Shortly after we woke up this morning, our 16 1/2-hour decompression period was completed and the main living quarters were repressurized to our saturation depth. Once the entry lock door to the wet porch opened with assist from Thor, we assembled into groups of three for the trip to the surface. Going up the secured ascent line, I found myself hanging slightly below the line, not wanting to really leave the bottom. It took us about two minutes to travel the 50 feet back to the surface, where Mike Smith, one of our safety divers said, "Welcome back!". I don't know how to describe it, but it felt a little strange to be back. Everything was bright and expansive, instead of the weightless, blue, three-dimensional world we had
grown accustomed to.

We are all back on shore now. We still have another 12 hours "bends watch", where we have to stay in our apartment and take it easy - an extra precautionary measure against any possible residual effects of the decompression process. Even though the "wet" part of our mission is over, it gives our group a little extra time to be together as a team. We really had a great time together. Everyone's research, diving and personalities clicked. Living in the sea, instead of making brief sojourns into it, has changed my perspective of the oceans forever and allowed me to share a fantastic experience with a new group of friends. I won't ever forget it.