Half Moon Bay Weyr - Lagoon
A sandy beach running along the edge of the lagoon, between the sparkling waters and the bowl. Given the weyr's tropical climate, riders and dragons can be seen playing in the water nearby or a dolphin can be seen cavorting nearly turn-round. At other times seacraft can be seen coming in under the arch to dock. The lagoon is large enough to fill a quarter of the length of the bowl.
It's early morning, and already Tanit is out in the water, making swift progress with her laps. Reaching the ladder with a slap. Of her palms against the wood of the post. She latches on to the later there, taking a moment to rest and breathe while she waits for her student to arrive.
With some trepidation Kelani got up early this morning and made her way across the bowl. Given the hour there was noone to take her little doggy, so she is following along beside, the little fluffball that she is. As Kelani gets to the beach she pulls off her coverup and lays it on a towel and removes sandles. Going through the process to delay the inevitable perhaps. She has stopped by the kitchens at least and got a bone to keep the puppy distracted. Finally she looks out and sees Tanit waiting for her and heads down the dock to the ladder, "So how deep is it there?"
"Six or seven feet?" Tanit answers, one hand raking through, her dark hair. "You'll need to tread water but we can head to the shallower space. It is better though to get you used to treading water." The diver replies, pulling herself up the water, water rolling off the wetsuit.
Kelani looks down at the water briefly before looking back to Tanit, squares her shoulder and nods stepping up to the ladder. "Ok, well I trust you and there some dolphins around right?" She asks hopefully looking around the lagoon. Making sure there are enough around to rescue when she drowns. "He didn't really teach me treading yet, just floating on my back and a water bug stroke."
Tanit runs her hand through her hair, back and forth, pieces sticking up in chaotic spikes. "A few, but we won't need them." Wiping the water from her face and shaking it off a little bit. "It's a crucial skill when you are dealing with open water, hopefully you will never need it but." She starts walking back to where the water is a little shallower, diving back in. "Come on in, you should be able to stand here."
Kelani follows Tanit to the shallower water, sitting down and easing herself into it. One hand holding onto the docks for a moment until her feet find the sandy bottom. She gives a nod to the woman and wades over to her. "I should learn it all the same." She says with a nod to the woman. "What a healer I make, that wouldn't be able to rescue someone from the water."
"For now focus lets focus on keeping you afloat. Rescue swimming is going to be a ways off." And even Tanit still has a lot of room to go with it. Long legs kick out as she swims back to where Kelani eases herself in. "So treading water uses small motions to correct and keep your head above water. Floating helps also." Tanit will move just a little bit deeper. "We will start with kicking your legs.
Kelani nods and follows her until the deeper water and she can just barely touch with her toes and her chin just above water. She tries to mimic the actions of the other moving her arms on the water and kicking below, but it looks awkward at first for her. Then she remembers to relax and take some deep breaths. Stop fighting the water and it gets a little less awkward.
"Good, try moving a little slower. You only want to use as much energy as you have to." Tanit will demonstrate, keeping a careful watch. "When you get into trouble you can alternate between floating and treading water. In the ocean you have to be mindful of currents."
Kelani takes the instruction well at least and slows her movements. There is a focused look upon her face watching every little thing Tanit does. "I have never even been on a boat and the pond near the halls was too cold most of the year to allow for swimming…well unless you liked getting hypothermia." She shifts to floating on her back, relaxing at the more familiar position.
"Well while you are here you can practice. The nice thing about living in a tropical paradise." Tanit notes, "Up north? I hear the weather is utterly dreadful sometimes. I went to Fort once. It was cold." So very cold.
"Yeah, figure I should. It was warm enough in winter, figure swimming will be the only way to survive Summer." Kelani replies with a half smile, "It is cold but you can build snowmen and have snowball fights and the like. It is fun in its own way." She assures her with a half smile and lets her legs drift down to do the treading thing again.
Tanit dips below the water and resurfaces. "So you grew up in the north then?" Continuing to tread water at a steady pace, the product of practice. "Personally, I think I've decided that I am a tropical creature and should not venture too far out of my own climate." Her lips curling upward.
"Raised at Harper hall till I scampered next door to Healer hall for studies. My Da is a teacher at the hall." Kelani says as she works to stay afloat as she moves to the deeper water. "It took me a bit to get to the heat around here…but I am starting to not mind it too bad."
It is around this point that a gentle nudge might be felt from behind the healer, a sleek grey body moving around to trill and click at her. "No she's learning. Go easy Gibbs." A hand moving over the speckled grey skin with a wry twist of her lips. "He wanted to know if you needed help."
The gentle nudge from behind gives Kelani a spook at first and she splashes her arms a moment before she realizes its a dolphin and she relaxes again. "Hello Gibbs.." She says as she composes again. "I am learning and she is helping." She informs the creature with a half smile.
A series of clicks and whistles pierce the air as the animal moves off, though staying near bye to observe the spectacle. "Aye! No need to be impolite. I teach just fine, and I didn't throw this one off the docks." Tanit grumps. "Ok let's see your water bug."
Kelani can't help but laugh at the conversation, at least the part she understands. The presence of the dolphin seeming to distract her from the fear of the water at least. Well her first experience in deeper water was with one so its no wonder. "No she didn't throw me off." She assures the creature as she relaxes back to a float on her back and starts to move her arms much like jumpinjacks and moves across the water.
Gibbs makes a chattering noise that sounds suspiciously like laughter. Silly humans teaching silly things. "Quiet you." Tanit mutters to the beast, her attention moving over and checking Kelani's over all form. "Not bad. I think I could probably teach you how to go under, but I'd like to try you on a kick board." The diver moving swiftly to where such an object is found. "I want you to practice kicking up and down like this." Tanit floats, the board extended at arms length in front of her face, kicking up and down, barely breaking the surface.
A very basic swimming stroke, one no doubt little kids are taught when first learning, but Kelani has some catching up to do. She strokes out a bit and then back to Tanit. She thin watches the woman work with the kickboard. Her gaze following every move with utmost concentration. "So it floats a bit, eh? That should make things easier."
Tanit nods. "The board is to help you focus on the leg motions. We'll work with the arms later, but this stroke is better for dives usually, and doubles as part of your major surface strokes such as the breast stroke, backstroke and others." The kickboard is passed over to Kelani then.
Kelani nods before taking the board in hand to try and repeat the motions. A little awkwardness at first as she works out the best way to grip it. The kicking is slow at first as she works out the right height to get her legs. After a time she is kicking with relative ease and 'swimming' across the area even venturing towards where Tanit had first proposed to swim. There is a grin on her face, "This is sorta fun."