Read Online The Longest Holiday by Paige Toon - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Paige Toon
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our equipment ready. There’s still so much to remember and it blows my mind. Leo appears by my side and my pulse quickens.
BWRAF – Begin With Review And Friend – that’s the acronym PADI uses to make sure we remember the five buddy checks we need to make.
B is for BCD. We inflate and deflate our jackets to check the mechanism is working, then inflate enough so that we’ll float when we get into the water.
W is for Weights. The weight belt must always be worn in the same way, with a right-hand release. Leo might have to be the one to release my weight belt should we ever need to make an emergency ascent. I suck in a sharp breath as I feel his hands on my waist, making sure I’ve buckled up my belt properly. Feeling like I’m all thumbs, I do the same to him. I glance up to see him regarding me with those dark eyes of his and my heart threatens to beat out of my chest. Can he feel it too?
R is for Release. Our BCDs – jackets – should be fitted securely and snugly.
A is for Air. We check that the regulator is functioning properly, that the tank valve is open and that the air tank is full by checking the pressure gauge and breathing through the regulator. Leo hands me his alternate second stage – his spare air source – in case I need it in an emergency. I take it and breathe from it a few times, avoiding eye contact, then hand him mine so he can do the same. I feel like these checks are going on forever, but, thankfully, that’s pretty much it. Apart from the Final Okay, we’re done.
‘Leo! Laura! You go first,’ Jorge instructs loudly, making me jump. I remember to walk backwards to the dive platform at the rear of the boat. Leo, I notice, puts his fins on with ease once we reach it.
‘Follow the rope all the way down and wait at the bottom,’ Jorge tells me as Leo checks over my mask and flashes me the okay sign. I do the same to him – making an ‘O’ shape with my forefinger and thumb.
‘Big step,’ Leo says, and I smile and raise my eyebrows at him because his voice is for once laced with amusement. He must remember the last time I stood on this boat, when I was worried about reef sharks. I’m not worried about them anymore. Not when I’m with him.
I pull my mask on, breathe through my snorkel, and comply. He joins me in the water and we slowly descend.
Nothing prepares me for what it is like this time. The visibility is far better than last time, and the crystal-clear water must span for over twenty metres. I reach the bottom and kneel. Leo gives me the okay sign and I give him double thumbs up in return. He shakes his head slowly and takes my hand, fashioning it into the okay sign. Even underwater, his touch makes my skin tingle. I grin and water seeps into my mouth. I expel it quickly and try to stifle my giggles as the rest of my course-mates appear around us. We form a circle on the sand and our lesson begins.
‘That was good,’ Leo says approvingly when we’re back on the boat. ‘You’ve picked it up quickly.’
‘Thanks,’ I reply, his compliment warming me from the inside out.
I was able to adjust my buoyancy much more easily this time. Bridget and Marty seemed to struggle, and I could tell Marty absolutely hated the bit where we had to remove our masks and put them back on again underwater. I didn’t like that much, either. I liked the buddy sharing, though – the bit where Leo and I had to practise using each other’s air, passing the mouthpiece between us. Bloody hell, I fancy him.
I’m crushed when Bridget and Marty want to go straight back to the hotel to get cleaned up before dinner.
‘Just one drink,’ I plead.
‘Oh, Laura, the salt water is making my skin feel all tight and disgusting,’ Marty moans. ‘I need a shower,’ she adds annoyingly and I could kick her.
‘We’ll be quick!’ I know I’m sounding desperate, but I don’t really care.
‘Come on, just the one,’ Bridget chips in, and I could kiss her.
Marty sighs. ‘Go on,
BWRAF – Begin With Review And Friend – that’s the acronym PADI uses to make sure we remember the five buddy checks we need to make.
B is for BCD. We inflate and deflate our jackets to check the mechanism is working, then inflate enough so that we’ll float when we get into the water.
W is for Weights. The weight belt must always be worn in the same way, with a right-hand release. Leo might have to be the one to release my weight belt should we ever need to make an emergency ascent. I suck in a sharp breath as I feel his hands on my waist, making sure I’ve buckled up my belt properly. Feeling like I’m all thumbs, I do the same to him. I glance up to see him regarding me with those dark eyes of his and my heart threatens to beat out of my chest. Can he feel it too?
R is for Release. Our BCDs – jackets – should be fitted securely and snugly.
A is for Air. We check that the regulator is functioning properly, that the tank valve is open and that the air tank is full by checking the pressure gauge and breathing through the regulator. Leo hands me his alternate second stage – his spare air source – in case I need it in an emergency. I take it and breathe from it a few times, avoiding eye contact, then hand him mine so he can do the same. I feel like these checks are going on forever, but, thankfully, that’s pretty much it. Apart from the Final Okay, we’re done.
‘Leo! Laura! You go first,’ Jorge instructs loudly, making me jump. I remember to walk backwards to the dive platform at the rear of the boat. Leo, I notice, puts his fins on with ease once we reach it.
‘Follow the rope all the way down and wait at the bottom,’ Jorge tells me as Leo checks over my mask and flashes me the okay sign. I do the same to him – making an ‘O’ shape with my forefinger and thumb.
‘Big step,’ Leo says, and I smile and raise my eyebrows at him because his voice is for once laced with amusement. He must remember the last time I stood on this boat, when I was worried about reef sharks. I’m not worried about them anymore. Not when I’m with him.
I pull my mask on, breathe through my snorkel, and comply. He joins me in the water and we slowly descend.
Nothing prepares me for what it is like this time. The visibility is far better than last time, and the crystal-clear water must span for over twenty metres. I reach the bottom and kneel. Leo gives me the okay sign and I give him double thumbs up in return. He shakes his head slowly and takes my hand, fashioning it into the okay sign. Even underwater, his touch makes my skin tingle. I grin and water seeps into my mouth. I expel it quickly and try to stifle my giggles as the rest of my course-mates appear around us. We form a circle on the sand and our lesson begins.
‘That was good,’ Leo says approvingly when we’re back on the boat. ‘You’ve picked it up quickly.’
‘Thanks,’ I reply, his compliment warming me from the inside out.
I was able to adjust my buoyancy much more easily this time. Bridget and Marty seemed to struggle, and I could tell Marty absolutely hated the bit where we had to remove our masks and put them back on again underwater. I didn’t like that much, either. I liked the buddy sharing, though – the bit where Leo and I had to practise using each other’s air, passing the mouthpiece between us. Bloody hell, I fancy him.
I’m crushed when Bridget and Marty want to go straight back to the hotel to get cleaned up before dinner.
‘Just one drink,’ I plead.
‘Oh, Laura, the salt water is making my skin feel all tight and disgusting,’ Marty moans. ‘I need a shower,’ she adds annoyingly and I could kick her.
‘We’ll be quick!’ I know I’m sounding desperate, but I don’t really care.
‘Come on, just the one,’ Bridget chips in, and I could kiss her.
Marty sighs. ‘Go on,
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