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“My Gutsy Story” by Dodie Cross

January 9, 2012 by Sonia Marsh

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Snorkeling the Great Barrier Reef

In the 60s, I reluctantly signed up for classes on SCUBA diving. My husband was excited; he thought it would be great for the two of us to dive together.  What I didn’t bring up to him, and what had been a deep, dark secret for years, was my fear of sharks and the big deep—the ocean!   I’d always been the first to run into the oncoming waves, knowing I’d go no deeper than my midriff, but actually acting as though I’d go out as far as anyone else if need be. I could outswim anyone in a pool, as long as I could see the bottom.  Lakes and rivers held some worry for me, but somehow I felt a shark couldn’t make it in those waters.  Maybe it’s the fact I can’t see what’s down there around my legs, ready to carry me off to the deep, and then include me in their digestive juices.

But, I shouldered on, joining him in the classes.  I was the only female in a group of eight men; two of whom I might add quit when the going got tough.  I actually made it all the way to certification—that is until the diving instructor took us out to be certified.  We had to snorkel out to the kelp beds, put in our regulator and dive to 50 feet to be certified.

It was a violently stormy day as we made our way to Black’s Beach on the California Coast. The breakers were over ten feet.  I donned my suit with shaky hands, then my footies and gloves.  Someone, not sure who, helped me on with my weight belt, and off we went.  As I was snorkeling out with my husband in front of me, I had the distinct feeling that I was sinking.  It was hard to keep afloat.  I struggled so hard I began to hyperventilate.  Was the fear of the darkness below? Where a shark might be in waiting, licking his chops, causing this hyperventilation?  I couldn’t let this happen.  I removed my snorkel and yelled to my husband:   “I’m sinking!  Help me!” The instructor, swimming nearby took one look at me and immediately reached out and flipped open my weight belt. As the belt sank I began to return to the surface. Obviously, someone had given me a weight belt meant for a two hundred pound wrestler.  By then I was so exhausted the instructor sent me back to shore.  I half crawled up the shoreline, dragging myself over the sea urchins as they tore my booties, gloves and the skin beneath. At the sight of blood I panicked.  Got to get out before a shark gets my scent, I thought, as I groped in the sand for handholds to pull me up and out.  Sadly, for my husband, that was the end of my diving career.

That was over fifty years ago, and I knew I would never go back into the deep.  That is until two weeks ago when a friend and I visited Australia. I reluctantly signed up for a snorkeling outing on the Great Barrier Reef.  Now, I knew I wouldn’t do it, but my girlfriend was so excited about the tour, I had to pretend I was excited as well.  I figured I’d go along with the farce just long enough to keep her happy.  But when it came time to don the gear, I’d amazingly get a headache and have to decline.   However, when the instructor began to hand out the masks and snorkels, I had an epiphany:  It’s time to quell your fears.  You’re not a young woman any longer, and why take a dirt nap without conquering this fear.

I asked the instructor about the Great Whites. Had any been seen in these waters or nearby? “Not for years,” he said, “no problem, mate!”  So I suited up.  My heart beating so hard I feared it would show through my bra top. I valiantly stepped off the swim board and jumped in.  The water was glorious, so clear you could see for miles. I did some rather strange rotating, though, to make sure nothing could sneak up behind me.  The longer we were floating out there, the more brave I became.  “It’s okay, I said as a mantra:  You’ve finally conquered your worst fear.

Then something brushed my leg. Something big! Omygod!  I whipped my head around, terrified that I might see a huge shark, and there, staring me right in the mask was the most beautiful fish I’d ever seen.  It was over three feet long, and the most vivid turquoise blue.  Its lips were the size of tractor tires and it was smiling at me.  Our dive instructor told us that this fish always visits the groups in the water, and has been doing this for quite some time.

After my heart quit doing the Macarena, I meekly reached out to pet this beautiful fish.  You see, I thought, all those fears all those years, for nothing.

This morning as I worked on my computer and half-listened to the TV news, the anchor interrupted with: “We have breaking news” which normally means a car chase, a stock market plunge or surge, so I paid scant attention.  That is until I heard:  “A Great White Shark has just killed a man off the Australian coast.

So much for conquering your fears!

 *****

 Dodie Cross Bio

About the author: Dodie Cross is a freelance writer who has received numerous awards for her writing and poetry, among them the prestigious Southern California Writer’s Conference First Place Award for “Best Nonfiction,” as well as First Place in their inaugural Poetry Award. She has accrued first and second place prizes in her published articles. Dodie has traveled the world, writing about her life in foreign countries such as Iran and Thailand, as well as American locales such as New Orleans, Orange County, California.

 

Check out Dodie’s website where you will find her next book: A Broad Abroad in Iran: One Strappy-Sandaled Foot Ahead of the Mullahs: An Expat’s Life in Iran Before and During the Revolution.

 *****

Thanks Dodie for sharing how you overcame your fear of scuba diving and snorkeling, and just jumped back in. To find out more about Dodie Cross and her humorous writing, please check out her blog: A Broad Abroad. Please share your comments or questions with Dodie who will be over to respond to them.

 

*****

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*****

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Filed Under: My Gutsy Story, People, Travel & Adventure Tagged With: "My Gutsy Story", Dodie Cross

Comments

  1. Sonia Marsh says

    January 9, 2012 at 9:22 am

    Thanks Dodie for sharing your story about overcoming your fears of sharks and the deep ocean. I also had to overcome my fear of scuba diving before we left for Belize, as scuba diving is a way of life there.

    • Dodie Cross says

      January 9, 2012 at 6:51 pm

      Hi Sonia, love your contest. Great writers. Lois Joy contacted me after she read my story. Great gal and really GUTSY.

      I think I could SCUBA again in water like Baleze, because you can see the bottom.

      Hugs

  2. Lady Fi says

    January 9, 2012 at 9:59 am

    Wonderful story and well done for conquering your fears.

    I have snorkelled with sharks – we kept our distance from each other although it was scary. The things my parents let me do at only 18!
    Lady Fi recently posted..The art of fallingMy Profile

    • Dodie Cross says

      January 9, 2012 at 6:52 pm

      OMG, 18??? You are Gutsy! I think when I’m reincarnated, I’ll try again, only in waters like Sonia has on her website.

  3. Nezzy says

    January 9, 2012 at 12:12 pm

    Wow, what a wonderful story Dottie. I’m so glad your conquered that big fat fear so ya could enjoy the Australasian experience.

    Before the great whites anyway! Heeehehehhe!!!

    Now, do ya have and suggestions for my biggest fear. It’s tornadoes baby. I went through one when I was five and never recovered. Heck, I can be found midst a thunder storm remindin’ God that He can clam the storms.

    Great guest writer sweetie.

    God bless ya and have an awesome week!!! :o)
    Nezzy recently posted..HAPPY TOGETHERMy Profile

    • Dodie Cross says

      January 9, 2012 at 6:54 pm

      Hi, yes I have a remedy for you. MOVE TO CALIFORNIA! All you have here are baby earthquakes, just jump under a dining room table and hold on.

      Thanks for the reply.
      Dodie

  4. Lauren Alissa Hunter says

    January 10, 2012 at 3:28 am

    Great story, absolutely terrifying! It’s always eerie to hear that someone has been injured or killed doing something you’ve just done. I shudder to look back at the last few years of my life!

    This kind of reminded me of when I went snorkeling off the coast of Kenya– we were taken out by some locals in a boat with so much water coming in the bottom that we had to scoop it out every half hour, and the snorkel equipment was a loose bag of goggles and such. I didn’t care though, I was just excited to see the reef, and caught up in the sense of adventure. It wasn’t until I was actually out of the boat, looking into 30 foot water and being swept away by an undertow that I remembered I DONT KNOW HOW TO SWIM.

    Obviously, I didn’t drown (thanks to a rather attractive Don Cheadle look alike) but I’ll give a second thought to jumping into any more deep waters before I take care of the whole learning to swim thing.

  5. Miss Footloose | Life in the Expat Lane says

    January 10, 2012 at 5:05 am

    Fabulous story, Dodie, and if it were fiction, the end of the tale would be great ;), but too bad for your peace of mind this had to happen! Anyway, even if you never get back in the water to snorkel in Australia, you did it once and overcame your fear. You shouldn’t have to do it twice. Says I.
    Miss Footloose | Life in the Expat Lane recently posted..Expat Foodie: Cow Feet Soup for BreakfastMy Profile

  6. Megan Grant says

    January 10, 2012 at 7:34 am

    Thank’s for sharing your experience.. I can’t imagine if I on that situation maybe now, I’m died already..
    Megan Grant recently posted..Pet Cremations-Edmonton and Greater AreaMy Profile

  7. Doreen Cox says

    January 11, 2012 at 10:29 am

    Ah, Dodie, I could almost see myself beside you on both of your gutsy endeavors! By the way, my nickname is Dody so I could really live vicariously through your experiences. Living near Daytona Beach in Fla, I have braved the waves to body surf. I’ve had one near encounter with a shark: saw him in a wave just down from my position and got out fast! Have I been back since? Oh yes…the call of the ocean’s waves is strong. Have I ever been deep-sea diving? No! Only vicariously through adventures like your own. My hat is so off to you!
    Doreen Cox recently posted..I have just returned home after being away for a week. Funny, as I got out of th…My Profile

  8. Penelope J says

    January 11, 2012 at 6:55 pm

    Dodie,

    Loved your gutsy story and your colorful descriptions. I think that, on both occasions, you were gutsy; just the first time, the elements, weight bag, and situation were all against you. You are more gutsy not when doing something adventurous or daring as much as overcoming an innate fear such as yours of sharks.
    Penelope J recently posted..Never Give Up on Your DreamMy Profile

Trackbacks

  1. Vote for your favorite January "My Gutsy Story" | Sonia Marsh - Gutsy Living says:
    February 2, 2012 at 8:44 am

    […] Dodie Cross […]

  2. Winner of the "My Gutsy Story" contest for January 2012. | Sonia Marsh - Gutsy Living says:
    February 16, 2012 at 9:31 am

    […] Dodie Cross (1%, 1 Votes) Total Voters: 68  Loading … Categories Select Category Belize Blogging-Social Media Expat Life Inspirational My Gutsy Story Parenting & Family People Travel & Adventure Writing & Work /* 0 ) { location.href = "https://soniamarsh.com/?cat="+dropdown.options%5Bdropdown.selectedIndex%5D.value; } } dropdown.onchange = onCatChange; /* ]]> */ Past Gutsy Articles Select Month February 2012 January 2012 December 2011 November 2011 October 2011 September 2011 August 2011 July 2011 June 2011 May 2011 April 2011 March 2011 February 2011 January 2011 December 2010 November 2010 October 2010 September 2010 August 2010 July 2010 June 2010 May 2010 April 2010 March 2010 February 2010 January 2010 December 2009 November 2009 October 2009 September 2009 August 2009 July 2009 June 2009 May 2009 April 2009 March 2009 […]

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