Underwater walk in Coral Islands, Thailand

Arnav, Balu(senior citizen from Thrissur) and me were the ones from our group who had taken the tickets to do the underwater walk to see fish and corals up close by walking in the sea. We walked from our boat to the wooden podium in water from where the underwater walk would happen.

Instructions   
We removed our t-shirts, slippers etc, and were given an instruction briefing. Oxygen helmet would be put on our heads and we would go down straight into the water to the bottom of the sea which is just a few feet down. We are supposed to turn our heads left or right to look around and appreciate the beauty of the corals, but we are not allowed to look down or up as that would cause water to get inside the oxygen helmet. If we are in some distress, we are supposed to show the thumbs up sign (this was clearly a bit counter-intuitive) with the palm to indicate that we would like to be pulled up, and if we are all good, show the "A-Ok sign" (or the"adipoli" sign).  You would feel some breath pressure similar to what you experience in an aeroplane. If pressure is too much, put your hand through your helmet, hold your nose, and blow with your mouth.

Walk with legs slight spread out for better balance. Waterproof sandals would feel more comfortable, so I kept my sandals on.

Oxygen helmet does not tightly wrap around the head. It is just loosely placed on top of the head and has an incoming tube on top of the helmet through which oxygen is supplied from the oxygen tanks that are present in the hosting podium. The pressure of the oxygen prevents water from getting into the face .

Execution 

So, each of us individually walked down the steps into the water.  When my turn came, I walked down the steps,  holding the steps on top, with feet resting on bottom steps, the conductors placed the oxygen helmet on my head, and I continued to walk down the steps, but that is not what I was supposed to do. I was supposed to let go of the steps so gravity would take me down and once I reach down, I was supposed to stand and find my balance. Since I had not let the hand off and I believe one of the conductors might have pulled me down, I lost my vertical position, salt water got into my face and nose and mouth,and I was pulled out.

Second time, I let go,  one of the conductors pulled my feet down, I hit the sea bed to the company of swarms of fishes and coral reefs. After the initial hiccup, now I was comfortable and was enjoying the views, and the patterns of fishes. We were handed over food pieces to crumble and put into the water to  invite fishes, and sure enough, swarms of fishes would appear. The sand was white. I could see another group of tourists pretty close in the water, the instructors in the their red-black scuba suits, coral reefs,  sticky to touch balls of strings.

There was consistent deafening noise of the water so communication underwater was through sight and touch.  Once in the middle of the experience,  you have pretty much seen all the fish and the corals that are there to see. Now, you are seeing the same sights with a little more detail, appreciating the patterns and colors of the fishes, noting the sticky texture of the polyps that your instructor hands you over.

It was indeed a very unique experience.