us. While it did not frighten me when Alda squeezed my hand, it immediately brought to my attention that I was just a visitor to the sharks’ home.

We dived along the wall of the "Tongue of the Ocean" to a depth of about 65 feet. At the end of the dive, we went to a flat, sandy area and sat on the bottom. This was very relaxing, almost like being on the bottom of a swimming pool. The water was warm, about 78 degrees, and at this depth there was no turbulence. It was hard to imagine that the surface of the sea was so rough.

While we were sitting in this area, we were visited by several sharks. At one time, I was boxed in by four sharks. It made for a great picture. The sharks were very close to me. I could actually feel the presence of the sharks as they glided by.

Alda gave me the signal that it was now time to make our ascent. We would be swimming to the dive rope that would lead us up to the boat. Once we made it to the rope, we began a nice, slow ascent. We made our required safety stop at 15 feet for three minutes. Once again, we would let the rope slide through our hands, so the boat would not pull us up out of the water. The swells were so huge that had we not let go of the rope, we would have been pulled up to the surface.

During our 30-minute surface interval, Alda and I discussed the dive. She told me about the shark bumping me. She had been afraid I would react by quickly reaching out toward the shark. This would have been very dangerous. It could have confused my hand with a fish and attacked it. She also described the scene when the sharks had surrounded me.

On our second dive, Alda and I reached the bottom and were arranged in a semi-circle. Alda knelt beside me and Roger was on my other side. He had an underwater camera and would be filming the sharks.

Soon the group’s divemaster came down with a huge box of chum. He positioned himself in the middle of the group. It was not long before the sharks arrived -- as if someone had rung the dinner bell. They came in slowly at first, as if they were checking everything out. Then they became more aggressive as the divemaster opened the box and produced a piece of chum. He would spear some chum and hold it up for the sharks to eat.

About 20 Caribbean reef sharks soon surrounded us. At first the males came in. They are smaller but more aggressive than the females. They move very quickly and turn rapidly. After a while, the huge females came in. These sharks can be 10 feet long or more and they seem to move more slowly than the males. At one point during the dive, a huge female came from behind us and went right in between Alda and me. The shark actually rubbed up against me as she went through and lightly smacked me in the face with her tail fin. This was an incredible feeling. The rough, sandpaper-like skin of the shark pulled against my dive suit.

Alda knew I was excited as I squeezed her hand three times. She took her free hand and tapped me on the back to acknowledge this event. Even today I can still feel the shark. When I talk to Roger about these dives, we both agree they were surrealistic.

After about a half-hour of feeding the sharks, it was time to ascend to the boat. The ride back through the rough sea was slow, but I was feeling great. Some people say, "Why would anyone put themselves in danger like that?" The real danger in life is in feeling sorry for yourself, in not being excited about life, in thinking negatively and in not living life to its fullest.

Probably the best known shark is the great white. Unfortunately, due to movies such as "Jaws," these sharks have been labelled as indiscriminate killers. Many people are afraid to swim in the ocean waters. And it’s equally bad for the sharks, who have been killed in large numbers out of fear. Only recently has the great white shark become protected under the endangered species laws of several nations.

One of the largest concentrations of great whites is in the waters off the coast of South Africa. "Shark Alley," about five-and-a-half nautical miles out from the town of Gansbaai, is a channel between two islands, Dyer Island and Geser Island. The great whites come in to feed on a colony of about 7,000 cape fur seals on Geser Island, making this one of the best areas in the world to study these sharks.

The great white shark is big -- typically reaching 12 to 16 feet in length. It has been recorded at up to 23 feet in length. The shark weighs around 4,000 pounds and its teeth are triangular, serrated and razor sharp. Its bite can exert several hundred pounds of pressure per square inch.

Roger and I booked our shark expedition out of Gansbaai, South Africa. Because of the awesome nature of this shark, we would be inside a shark cage. We were briefed on shark behaviour and the diving procedure. We also met some divers who had just returned from a shark dive. An impressive videotape of their trip showed a huge shark in front of the shark cage. The man who had filmed this was so excited he could hardly speak.

The shark cage itself, carried on the boat, is round and holds two people. On the way to the dive site, the divemaster gave us instructions -- I did not want to miss the cage and wind up in the water with a hungry great white. Before long we were slowing down to enter the channel between Geser and Dyer Islands. Immediately I heard the barking of the thousands of seals on the island. Many of the seals swam along beside the boat. They seemed so happy and playful.

After we were out of the channel, the boat captain shut off the engine. Then the huge head of a shark was put on a line and thrown overboard. This is a controlled method of chumming that attracts sharks to the boat. Unfortunately, after about six hours no sharks had come into our area. The great white is unpredictable. We would give it another go tomorrow.

When we awoke the next day, we knew we would not be going out to sea. The dark clouds signalled rain and the sea was churning as it kicked up white-capped waves. The waters off the South African coast can be treacherous. As Roger and I walked down to the dock to check out the conditions, the ocean made its presence known. I could hear the slamming of the water as it hit the concrete retaining wall and the crashing of the breakers on shore. I was happy not to be on the boat in these conditions.

The next day the sun was out and the winds were calm. It was a pleasure to hear the seals again as they swam out to the boat. Once again, the boat crew put the chum line in the water. Unlike our first day out, a great white appeared almost immediately. This was a very exciting time and you could almost hear the thumping of the heartbeats of those on board. My adrenaline started pumping as I listened to the descriptions of the actions of the shark. Roger told me that the dark grey, almost black fin was visible from a long distance.

This was a big shark. It circled the bait about three times in a very methodical manner. Then, with lightning speed, it moved in on the bait. As it came up out of the water I heard the boat captain tell the group to watch the eyes of the shark. The shark’s eyelid is a membrane that closes to protect its eyes whenever it attacks. "Wow!" said Roger, "This shark looks to be at least 14 feet." "Sixteen," said the boat captain, "maybe more."

"Time to suit up," said the divemaster. As I would be holding the air tank that supplies the air for both divers (there are two regulators attached to the tank -- one for each diver), this meant that I had to be the first one into the cage. I was a bit apprehensive. Before this trip I had been listening to a TV show about a shark dive like this one. A shark came in for the bait and actually slid on to the top of the cage -- and then fell inside the cage!

Fortunately, I made it into the cage with no problems. Soon Roger was dropping in beside me. I gave him one of the regulators and we both dropped down to the bottom of the cage. As we had planned, Roger would use both his hands to operate his camera. I would hold on to the air tank and also to Roger. This was more difficult than it sounds. The cage was attached to the boat and the boat was bobbing up and down with the motion of the sea. It was like being inside a washing machine. Oh, and did I forget to mention that you must also be aware that there is a huge shark right in front of you?

Roger and I did not have any special signal for "sharks" as I had in the Bahamas dives. We knew that if we were in the cage, the shark was in close proximity. The boat crew actually drags the chum up to the cage. This is an electrifying experience and not for the fainthearted. You can feel the presence of the shark. This was almost more excitement than I had bargained for.

I then heard the three taps on top of the cage. This was the signal from the divemaster to come up out of the cage. He opened the top hatch and we pushed up to the surface of the water. The divemaster told us that the shark had moved away. He told us to hold on to the top of the cage until another shark moved in.

Fortunately, we did not have to wait long. Roger saw the huge fin of a shark and told me to put my mask back on. Then the divemaster told us to go back down to the bottom of the cage. As before, the motion of the cage combined with the awareness of the shark made for a very intense experience. This time the shark circled the boat twice and came back for the chum right in front of our cage. While Roger tried to hold his camera still in near-impossible conditions, I made sure all my body parts stayed inside the cage.

Again, I heard the three taps on top of the cage. The shark had moved off and it was now time for another diver to get into the cage. Roger crawled out of the cage first, and I followed. Quite honestly, I was concerned at this point about coming out of the cage with so many sharks in the area. Needless to say, I did not waste any time getting out of the cage and on to the boat.

On the boat, I felt an elevated energy level. Over ten different sharks visited us that day. Some just circled the boat, while others wildly attacked the chum. These awesome animals are the top predators in the ocean and have roamed the waters of the world for thousands of years. Hopefully, these magnificent animals will be around for many more years to come.

(Excerpted from Vision from the Heart, self-published by Gary Haun of Rockford, Illinois, USA.)


GARY HAUN’S DAY JOB

As the Amazing Haundini, Gary Haun of Rockford, Illinois, has performed magic for audiences throughout the world. Blind for over 27 years, Gary claims a passion for living life to its fullest -- and then some.

Gary became interested in magic while in the Veterans Hospital Blind Center. Since then, he has performed magic for audiences young and old. He has even been on "The Rosie O’Donnell Show." Dressed in his riverboat gambler outfit, Gary showed Rosie a couple of card tricks. Rosie -- along with the live audience -- was impressed.

Very few magicians in the world are blind. Gary has performed all types of magic -- stage illusions, magic with doves and rabbits, children’s shows and close-up magic. Close-up magic is done at a table where the audience is seated a few feet in front of the magician. Gary says that "I would practise card moves [sleight of hand] about 400 times before doing them for anyone."

A few years ago, Gary performed his close-up magic for Dr. Jane Goodall, known throughout the world for her research with the chimpanzees of Africa. Since that time, Gary and Dr. Goodall have become close friends.

"I see magic as a method to entertain people," says Gary. "When I perform magic, I want people to have fun. I want them to be entertained." He adds, "I only wish I could see the reactions on their faces."


SCUBA IN CANADA

HSA CANADA - SCUBA DIVING FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES
Pam and Bob Curzon
2-215 Terence Matthews Cr.
Ottawa ON K2M 1X5
Phone: (613) 592-9169
Fax: (613) 592-1832
HSA Canada is affiliated with the Handicapped Scuba Association, an international, independent diver training and certifying agency, which works directly with divers with disabilities. The organization is dedicated to "improving the physical and social well-being of people with disabilities through the exhilarating sport of scuba diving." It is the worldwide authority in this field.

ADAPTED SCUBA ASSOCIATION (ASA)
Gain Wong
650 Dupont St., Ste. 123
Toronto ON M6G 4B1
Phone: (416) 534-2527
Fax: (416) 534-8750
The Adapted Scuba Association promotes adapted skin and scuba diving for people with physical disabilities. It is working with scuba certifying agencies to ensure that the needs of divers with physical disabilities are properly addressed by the scuba industry. ASA maintains that divers with physical disabilities who have the requisite knowledge, aptitude, skills, endurance and medical authorization should have full access to recreational diving activities.

CLUB CHALLENGE
Jerry Ford
7 Queen St.
Georgetown ON L7G 2E3
Phone: (905) 877-5386
Club Challenge: Water Sports for the Physically Challenged develops and trains people with physical disabilities to scuba dive, and provides a support structure for its members.