This week our guest is Janice Crumpton who submitted a story for our Short Stories section of our blog. We have also included a short video at the end of the article of Janice diving in Australia. Be sure to read, watch the video, and leave a comment for Janice!
Story told by Janice Crumpton
Video used by permission from Donna Love
Story written and edited by Sandi Herron; Artwork by Sandi Herron.
Who is Janice?
Janice was born in Bessemer, Alabama where she currently resides. She has two children and four grandchildren. Retired after 30 years as an Engineering Analyst with Southern Company, she spends her time writing and enjoys quality time with her grandchildren. Scuba diving became her dream come true in 1982, and she has enjoyed diving in the waters of the Bahamas, Cozumel, Grand Cayman, Saba, British West Indies, Honduras, and Australia.
Thank you, Janice, for sharing with us!
Overcoming Fears: A Plan and Perseverance
As a young girl, I watched Jacque Cousteau on television. I dreamed of doing what he and his team did on diving excursions. But there was a challenge. I had a real fear of water.
In 1982, I was encouraged to take a scuba diving class as my first step to overcoming my fear of water and at the same time, achieving my dream of diving. After a six-week course learning underwater skills, my journey had just begun.
My first open water diving experience was in two bubbling springs near Panama City, Florida. Then the real test came – diving in the Gulf of Mexico. If you can dive in the Gulf of Mexico where visibility is three feet to at best 65 feet, you can dive anywhere!
Traveling to Australia to dive had been on my “dream list” for some time. I thought it would never come true, but it did. Finally, in September of 2007, after a year of planning and preparation, nine friends and I boarded a 16-hour flight to Sydney, Australia, the first of several stops before reaching our scuba diving destination.
In Sydney, we boarded a smaller plane for Cairns, Australia. Following a one night stay in Cairns, we flew on a private and much smaller plane to Lizard Island, located at the most northern tip of the Great Barrier Reef. A dinghy carried us to our boat where we stayed for five nights and four days. The cloudless blue skies promised perfect conditions for diving in the beautiful turquoise water.
Most of our previous diving trips had been in the warm water, and only a diving skin was necessary. The cool weather of September in Australia required adjusting to a full quarter-inch diving suit before diving into the 68-degree temperature of the Great Barrier Reef.
God created an entirely different world underwater and each time I dive, I experience a feeling of wonder, beauty, and relaxation. In the waters of the Great Barrier Reef, with visibility being 60 to 100 feet, vivid underwater scenes lay before us. Varieties of clownfish, some with big stripes and others with little stripes, were swimming in their favorite habitat, the anemones. They moved the pupils of their eyes back and forth, looking at us with caution. Thousands of small tropical fish were busy feeding, dipping in and out over the huge coral heads. Turtles, eels, rays, and lionfish created perfect photographic moments.
Each day brought something new and exciting, such as the shark dive. Before this dive, we each had to sign a paper stating we were in sound mind. A diving instructor drew an illustration for us to become familiar with the reef. We were instructed to get into the water, swim to the reef beyond the center coral reef and be very still. If a tiger shark appeared, we were to abort the dive. “Of course I will,” I doubtingly said to myself, “if I can!” In my mind, I also pictured a Great White shark with its jaws wide open, ready for me to be its next meal!
Prepared for the shark dive, we entered the water, diving to 60 feet, and waited near the reef. Immediately about 30 sharks entered the area, swimming in circles 20 feet in front of us. From our boat above, a 30-gallon container was lowered. A dive instructor slithered between the sharks, pulling a metal chain from the container and swam to a spot near us. Huge fish heads were attached to the metal chain. We watched, capturing through photos and videos, as the sharks began to eat in a frenzy. Smaller fish joined the feast, but the sharks were too busy to notice. After eating all the fish heads, the sharks simply swam away. With no cages or protection from the sharks, this was the best shark dive ever experienced. Thankfully, we did not see a great white or tiger shark!
On our last day, last dive, a huge cloud of black appeared in the water. A buddy and I swam over, discovering an eel eating an octopus! I regretted not having a camera with me, but the sight is etched forever in my mind.
The adventure came to an end much too soon. The pictures, videos, and memories are treasures and evidence of a dream come true.
If you have a “dream list,” don’t wait. Plan, prepare, and make it happen. Scuba diving helped me overcome a fear of water and provided a new skill that has taken me to many diving destinations. My fear did not immediately disappear but gradually through perseverance, I overcame!
Maybe one day I will return to the Great Barrier Reef in Australia. If I do, I will still be watching for the Great White shark but as I dive into the water, I will once again, without fear, experience the beauty and fascination of God’s underwater creation.
Video used by permission from Donna Love.
Janice… excellent story and of all the years we were dive buddies, I never knew you had a fear of water. Glad you were able to upload & use my video. Thanks Sandi for sharing Janice’s story!
Donna, it was a pleasure to work with Janice on her story. I am seriously thinking of scuba lessons now and I can’t even swim! Her story has inspired me that with perseverance, we can do anything if we take the time and stay determined! Thank you for providing the video. This was taken in Australia, correct?
I really enjoyed Ms. Crumpton’s story of overcoming fear. After reading this I may just take up diving myself.
Thank you for reading the story, Lynne. It certainly is inspiring and I am with you – may take diving lessons, too! I can only imagine how beautiful the underwater world is and the sounds must be amazing!