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“For one thing, it’s more relaxing,” she said “you don’t have to worry about sharks surprising you or the currents pulling you out farther than you want to go.” Plus, fresh water has no dangers--such as fire coral--or other aquatic life, such as sea urchins, to worry about butting up against. “It truly is a serene, therapeutic experience,” she said. “There’s something about donning a mask, floating in the water and then just looking down. You are just taken away by what you’re seeing. It’s such a contrast to our hectic, everyday lives.” Snorkeling also is less expensive than scuba diving, which calls for costly lesson, tanks, weight belts and more. Scuba also is limited by the amount of oxygen in the tank. Snorkeling can be done for hours in the warm, inland waters, Washburne says. It’s also convenient. “Grand Rapids is in a great location,” she said. “There are hundreds of clear lakes in any direction from Grand Rapids.” Washburne says she’s learned a lot about the intelligence of fish and other aquatic life during these underwater excursions. “They are so curious about us,” she said. “I guarantee that if you go into any of these lakes and just float quietly for a few minutes, you’ll soon be surrounded by fish. Michigan has so many neat little turtle families I never knew about,” she said. “And the little ones think you’re another turtle because they can’t see too well. They just about have a heart attack when they realize you’re not one of them.” Her favorite moment over the years involved a group of young largemouth bass that greeted her at the shore of a lake near Flint. “They’d line up next to the shore and lead me around the lake, looking back to make sure I was still with them. It was like they were giving me a tour of all their favorite hangouts. Then they followed me back to shore when I got out.” She said it has been proven that fish have personalities like cats and dogs and birds, even within the same species. “Some bluegills are shy and won’t come too close,” she said. “Others will come right up, study my mask, even butt the lens.” She recommends staying in smaller lakes, close to shore in about 4 to 5 feet of water. “You don’t really even need to be a good swimmer,” she said. “You just need to know how to float.” OTHER BOOK REVIEWS have appeared in the Traverse City Record Eagle, the Muskegon Chronicle, the Manistee Advocate, the Ludington Daily News, the Northville Record, the Oakland Press, the Ann Arbor News, the Birmingham Eccentric, the Battle Creek Enquirer, Big Rapids Pioneer, Escanaba Daily Press, Flint Journal, Houghton Daily Mining Gazette, Jackson Citizen Patriot, Kalamazoo Gazette, Marquette Mining Journal, Mount Pleasant Morning Sun, Petoskey News Review, Port Huron Times Herald, Saginaw News, East Lansing Towne Courier, Grand Ledge Independent, Evart Review, Farmington Observer, Hastings Banner, Novi News, Livingston County Press, Plymouth Observer, Reed City Herald News, West Bloomfield Eccentric, Ingham County News, Williamston Enterprise and Michigan Banker Magazine. To order your own autographed copy of
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