Search for the rays: Part I

Mai Loa III, that's all I see when I resurface from the depths of the ocean. I whip off my mask and the warm, salty air hits my face full force. It feels amazing. I climb up the ladder welcomed by Mike, the captain of the 30 foot boat that is the Mai Loa III. He takes my BCD and tank and I strip off the rest of my wetsuit. Of course I'm the only one on the boat, I had to go up first because I still have trouble with conserving my air underwater. If I see something amazing, I'll start breathing faster, taking those shorter breaths it what kills you. Thank god I saw something exciting. A scorpion rockfish. My brother, King Kenamehamehe, pointed it out to me while we were going down a hill per say. We both stop and look at it, me breathing hard, of course.
We were able to coax it to open up its fins and not stay glued to the ground, and oh what a sight it was. You see a fish that basically blends in with the rocks beneath you and then it has these dazzling orange fins, almost seems like you can't miss it. It swims away slowly and we just admire natures sheer beauty.
Almost seconds after the rockfish disappears, I hear the clank clank clank of someone tapping on the back of their tank, the universal sign to get someones attention underwater. We look towards our dive guide and she is making a waving motion with both of her arms and then points into the turquoise water straight ahead. An Eagle Ray. An animal that weighs almost a ton yet moves oh so gracefully in the water. It seems virtually impossible. I just saw it for a second, and then it was gone. That was the last I'd see of the rays on this particular dive trip, but definitely not the last on the whole trip.