Sara Rich long had an affinity for the underwater world.
But she never really had been, well, under water.
And living in landlocked Kansas, Rich figured her pursuit of watery bliss would have to wait until she moved to one coast or another.
That thinking changed, however, earlier this year.
Rich had a vacation planned in Florida, and she started thinking about diving there. Her daily walk to work carried her past the Scuba Shack in East Lawrence, and one day she decided to stop in.
“It was very convenient,†Rich recalled. “They were so willing to accommodate me. I was on a short schedule. I said, ‘I’m leaving for Florida next week.’ I explained what my situation was, and they basically took care of it.â€