Undercurrents

Koh Samet seems like the perfect paradise… emerald water, white sand beaches. But only if you are ready for a choppy motorboat ride and wading in knee-deep water with your luggage to get there. I managed to make it to the shore relatively dry.

After a day of swimming, snorkeling and soaking in the sun, I was pumped up for some adventure. I decided to explore the island and chanced upon a signboard that said ‘Diving School’. An arrow pointed towards a house sitting on top of a mass of black rocks. I climbed the rocks and knocked on the door. A chorus of barks greeted me. Peering inside, I could see that the din arose from three stunted poodles, each displaying an array of misshapen, brown teeth. A balding man in shorts and a sleeveless shirt followed them shortly. He must have been around forty-five.
‘Yes?’ he asked.
‘I want to learn scuba diving.’
‘Ok. 6000 baht. Two dives.’
‘No. 3000,’ the Indian in me bargained.
‘Done! Come tomorrow. 10:00 am,’ he replied and broke into a smile, displaying familiar brown teeth and a missing front tooth.

The next day we started by selecting wet suits and fins. My instructor’s name was Udi. He kept cracking jokes, especially about my big feet. I was patiently waiting for him to start my lesson when he announced that we were ready to go.
‘Wait! When will you teach me?’
‘In the water,’ he grinned.
My trepidation grew. Is this a valid dive school? This guy is so laidback! Is he qualified? What if it’s dangerous? Should I bail?

‘Udi, did you lose your tooth while diving?’ There! That would be my bailout ploy.
‘No!’ he had a hearty laugh.

We drove to a small bay with a breathtaking view. Udi’s jokes eased some of the tension I was feeling. Before I knew it I was 25 feet underwater. A magical world laid open before me. An explosion of colors was my first impression. I swam alongside fish of various shapes and hues, touched corals, and steered clear of sea urchins. Udi lifted a sea cucumber from the ocean bed and made me touch the squishy creature. And then, it was over all too soon.

After the day’s work was done, tired but dry, Udi offered me a beer. He brought out two pints of Singha.
‘Good job today,’ he said handing me one. He popped his open with his teeth.
‘You try,’ egged on my instructor.
I popped mine, but along with the cap came off my tooth. I looked up at Udi horrified. In between laughs, he said, ‘That’s how I lost my tooth.’