71% of the Earth’s surface is covered by water. And the ability we have to explore that huge part of our world is spectacular. Imagine being able to swim with fish, navigate kelp forests, visit ship wrecks, and so much more! It all seemed a little unattainable to me. That is… until I started the Scuba Diving MB at Camp Emerald Bay.
Tackling this water sport requires 3 things:
Knowledge of Diving Gear/Equipment, Underwater Safety & First Aid, Good Diving Practices, etc. (All of this will be provided on the PADI Open Water e-learning course.)
Basic Swimming Skills (Take the PADI Open Water swim test.)
The Willingness to Push Yourself Out of Your Comfort Zone :) (I promise you, the hardest part of scuba diving is making yourself get in the water and fighting the fear that you’ll be eaten by a shark.)
Once my dive buddies and I got these 3 things, we were ready for the next step: getting hands-on with the equipment. Now this was strenuous and gruesome work. We worked so hard that day as we lifted 35 lb air cylinders and carefully screwed on the dust-caps of our delicate regulators. It was exhausting but extremely rewarding.
As soon as we were comfortable with the equipment, it was diving time! Every diver’s first dive is guaranteed to be a life-changing experience. I know mine was! :) I remember getting my gear on, completing my pre-dive safety check (BWRAF), and finally wading into the cool water. When I looked down, I saw the piercing blue surface of the ocean. Without hesitation, I stuck my face into the water and took my first breath. It was magical. In a few presses of a button, my BCD was deflated, and I was underwater. I was underwater and breathing! It was breathtaking to see a whole new world by descending a mere 6 feet.
Now, the first dive was followed by 5-6 open water skill dives where we learned good scuba diving practices and underwater safety procedures. These few dives were arduous, brute work; but that’s because they were preparing us to take on our first official exploration dive!
We were overcome with excitement when it finally came along. We swam into a current and dove to a depth of around 15 feet. We descended more and more until we reached a depth of 40 feet where we saw sea urchins, plenty of orange Garibaldi, a baby lobster, and tons more. It was an exciting and enjoyable dive that made all of the hard work from before worth it!
And soon enough, training came to an end. My dive buddies and I were certified! And we had a lot more to take away from this course than just a certificate. We learned a lot about ourselves, the marine world around us, and so much more. But our diving journey only starts here; we have so much more to explore, learn, and do! :)
Finally, I’d like to end this article with 3 things I wish I knew before I started scuba diving. Enjoy!
Keep Breathing. It doesn’t matter if you lose your balance underwater or if your mask comes off. Just keep breathing and you’ll be okay.
Trust yourself. Trust your dive buddy. Trust your instructor. 50% of scuba diving is planning for the worst case scenario. Have faith in your emergency procedure skills and have faith in your buddy that they will be there for you when something goes wrong. At the same time, you have to be there for them. :)
Take it easy. Always remain calm underwater. Panic/Anxiety attacks can jeopardize dives and your personal safety. So do yourself a favor by dispelling any negative thoughts. Relax; you got this!
Wishing you the best for PADI,
Sabya Challa
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