Scuba Diving

We came back from the Lybbert family reunion a tad bit early so I could attend Scuba School. Scuba School consists of 4 classroom lectures in the evening, 2 days in the pool, and 2 days in Puget Sound, and completion of chapter review answers from a book and a written test. The whole process takes about 2 weeks.

I think I already wrote about Diver's fair in the post "Officially from Seattle," but Dusty purchased all my gear at the fair, so I was obligated to like Scuba diving. My class was very large, and we had a lot of kids in it. If I would have done it over, I would have made sure I took the course with a different instructor and with a smaller class. The class sessions were kind of boring, and gears totally to tropical divers, but we learned the basics.

I was very nervous for the pool. We were able to practice skills like flooding/clearing masks, breathing on a regulator, learning to float just the right amount, sharing air with a buddy in case of an emergency, descending into the water and clearing ears (I had a hard time with this one at first). We also practiced entries into the water like a giant stride (jumping), seated entry (sliding in). The pool was very fun, and I learned that Scuba tanks are a lot lighter under water :). I was also very thankful to have my own equipment and learn how it all operates. Thanks Honey!

We got home, and Dusty taught me how to clean all my gear. (not quite as fun as actually diving).

The next weekend, we ventured into the Puget Sound. The first day we went to Redondo Beach which is right next to our house. They are digging a sewer line out to Vashon Island not to far from where were diving, and the visibility was VERY bad. For my first dive, I will admit that I was terrified. I had to figure out how to do the skills in 7-14 mm of neoprene and gloves, and we couldn't see more than about two feet in front of us. After that day, I told Dusty that I wasn't sure I liked diving.

The next day, my instructor decided not to go back to Redondo due to the low visibility, and we went to Three Tree Point in Burien. It was a long walk down to the beach in heavy gear, but WOW. The diving there was so cool. We could actually see things. We saw a rat fish, sculpin, anemones, sea stars, a ling cod, and lots of other stuff that I don't know they were. I decided I like diving, and am itching to get back in the water. Below are some photos of my Scuba experience.

Setting up the Scuba system

Getting dressed.  It is much more difficult than it seems.  14mm of neoprene is awfully thick.

All ready to go.  I am dying to get in the water because all this stuff is so heavy.

Putting on my fins for the snorkel dive.  This is one of the hardest skills for me.  It is very difficult to keep your balance in water on one foot in 14mm of neoprene and even harder with a Scuba tank on your back!

Here we are in the water shortly before we went under.

Going Private

Dusty has decided that he wants our blog to be less available to those we do not know. If you read our blog, please send me your email address and I will invite you. We will be going private in the next couple weeks, so please send me those email addresses.

Lybbert Reunion 2008

The Lybbert family reunion is a Bi-Annual event and includes all the posterity from Great Grandpa Lybbert. Great Grandpa Lybbert had 12 children, one of which was Reid Lybbert, Dusty's Grandpa. Reid then had 5 sons, including Terry, and Terry had seven kids (Mandee, Dusty, Marcy, April, Annell, Andrew, and Felicia). Of which many of them now have kids.  Needless to say, it is a LARGE reunion.

Although we have been married for 5 years, jobs have kept us from attending the last two, so this was our first reunion as a married couple. I was a little bit nervous knowing the magnitude of the family. I am pretty good with the Reid Lybbert family, but once you go outside of that, it gets a little tricky for me, and Dusty is no help as he is terrible with names.

This year, it was held at Black Beach resort in Republic, WA. It is a very small town on Lake Curlew. Republic is located east of Omak, and about 2 hours north west of Spokane. It was a very long drive (6 hours) to get there, but once we were there it was a great place. The lake was nice, and we were all able to stay pretty close.

Many families had RV's including Dad Lybbert (Mom was in California waiting for April's baby to be born), and Mandee & Nathan. We camped in a tent near the RV's, and I must say, the RV's have some great conveniences. 

(we were in the green tent above)

It was a great trip with great food, and great visiting.  Some of Dusty's cousins were able to make it including Chad and Joy with their kids, Megan and Dave, and Anna and her little boy Caden (All from Las Vegas, kids of Doug Lybbert, Terry's Brother). Tara and her family were also able to come and a short visit from Tygh (kids of Lyle Lybbert, Terry's brother). Dave and Tami, and Rick and Sandi (more brothers of Terry) also came up from Moses Lake. We also got to see Grandma Lybbert, who just relocated back to Moses lake from Las Vegas.

 

Grandma and Aunt Berna (Grandpa's Sister)

(The Krazy Kids: Jakob, Alyssa, Dilenger, and Caden)

(The Three Mischievous Munchkins)

(The Reid Lybbert Family)

There was a lot of other family there too, but I don't remember their names.

During the days we were there, we fished, 

Painted faces

did crafts

(Even Andrew got in on the craft fun)

We played in the lake, golfed (the guys), played volleyball, sang campfire songs, and one night we had a video of past reunions. We draped a sheet between some posts, and we all watched home videos of Dad when he was a toddler, and past reunions. It got a bit long, and few people got sick with the moving camera, but it was a good experience to see all the fun.

I also caught my first fish ever. The only other time I remember fishing was when I was about 8 or so, and we went camping at Battleground Lake. My Dad gave me a pole, told me how to cast, I tried and the next thing I knew, I was in the water still holding my pole. I had slipped right off the log and cast myself into the water. I did much better this time, and actually casted and caught a fish. Dusty insisted that I clean the fish I caught as it is a life skill that all should know. Below are some pictures. Sorry if you get a little squeamish.