Home Page

Tuesday, August 28, 2007

The Water Nymph


My sister is a constant source of amusement to me. She's also a bit of a daredevil. When I was on the phone to her the other day, she told me that she was having a day off work and the plan for the day was 'naked snorkelling'. Before I go any further, that is not her in the picture so no requests for her email please! Although it actually could be, she's in the best shape of her life.

She spends her life in the water and on her days off goes back into it. As a professional divemaster (she works in the dive centre I used to own) she has a very physical job. I know this, I've worked with these people and have the highest regard for the job they do. Not only is it physically demanding, they literally hold people's lives in their hands, thanks to the PADI system of certification and the fact that too many 'licensed' divers have hardly any time in the water under their belt. This leads them to being very unpredictable in times of stress, and there can be many of those at 20+ metres in the open ocean, for someone not used to being at that depth or in a current. She was telling me that the other day that she was leading a group of 11 divers with just one other divemaster. 11 people with a very diverse level of training and experience. One of them did in fact panic and had to be taken up to the surface by the other divemaster, leaving her with ten divers of differing ability to take care of. I think that was one of those days she'd gladly have traded in her wetsuit.

I never operated the business like that. I always ran smaller groups to ensure my divemasters weren't put at risk, nor were my customers. But times have changed. She also does a minimum of three dives a day with no meal breaks. Between the dives they are washing gear, filling tanks, keeping the wet area in shape. I used to make sandwiches for them, fill the tanks for them, clean the gear for them, so they could sit down for half an hour with something to eat and a hot drink. Just think, those people live in their wetsuits from 8am to often 5pm or beyond, cold and wet and soggy. I guess, though, the mighty Euro speaks. It was just something I couldn't do, running things to the point the divemasters were over-stretched. I'd never have forgiven myself if something had happened.

So come her day off, she's in the car heading for this little cove she's found. I asked her if it was totally secluded. Oh no, not really, people can and do look down into it. My sister the exhibitionist. I love her joie de vivre. And I envy her self-confidence in abandoning all clothing and just feeling the water on her skin. I asked her about nude diving but she assures me the BCD (buoyancy compensation device) would chafe just a little too much.

11 comments:

George said...

Tenerife, right? If the BCD chafes too much then the area obviously needs some TLC

Sunny Delight said...

You my friend, are a woman who has empathy for all...as you prove once again, by stating how you cared for dive masters and customers alike...

I am not an exhibitionist...nope not at all...but swimming in the nude is the best!

Fiona said...

George - Tenerife yes. And to be specific, the cove is between El Medano and Los Abrigos ;)

Sunny - There was just no way I was going to sit on my arse while they slaved away hungry and cold. The least I could do was dig in and help out. I actually became the fillmaster :) The tanks and compressor were my domain. I developed a good set of muscles from that work. Mmmmm yes I like that too, but only where I KNOW noone can see me *L*

Fusion said...

You ran the business with a conscience Fiona, that's the difference.

I've never gone swimming nakkid, gotta try that someday. I don't think I'd care if it was secuded or not, I'm feeling pretty secure with my body since I lost some weight...

Mia said...

I love that pic. Very artsy.

I think it would be awesome to have a job that you loved that much. Though Im not a great swimmer I love the water...and more so when its by a beach and its hot and I have a margarita...lol

Anonymous said...

Sounds like a lovely way to spend an afternoon, naked in the water.

Anonymous said...

With a schedule like that, she's got to be in the best shape of ANYBODY'S life!

We were just talking yesterday about swimming nude.

LePhare said...

I live on what used to be a nudist camp. A cousin used to run it, so nudism is in the family. Not a lot of fun after the Summer that we've just had! Must get the cling film out again!-)

Fiona said...

Fusion - like everything I do in my life :) While the business is no longer run the way I did, I do take a lot of satisfaction in the fact that we changed the diving industry there, in a good way.

Miranda - me too, got to love google :) I don't know that she loves her job as much as she loves where it allows her to be. You should hear her talking about the 'pool time' where she has to basically encourage people to come and give it a go in the sea. Hauling people like you sitting with your margarita into the pool *L*

Deb - Right now I can't think of anything nicer :)

Jamie - Hi!!!! At 44 she's pretty damn buff ;)

Ian - So, is it in your genes too? ;)

freebird said...

Yes, what the others said about the job. It's all part of the Fiona we've come to know and love - wouldn't expect any different.

What a lovely picture! And I LOVE naked swimming!

McKay said...

I have little interest in nudism on land, but nothing beats swimming free. Top of the list though is night swimming in phosphorescence. I would (and have, unsuccessfully) risked minor jelly fish stings for that joy! But maybe I'm just weird...

So cheers for those who take the plunge, in view or not.

 

free html hit counter