Some people tell me that I am brave for taking the risk of starting a new business. Perhaps, but I think that life is full of risks, as it should be, and avoiding them kind of seems like...well...not living in a strange sort of way. So, when my husband and I started planning a trip to far North Queensland, it seemed like the ideal opportunity to conquer my lifelong fear of the briny deep, ie the Ocean and all that swims beneath her...

I have inherited this irrational fear from my mother, bless her, who had a traumatic experience as a child and ever since all things watery make her literally shake with fear. Yes, swimming lessons as a child were a challenge, and no, I am still not the strongest of swimmers. We live by the beach, but my connection with it is mostly limited to dipping my feet in at the waters edge.

So knowing this you may be surprised to find that the great highlight of our trip was a visit to the outer Great Barrier Reef for snorkelling! When my husband reads this he will discover that I didn't really enjoy the first three days of our holiday because my thoughts were focussed on the weather in Port Douglas. Would the ocean be calm and me the same, or would it unsettle me even more than I already was? Could I really reach this huge personal goal. Ironically, when drafting my original business goals all those months ago, my vision board included photos of a tropical beach and someone snorkelling.

Travelling with an iPad (I know, I know, I have become a gadget victim!) I became obsessed with the weather, checking it several times a day. Finally, after two days in Port Douglas we took the plunge (no not literally, at least not yet) and booked our trip for the next day. I then spent the WHOLE  night stressing, dreaming about drowning and telling myself what a failure I would be if I couldn't achieve it. So, during the night, with my husband gently snoring beside me, my iPad lit up once again and I was off blogging for advice on how to overcome this ridiculous inherited fear. Thank you to the person who blogged on her first deep sea snorkel experience. She advised imagining that you are meditating. I awoke feeling much calmer and ready to take on whatever was ahead of me.

The one and a half hour journey out was perfectly calm. I was so greatful; if they had handed me a sick bag as we boarded, which apparently is a sign of rough seas, I would have been straight back to dry land, with or without my $200 fee! Two marine biologists talked us through what we might see and then insisted we wear lycra suits to save us from sharks and jelly fish. Great, scary and a bad fashion statement wrapped up in one! 

With about four hours of time on the platoon, we decided to conquer the inevitable straight away. Donned in matching blue lycra suits, yellow mask and pink fins we were ready to go, if a little colour-confused. Helped along by an extremely relaxed aussie Quicksilver lifeguard who treated us all like we were about to take a walk to the local shop, in we went. "Beginners to stay within the yellow buoys" we heard as we dropped in to the water, but that statement vanished from our minds as we were confronted by the most enormous fish I have ever seen. For a moment my brain did not compute; why did they give me magnifying goggles?

My initial suprise was quickly replaced by claustrophobia as seemingly hundreds of beginner snorkellers thrashed around me, moving a lot of water but not actually going anywhere. I needed to move away from them, much to the surprise of Mark who followed. Next thing there's a diver beneath us with a camera snapping shots of the newly-launched swimmers at their most ungainly. If you ever wanted a picture of yourself smiling like a lunatic in an ill-fitting clown suit, this is the place to go.

Gripping Marks hand we moved away from the camera, the huge fish and the splashes of the hopeless, and out over the unknown, which although still unnerving was not entirely unenjoyable. The sky was overcast so the coral was a bit dull, but half an hour later I could officially say that I was a semi-professional almost coordinated snorkeller. Yay me!   

Back on 'dry land' of the pontoon for lunch and then for a trip on the semi-submersible. During our trip the sun came out and with it the colours in the coral. Beautiful. A bonus was the sighting of two whales, for which we went up on deck. Apparently it was the first time in several years that whales had been sighted from the semi. Lucky us!

Courage up, I immediately said 'yes' when Mark asked if I wanted to go back in again. This time we quickly moved through the beginners and headed for open water. Well, open within the confines of the far bouys, but they were at least 150 metres out. Hand-in-hand we spent more than an hour floating, swimming and exploring, marvelling at natures work on show beneath us. Amazing fish of all shapes, a caleidescope of coral, even giant clams (and I mean giant, at least a metre across!), it was all on display for us. In some cases the coral was inches below us, in others many tens of metres, but the strange thing is that I felt completely calm the entire time. Starfish, sea cucumbers, rainbow fish, it really was a dream come true. As we climbed back on to the boat for a well-earned beer, I asked myself 'why didn't I do that years ago?'

The answer is that like most people I have a tendency to avoid confronting my fears unless necessary. Perhaps I am less hesitant as I get older, perhaps a little more corageous, but I seem to be making a habit of confronting fears and challenges over the past few years. It is one of the things that I enjoy about teaching, helping young minds to face up to their own fears and challenges, even if they are on the printed page or computer screen and not out in deep water. Apart from developing a hunger for knowledge and learning, surely another role of a good teacher is helping students to develop self-worth and resilience?   

So, returning to Adelaide I have two things to report. Firstly, when I walk my dog on the beach each day, I look at the ocean in a completely different way; no longer dark and terrifying, but wondrous and inspiring. Secondly, how important it is to take a break, and to make certain that the break adds value to your life by being completely different to your normal life. I have returned with batteries charged and renewed goals for myself and my business. One important goal is to ALWAYS enjoy every moment of the day job.