"I'm Ready"

Hello out there! My name is Ashley. I thought I would share with all of you some of what I am experiencing before the dive.

My First Dive

I get to go in Alvin today! I’m extremely excited, nervous, anxious, and praying that I don’t do something stupid. The looks I’ve been receiving all morning are rather amusing. All the experienced divers give me this sly look. I’m not quite sure how to describe it. Regardless of what the bearer may actually be thinking, the expression to me is a combination of, “Lucky you! I remember my first dive!” and, “Are you nervous? Does my looking at you in this sly fashion make you nervous?” Well in fact, YES IT DOES! Haha. I am nervous, but I know I will be fine. It is going to be the most amazing thing I have ever done! Life changing even! At least that is what I have heard the first dive is like. I’ll let you know when I get back!

 

"RAIN DELAY"!

I’m glad that I played softball, because if I hadn’t the disappointment of the dive being delayed would hurt a little more. Nonetheless, it happens. Things get delayed. I guess the concern for now is that the battery is giving a test signal that the Alvin pilots are comfortable sending it down with and so they rolled it back into the hanger for more tests. They are saying a 2-hour delay. So, just like in softball, you wait around for a while, and warm up again when the time is right. 

In the words of my favorite sponge, “I’m ready! I’m ready! I’m ready!”