Why You Should Learn Scuba Diving?

Scuba means self-contained underwater breathing apparatus. So, scuba diving underwater can make your dive last longer, looking around and observing the underwater creatures.

You don’t need to be an excellent swimmer to go scuba diving. You just have to be comfortable in the water and know how to float and tread in the water.

Weight is not a factor underwater. You do not have to be all buff and extra fit just to take up this recreational sport. If you want to include this in your leisure activities, the important thing is the state of your health. Good enough physical fitness and medically cleared with no lung or heart or blood pressure problem, then scuba diving would be a fun activity for you and the others.

As there are air molecule pressure changes when going up and down that affect blood flow, you ought to be on a good level of health. The deeper you go underwater, the more you see the wonderful world of the ocean. As your depths go lower, the more compact the air molecules in your blood flow get.

Traveling by air can be a simple example of how air pressure above and below works. Try bringing an inflatable pillow when you ride a plane. Inflate it by half.

If you observe it when you’re in a high altitude above the clouds, the pillow gets fully inflated. Once the plane gradually lands, you can see that it also gradually deflates. This is almost the same as how the air molecules inflate and deflate in our blood.

Is it dangerous to go underwater?

For every sport or activity, there are some risks involved. Especially, underwater is not the human’s natural habitat. Thus, the need to train in it and be issued with a certification card or C-Card to determine your level of knowledge.

There are several agencies where you can get some training and C-Card: PADI (Professional Association of Diving Instructors), NAUI (National Association of Underwater Instructors), BSAC (British Sub Aqua Club), CMAS (Confédération Mondiale des Activités Subaquatiques or The World Underwater Federation), SSI (Scuba Schools International), and SDI (Scuba Diving International).

Despite the odds mentioned above, why pursue scuba diving?

1 It is fun.

Swimming underwater is delightful. You encounter different fishes and sea creatures. You see corals in varied shapes and colors. It feels like time stands still when you are under the sea. Maybe you’ll appreciate singing and dancing with Sebastian to the beat of the song “Under the Sea”.

 2 It’s beneficial for the health.

Swimming is a total workout in itself. Underwater, you don’t feel the strenuous workout because you get engross and excited in seeing underwater creatures.

By the shore or onboard the boat, you get to be exposed to sunlight. Sun exposure activates vitamin D in your body for stronger bones and better body resistance. But before getting exposed to the sun, make sure you put on sunblock lotion. Then, apply aloe vera after sun exposure to calm the skin.

3 You get to practice yoga breathing while underwater.

You inhale and exhale slowly, practicing calm breathing, so the air in your tank would not quickly be consumed.

4 It’s a good life training.

Scuba diving also involves some military discipline. Therefore, expect more rigid training. You learn the importance of the buddy system. Then your mind gets trained to be alert at all times and apply the safety precautions your dive instructors taught you in your everyday living.

5 You learn to be calm as much as possible.

You learn to face any incidents calmly. Since underwater is not our natural habitat, you are more careful to avoid any mishaps. You become more aware of your surroundings, and you get your panic button in check. Your mantra is to remind yourself that panicking would lead to more disaster.

6 You become more and more of an environmentalist.

If you have been moved with environmental concerns on the lands around you, you would be more concerned with the issue of environmental protection once you see the underwater ecology. You would really be an environmentalist when you get to see for yourself the beauty below the sea.

Part of being a scuba diver is to help clean up the ocean. You bring nets with you while you dive to collect trash, especially plastics. Turtles and other species die from swallowing plastics, mistaking it for a jellyfish, one of their habitat foods.

 7 You make new friends.

Recreational diving usually involves a group of people. A good enough number of divers lower the shared cost in renting a boat.

Then, there is a yearly ocean clean up drive that usually happens in September. You meet and interact with other groups of divers as you do a fun competition in the most number of trash collected in the ocean.

8 Oxygen and saltwater keep the skin smooth.

Oh, it’s a beauty plus. Oxygen from the sea helps in relaxing the skin and saltwater minerals help dry the pimple(s) on your face.

Basically, in recreational diving, as long as you follow the proper scuba diving protocols, there would be less worry. Everything would be fun for you and the underwater sea creatures.

First, dive with a group or with a buddy. Divemasters and instructors keep on reiterating this to plan your dive and dive your plan. Then, stay in proper depths of your expertise, know your limits, and dive within your limit. And lastly, to be observant of your surroundings, keep calm, and ascent slowly.

Most people engage in scuba diving for recreational purposes, but some make it their professions like diving instructors, divemasters, technical divers, and military experts.