Why You Should Learn How to
Scuba Dive
We are definitely not made to stay underwater, but the scuba gear allows you to do exactly that. Stay underwater for an extended period of time and breathing there. Isn’t that the coolest thing to be able to do?
I will never forget my first experience as an instructor when I saw the expression in the eyes of the 6 young backpackers who were breathing underwater for the first time. A mix between being surprised, happy, stunned and maybe a little bit scared. It actually works, you can breathe underwater.
Where else do you get the feeling of zero gravity? I enjoy it on every single dive, over and over again. It might not feel like that right on your first dives. The keyword is neutral buoyancy. This means to float, relative lightness. It is also one of the hardest skills in scuba diving. You will never stop perfecting your buoyancy. However, even at the start when you are slowly learning to control your buoyancy and breathing you will start to feel weightless.
It is also one of the hardest skills in scuba diving. You will never stop perfecting your buoyancy. However, even at the start when you are slowly learning to control your buoyancy and breathing you will start to feel weightless.
3) Moving in 3 dimensions
On land we are used to moving in two dimensions, you cannot just go up or down from where you stand. Underwater, however, you can move up and down without much effort. When you start getting better with your buoyancy control you will be able to rise and fall in the water just by controlling your breathing – wow! Try doing that on land….
Before a dive, the local guides will tell you what you might see in that specific area, but you will never know for sure before you’re there. There is such a huge variety in underwater creatures making it possible to encounter new ones on many of your dives.
5) Being a visitor in a different world
As we do not actually belong under water, (if we did we would be much better swimmers or maybe would have gills – which would actually be neat), scuba diving allows you to be a visitor in a different world.
6) No distractions
The underwater world is quiet and peaceful. You will hear your own bubbles, but that’s about it. Divers mainly communicate by using sign language. The silence, together with the feeling of zero gravity, makes it extremely easy to forget about everything happening above the surface.
I normally just don’t think about anything that happened before the dive or what might happen after. I’m just in that moment, completely relaxed. It is a bit like meditation for me.
Divers are very friendly people. Arriving in a new place for you will find new friends immediately. There is always a topic to talk about; like places where you dived before, where you would like to go diving, animals you would like to see and so on.
In my opinion, it is the easiest way to make friends I experienced so far. And most scuba divers are a lot of fun.
8) You’re protecting the marine life
By spending your money on scuba diving you protect marine life. Many marine protected areas were put into place because more money can be made from tourism long-term than by fishing.
The more people that are interested in seeing the animals in their natural habitat the more effort will be put into protecting this environment.
9) It’s not that hard
The open water course takes 3 to 4 days. After some theory you will most probably already get into the water to do some skills on your first day and on the second you might even descend in the open ocean. After finishing the course you will have done 4 dives in the open sea, learned some theory about scuba diving and understood the basic skills.
As a certified diver you can now go diving in most places all over the world. Have fun!
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