By Vladimir Brezina
On the first dive, a novice diver immediately encounters a new and astonishing feeling, one of utter weightlessness, of floating in space, gently rising by inhaling more deeply and descending by exhaling… I still remember how amazed I was by that feeling.
On our trip to Australia last August we only went snorkeling, but still were able to recapture some of that feeling…
(Great Barrier Reef, Australia, August 2015)
A contribution to this week’s Photo Challenge, Weight(less).
... kayaked the waters around New York for more than 15 years in his red Feathercraft folding kayak. He was originally from (the former) Czechoslovakia and lived in the U.K. and California before settling down in New York. He was a neuroscientist at the Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York City. He died in 2016.
... is a kayaker and technology researcher at Nemertes Research. She's an erstwhile engineer, particle physicist, and science fiction writer. She was born in California and has lived in Italy, Norway, Hawaii, and a few other places. She currently resides in New York City.
 | CurlsnSkirls on The First Leg! |
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| Johna Till Johnson on The First Leg! |
 | Marilyn Albright on The First Leg! |
| CurlsnSkirls on The First Leg! |
| Johna Till Johnson on Looks Like They Made It! |
 | Pit on Looks Like They Made It! |
| Johna Till Johnson on More Scenes From the Nort… |
| CurlsnSkirls on Halfway There! |
 | Larry Jensen on More Scenes From the Nort… |
| Johna Till Johnson on R2AK: Scenes From the Northern… |
 | Frank Winters on R2AK: Scenes From the Northern… |
| Johna Till Johnson on Halfway There! |
| CurlsnSkirls on Halfway There! |
| Johna Till Johnson on And They’re Off! |
Wind Against Current 
Ha, weightless indeed! I don’t think anyone feels weightless in swim skins or neoprene :-)
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Too buoyant—you just need to attach the appropriate amount of weight to be weightless :-)
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True weightlessness! I’ve never experienced that.
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Depends on how much insulation you’re carrying around… I was swimming on my back the other day and noticed I could float perfectly comfortably. My legs were kicking but the rest of me was lying on top of the water.. Divine sensation!
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Still, that’s only half of it. As soon as you dive under water, your buoyancy will try to force you back up (hopefully—if the opposite happens you are in real trouble… ;-) ). That’s why snorkeling doesn’t quite do it….
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This is something I haven’t done. A diver must see some amazing sights?
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Depends on what’s on the bottom… but yes, the Great Barrier Reef was amazing :-)
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Great photos.
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Thanks, Gayle!
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After clumping around in a boat with all that heavy gear on, it is a pleasure to float down through the water.
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Exactly! The contrast is startling. It gives you some idea of how 2000-pound walruses must feel: hardly able to move on land, but almost graceful in the water….
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pretty amazing – I’ve never been open water snorkelling. My son spent a week scuba diving at BSA’s Sea Base and we’re headed to the Middle Keys this Spring Break. I am looking forward to it. Snorkelling and kayaking at Bahia Honda is on my list. Have a great week.
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I’ve been open-water snorkeling only once—on the Great Barrier Reef. But it was such a different—much better—experience than snorkeling off the beach. But diving is another level above yet :-)
Have fun in the Keys!!
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Especially if floating in salt water, the buoyancy and feeling of weightlessness is heightened further!
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Buoyancy certainly is… but the more salt, the harder it will be to dive or snorkel below the surface, unless you add more weight to yourself. Have to try the Dead Sea sometime… :-)
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