Chapter 21
The rugged aluminum double-hull gleamed under the relentless sun. The twin outboards howled as we sped toward our destination. With a forward wheelhouse and a wide aft deck with plenty of seating, this boat was purpose built to handle anything the tropical waters could throw at it.
We signed all the paperwork and took care of the insurance.
The dive master, Zach, addressed us as a group for a pre-dive briefing. His long, wavy blond hair hung to his shoulders. The guy had bronze skin and an athletic figure carved from granite.
There were nods all around.
"We’ll be using Nitrox for this dive, so you’ll have a little more bottom time, but you’ll have to watch your gas.
If you have anxiety, claustrophobia, or are unsettled by overhead dives, this is not for you," Zach said, his eyes making contact with each of us.
“Declan has assured me that everyone here is an experienced diver, but it's better to sit this one out than have trouble down there. No shame.”
We all exchanged looks. It didn’t look like anybody wanted to back out. I had no idea how experienced any of these divers were, but I was pretty sure Vanessa didn’t have anything near 75 dives. But then again, it had been a long time since we’d hung out. A lot can change.
“I will say it once again, if you are not comfortable with anything I have described, please do not embark on this adventure.” He let that hang there for a moment to soak in. “Does anyone have any reservations about this dive or their ability to complete it?”
“No,” the group said.
“Alright, let’s have fun, and most importantly, let’s be safe.”
Vanessa and I were buddies for this dive.
We shouldered our tanks and moved to the swim platform where we donned our fins.
With my mask on and the regulator in my mouth, I stepped into the water at Zach’s instruction.
My BCD was inflated just enough to let me float at the surface.
I gave Zach the okay signal, cleared my mask, and waited for the rest of the group.
When everyone was in the water and ready to go, Zach led us below.
We finned toward the bottom, shafts of sunlight shimmering.
Julio stayed aboard the boat and would pick us up on the other end.
I equalized the pressure in my ears on the way down.
The water was warm and comfortable—around 82° and crystal clear.
The reef teemed with life. Tropical fish darted around, used to the strangers in their environment.
Jagged red-orange coral, sponges, and sea fans formed a rugged tapestry around the entrance to the Abyss.
It was truly a sight to behold, and I was glad I came.
I mean, how often do you get to do this?
At almost 90 feet, the tunnel through the reef would plunge to 130 by the end of the channel.
Both Declan and Luciano had GoPros strapped to their foreheads to capture the action for posterity.
Zach led us into the mouth of the Abyss. It was a tight fit, and I followed Vanessa. Our flashlight beams illuminated the way as we swam into a larger space with a sandy bottom.
Soon, the passage narrowed. It grew darker and darker the farther we swam into the tunnel.
My flashlight beam raked across the vibrant coral.
We swam into the inky depths, and Vanessa rounded a corner ahead of me. She dipped out of sight for a moment.
The group had spaced out a little with gaps between.
Luciano and Sophia were behind me. At least I thought they were. I gave a quick glance back, but they weren't there. I'm sure Luciano was taking his time to observe the sights.
I kept swimming forward toward the bend. That's when something went wrong.
My regulator free-flowed.
The second stage stuck open. A hiss of bubbles erupted in a deafening roar. The tank dumped its gas. Engulfed by bubbles, panic rifled through me.
There was no direct line to the surface. Even if there was, a safety stop was mandatory. I could still breathe at the moment, but that wouldn’t last long. The tank would be empty soon.