Buddy System


45mm by 15mm - Mosaic gold, electroplated quartz in sterling silver
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In late 2015, I decided I was finally going to learn to scuba dive. I've always liked snorkelling, but everyone who dives has always raved about it, so I reckoned it was high time I learned. Naturally I aced the classroom portion, but the skills themselves were a bit harder to master. The one I really struggled with was full mask removal, replacement, and clearing. It's really hard to not feel like you will drown as you take off your mask, put it back on, and then use a neat technique to get the water out of it so you can see and have your nasal passage unobstructed. The first time I did this as a skill test it did not go well, so my dive master instructor asked me to do it again the following day. I did it even more poorly, nearly panicking and bolting for the surface. 

But. I stopped, slowed my breathing, calmed myself, and signalled that I wanted to do it again. I did it acceptably on my second try of the day. I was so proud of myself for facing my fear deep underwater and besting it. Actually, even though he passed me, I still borrowed a mask from him and went to do it in the pool a dozen times before I called myself "passed".

In diving you use a buddy system and make sure you are always very close you your buddy should anything go wrong, hence the name of this piece. 

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