How I Overcame my Fear Rising from the depths of the ocean, like hands, reaching out to grab you and pull you under. I’d leap out of the water if I felt it, but it always looked like gentle flowers, swaying in the breeze. My dad always told me that there is a type of it that will wrap around you, and hold you under the waves.
 It was a sunny day at Tikao Bay and our neighbours /friends offered us a ride to Fleabay, an outer bay in Bank Peninsula. We instantly replied because we were desperate for a swim. An hour later, we were finally there. Willow, Lily and I lept into the shallow water, refreshed from the cool temperature of the waves. Everything was quickly unloaded from the boat and put on the sandy stretch of beach. We decided to go snorkelling before lunch.
We launched ourselves into the water, equipped with goggles and flippers. We swam at the top of the water, looking down on the sandy seafloor. It went deeper and deeper. Finally we started seeing tiny fish, darting about. We swam a little longer before finally reaching the point we agreed on. I don’t remember them telling me about seaweed. Seaweed surrounded us, every inch I could see was seaweed. For a moment I had a mini mental breakdown. “You never said anything about seaweed!” I yelled. Fortunately for them, all they saw was a cluster of bubbles, escaping from my mouth. The fish were the only things that made me stay put. They comfortably swam around me; a flash of rainbow colours.
Willow and Lily had discovered something and were now swimming away from me. The last thing I wanted was isolation so I swallowed my bubble of fear and went with them. The seaweed grew higher the further we went. This stuff was slime green but it began to change the deeper we got. We stopped at the edge of the lower stuff, and they went deep to do some investigating. I saw them down there, finding cool stuff all the time but my fear was holding me back. I decided what to do. I took a deep breath and dove under the waves. It was amazing! There was tons of the slimy, yucky seaweed but fish darted about, all different shapes and sizes.
 My eyes widened in amazement as I saw a see-through fish, lazily swimming around. The light streamed through the water, highlighting some particular spots. Shells were lounging about on the seafloor. I rose up to the surface, taking deep breaths because I had deprived myself of air, staring at the underwater wonderland. When it was finally time to go back to the sandy sea shore, I lagged behind, my eyes transfixed on the water below me. It really was beautiful! Maybe seaweed wasn’t so bad after all!

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