Okinawa is a hot and humid tropical paradise for most of the year. The winter, meaning mid-November through February, can have temperatures into the low 50s, high winds, and rain. The water, weather you're in the East China Sea or the Pacific Ocean, hovers in the low 70s and can feel like bath water relative to the air around you. We've spent more time hiking rather than in the water because of this, but both of us are itching to get in the water and see all there is to see.
Two weeks ago, on the recommendation of a SCUBA instructor we met at the Thanksgiving dinner in the barracks, we ordered custom wetsuits. These wetsuits are head-to-toe wetsuits, including a hood. We were allowed to pick the color or colors of the wetsuits, as well as the stitching and trim around the wrists, ankles, zippers, and hood. We opted for a single color wetsuit. I went with purple neoprene and flourescent orange stitching and trip. Ryan chose a blue-gray neoprene and then a blue that was brighter than the neoprene but that would match the color of the water. He explained that he wanted to blend in with the water so as to not scare off the fish. I hadn't thought about that, and hoped my choice of bright orange wouldn't frighten all the into the crevices of the reef.
The lady who measured us spoke very good English, and she took many measurements beyond neck, chest, waist, and hips. She also took no less than three measurements along our arms and legs, which is a good thing because Ryan and I have abnormally large calves. While she was measuring Ryan, she stood in front of him for most of the measurements and just strung the tape around. When she got to his chest, she paused, readjusted the tape, and then walked around behind him presumably to make sure the tape was flat and taut. I was so thankful I was standing behind him, because I got to see her eyes grow as large as saucers. She walked back around him and said, "You a *big* kahuna." She emphasized "big." The truth is Im normal size, I cant help it if most people around me happen to be a bit smaller than normal; the Okinawas even more so.
I busted out with a big belly laugh, which made us all laugh. She then added, "You're thick, but you don't look it." We believe she meant this as a compliment. She finished Ryan's measurements and then took mine, which began with stepping on the scale. One nice thing about the metric system: you feel really thin when you see those numbers in kilograms!
On this particular day, she explained to us that they were having a sale on full-body wetsuits. We were happy about this, and thought this was a sign that we were meant to be here and get these snorkeling garments. When she tallied up everything, she apologized profusely to Ryan and said that she would have to charge him extra. The extra amount for his kahuna-sized wetsuit meant that he would have to pay a normal price for a normal-sized wetsuit, so it all worked out. Still a great story!
So, that's the background. The wetsuits were ready in two weeks exactly, and we were told to try them out before bringing them back for any adjustments. Done. Ryan knew exactly where to go, and we had our bathing suits on already, in hopes that the weather would hold. The clouds were brewing, but we decided to go for it. We arrived at a place called "Sandy Beach" to test our wetsuits and for me to get used to my snorkeling gear, all of which was new to me. Wetsuits on, fit seemed good, we were ready to go.
The water was cold, but at 3mm of neoprene, I felt fairly warm the entire time. In fact, towards the end of our hour in the water, I almost felt too warm with the hood and the wetsuit. Initially, I was just excited to be in the water and immediately amazed at all the fish. I chased this guy around for quite a bit, totally missing the more sedentary reef life right in front of my face.
After we kicked around in the shallower water for a while, Ryan suggested we swim out beyond the waves to where the reef was less beaten down. He quickly found a crown-of-thorns sea star. Very pretty, and very painful if you happen to come into contact with the venomous spines.
A bit later, Ryan turned up another surprise.
I really like our underwater camera, but it's more than a little difficult to stay still when the current wants to have its way with you. Ryan was not especially thrilled with the color of his wetsuit initially. He remembered picking something that was more blue-gray, but the dry color is definitely more of a navy blue. However, the color is very subdued in the water and should allow him to sneak up on fish. My purple is fairly vivid when dry, but doesn't appear purple in the water. The orange, on the other hand, combined with the yellow of my weight belt and weights...
Well, at least Ryan will have no problem finding me if I swim too far away.
I'd forgotten about the underwater setting on the camera until midway through our time in the water. You can't tell the difference if you're looking at one photo at a time, but a comparison of the same area of reef with and without the "blue" filter shows a huge difference. The top portion is the underwater camera in normal point-and-shoot mode, and the bottom image is the same camera, same portion of reef, with the underwater setting. Note to self: make sure the underwater setting is ON.
We swam around for more than an hour until I felt tired and frustrated at the seemingly constant foggy state of my mask. I think the wetsuits kept me so warm that it really contrasted with the temperature of the water. No matter how thoroughly I cleared my mask, it fogged within seconds. Above the water, the clouds were getting thicker, making it difficult to see much of anything in the depths. We decided our equipment worked and the wetsuits were the best idea we'd had in a while, and so called it a day.
I have a lot to learn when it comes to snorkeling. On land, I feel more in my element, not afraid of things I can't see, and plenty of energy to go up and down the steepest trails. In the water, I feel like I just sprouted limbs and am learning to use them. I feel sluggish, clumsy, and splashy. When I dive down, I can't clear my ears worth a lick, making anything greater than 6-feet really painful. I can only get better, and hope that our days of sun and relatively calm seas coincide with weekends.
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