Why I Love Scuba

Some readers have asked: "Why do you like to scuba?" So I've given some thought to it. The initial moment of descent is not comfortable (like all efforts before you acquire absolute skill). You must stop, equalize pressure, continue down into the unknown. But once you have equalized and go off, flippers moving efficiently, breathing slow and measured, you feel a new person. And the things you see! In the Caribbean you see coral formations in colors that are never revealed once these chunks are washed on shore. Schools of fish fold in and out like shifting streams of silk. Then there's always the thrill of possibly seeing the big one, as I did when snorkeling --a beautiful, submarine-like Barracuda, veering off just below me, sleek and sure. It was snorkeling that made me yearn for more. And now I just want to improve my skills and dive for as long as I can. Diving is not unlike my experience at printmaking. You think you know where you want to go but the lines in the etching reveal new paths and you have to be ready to take them.