scuba diving experience short essay

FootLoose Dev

Travel blog by an Indian travel blogger.

My First Scuba Diving Experience

Life Underwater: a serene, slow-motion world, almost tranquil and unreal.

I remember during my first scuba diving experience I was half scared. The idea of leaving the world I knew and entering into something far more mysterious and oblivious was undoubtedly scary. And the fact that every cry, every yell, was only going to be left unheard underwater, was, moreover, alarmingly daunting.

For the first 5 minutes of my scuba experience, I did not take my eyes off my instructor and the other two fellow divers. They seemed to be my only hope. But as I slowly sank down, listening to a louder ‘pop’ in my left ear, I began to take shape and come into focus.

Nearly 12 metres down in the depths of the Arabian Sea, the life I saw, existing and moving was totally magical.

I remember I stopped breathing for a minute — not out of fear but sheer awe and wonder. The world slowed as I tried to savour every moment, remembering every detail.

Life underwater, as I explored during my scuba diving experience, was more beautiful than I imagined, and the tranquillity was far unparalleled – something that I never found even in the most isolated, quarantined corners of the Himalayas.

In less than 40 minutes of our first dive, I was sure that this is more surreal than any city, any town, or any sunset, I had ever seen in life.

I saw uncountable fishes dancing in their ever-impressive formation. Candy-hued coral swayed underneath like a colourful Monet. Crabs were crawling across the seafloor, as the colourful parrotfishes appeared, out of sudden, eating algae off of coral reefs.

Life underwater is beautiful. And the many nameless fish – both tiny and moderate in size, zigzagging their way around you, makes the entire scuba experience, even more magical, or fairy-tale-like, perhaps!

The discovery of a Pufferfish, who was almost ready to dispense her magic upon us, as I remember, was the highlight. At Suzy’s wreck – a 30 m-long World War ruin, the sheer amount of wildlife present was incredible. The discoveries were endless.

I cannot recommend WestCoastAdventures more highly for this experience. What could have been very intimidating and panic-inducing situations, they made safe and fun. It felt like diving with old friends.

One thing I particularly loved about them was that they took photos for me and gave them to me for free. Though I had my own Underwater Action Camera with me, it was wonderful to have photos of myself underwater when I was the one behind the lens. So next time you visit Goa (I am sure you’re planning a trip around New Year) get thyself a little deeper than the shallow Goa beaches and experience something new.

If you are scared of a similar Scuba diving experience then let me tell you that you have no reason to be. Read about the common Scuba Diving Myths here and find out how most of the scary news about it is just a myth. Remember, it is not risky!

And if you still lack the motivation to do it, read these Motivating Travel Quotes I’ve handpicked for you!

Thanks for sharing the information and your post more useful for everyone. Scubanautic is one of the Best Dive Center in Mallorca. You can get the best experience by doing Scuba Diving, Cave Diving Mallorca, etc. We provide all Scuba Diving at affordable rates.

Amazing experience

Great view of underwater life. Thanks, for sharing your diving experience with us.

Thanks for sharing your experience with the PADI course!

Nice video, I visited Goa with my family. The awesome part of my trip was Scuba diving. It was an amazing experience. We enjoyed a lot and it was a memorable experience. Staff is very cooperative. Thanks to sea water sports.

We all have one thing in life which we can’t forget, in my life the best was scuba diving with sea water sports. They greed you so well and the activities were super awesome I cant express my words n it was just worth it. Every one should try this watersports activity. thank you sea water sports.

My experience was pretty good. I visited along with my friends. The awesome part of my trip was scuba diving. It was an amazing experience and also scuba diving was too good I have enjoyed a lot and was a memorable experience, I would like to visit again whenever I got chance to visit Goa. thank u sea water sports.

Cool experience to share. Thanks for your nice explanation. Would love to try this out.

Paisa vasool, very nice experience to be with marine life. Lots of corals and beautiful fishes. Trainers are very helpful and friendly. please do go for this activity. We had memorable Scuba diving here. Staff is very courteous and helpful. Thanks to sea water sports make my trip fantastic.

Absolutely amazing scuba diving! super service, great value for money… all our family had a lovely relaxed day. Highly recommend to everyone coming to Goa. thank u Sea Water Sports.

Hello.. Among the various things to do in Goa, for the adventurous spirit, there are always the depths of the sea to explore. Scuba Diving In Goa has been left nearly untouched by the multitude of tourists that come to Goa every year.

This time try something different when you are in Goa and scuba diving is that ‘something different’. great article.

Oh my god. I love this <3 soo many exciting experiences. Definately I will buy Xiomi YI Underwater Action Camera also It's cheaper than Gopro 5 Thank's Dev for share with us.

I adore your writing style. I remember my first scuba diving experience, it was in Koh Tao. I was so scared and nervous at first, but then I actually started to like it. By now I’ve had many scuba diving adventures and many others to go.

The way you describe your experience is great. I can almost feel that myself is also there diving with you and seeing what you saw. The underwater view is indeed beautiful and it is impossible to not be in awe once you see it for yourself such beauty. I think I get the tranquility you’re talking about and how the world seems to slow down when you’re underwater. I have never tried to scuba dive before but I do snorkeling a lot. It might be almost the same experience but then it could be totally different. There is always the first time for things, but there can be or can not be the second time, yes? Depends on how the first impression got us. As you said you’d definitely going for the diving again, you absolutely should check us out. Not only you can dive into the beautiful spots with us but you can also cruise with us to the absolutely stunning places. Please do check us out, thank you!

That trip looks amazing! Do you like the Xiaomi Yi action camera? I have been thinking of getting it as well, seeing how it is so much cheaper than GoPro.

Hi Savanna, yes I use Xiomi Yi and except for shooting in low light conditions, I think it’s a better alternative to GoPro, given its much wider lens and ofcourse, cheaper price! And by the way, you do product reviews, I’m sure you know better!

Hi dev What a nice experience it is. I really loved it. Do you know? All the picture are looking nice. I think, you felt excited and better when you driving scuba. What is your next plan? Can you share with me? I always try to something new too. Whatever everyone should know that experience sharing is most important for spending enjoyable time. Your article is very readable so keep it up. Thanks!

Dude you are amazing. Exploring new places. In previous birth u did something good. As a result of that you are enjoying your life with mother nature in this birth.envy you.next time take me with you I want to try something new too. Anyway, All the best! keep travelling and visit new places as much as you can. Hope one day I will join you. Have fun. Keep in touch! Keep rocking!!

Thanks for your wonderful comment Shravana. And yes, you’re always invited to travel along.

Nice Dev. Where did you do it by the way?

I did it in Goa.

That was quite an experience bro. You did it in Goa? How was the visibility? I also want to do it……

Visibility remained around 10 meters. The best I had was 12 meters. Yea give it a try the next time you visit there. If bounded with time, you can also go for a single open water dive. Good luck.

okay thankyou

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My First Scuba-Diving Experience

Some people are scared to try scuba-dive. Some people LOVE this sport and always find their excuses to go somewhere only to dive. Is this sport has some similarities with my favorite fruit — durian? Either you LOVE it, or you HATE it. Or just don’t have the courage to try.

I’ve been thinking to take a course on scuba-dive months ago, but wasn’t sure coz I’m scared of snakes! Sea snakes. Thinking about it makes me sick and all frightened.

So, after taking a private lesson from my diving instructor, Mbak Vita, I went to Sepa Island in Thousand Island with her and another girl, Anin, to take the final exam and get the PADI open water dive certificate. Here’s my first experience (again, feel free to laugh at me):

First dive, 12 meters depth. Tried hard not to panic. “What the hell am I doing?”, I said to myself. What if something bad happened?” But I kept a positive thought: “It’s gonna be a wonderful experience. Just do it!” Then I sinked myself and went down… deeper.. and deeper.. I could feel my heart beats fast and my ears hurt as I went deeper. Following my diving instructor, I equalized my ears often, until I felt comfortable to explore the underwater sea..

So, that was the first dive. In total, we dove 5 times in 2 days. Managed to dive up to 18 meters depth. The next dives were smooth and for sure I didn’t lose my fin! hehehe… Was so happy to see different types of fish swimming in front of me as if I was invisible. The sea definitely looks beautiful underwater and it really amazed me to realize that there are thousands of creatures living under the sea. Peacefully.

It was indeed so peaceful down there. So quiet. All I could hear was only my breath… breathing in.. breathing out.. while enjoying the “green world” and its inhabitants around me.. Now I can see why people LOVE it 🙂

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23 comments.

Wow, that looks so exciting. I’ve been wanting to do it too, but somehow I just didn’t have the chance. Diving deep into the water sounds great.

I learned to dive with Morgan and Caroline on Heron Island. Morgan was my buddy. A very silly buddy who went off doing somersaults and crazy things when we were meant to be practising our skills. I too was very nervous of sea snakes and moray eels. My instructor wouldn’t let me quit until I had done one open water dive. Once I was out in the open water I loved it. I have very happy memories of learning to dive.

what about sharks nil? i always wanting and planning to learn how to dive but in here am scared of sharks and of course sea snakes..:D

@guebukanmonyet: make the time to take the course. it’s really worth it! 🙂

Hi lucy, that was nice to hear your diving experience with Morgan. I could see he’s doing it! 😀 Thanks for sharing it, Lucy.. 🙂 And i guess we both were lucky that we didn’t bump into sea snakes and moray eels!

Ria, Am scared of sharks too! But then people say convinced me that as long as we stay calm, they wouldn’t attack us. Ah well, I guess we just have to keep crossing our fingers every time we dive! hehehe… (I’ve told myself, if I follow my fear, then I wouldn’t be able to experience the beauty of the under water sea… that would be such a waste, wouldn’t that?)

hihii i love this blog!

Hmmm… I think i have to try it. But the problem is can’t swim. Hikz.

@indhy: thank youuuu! ^-^

@evelyn: well, girl… i guess u’ve gotta learn to swim first! ;D hehehe..

is there a chance for a girl who ware a veil like me?

Oh I wish I have your courage to finally go down there, done snorkel twice and I freaked out every time I can not see the bottom :)).

Almost break the snorkel instructor while I was in Bunaken, but I have to admit it that under the sea is beautiful.

Wish I have your courage to finally go down under the sea.

Done snorkel twice and I almost break the guide’s finger coz I won’t let go his fingers and I freak out every time I can not see the bottom of the sea 🙂

Hello friend, nice to meet you, I have some underwater pictures & video clip to share with you, If you don’t mind pls visit my blogspot. Thank You. Bye. Have a nice day.

From : WangKhongHwee Country : MALAYSIA https://wkh1976.blogspot.com

i did my first scuba diving this year in thailand and it was so awesome!! i tell ya it won’t be the last time i will be at the bottom!

I've been struggling on my writing project!! So I came up with making a story up about me taking my first dive. Of course I've never really done it. c: I've had the chance to. My dad begged me to do it. But I'm just not very interested in it. He also begs me to take flying lessons… I hate airplanes!!>< ANYWAYS. This story is helping/helped me write my 6 paragraph story. I'm only an eight grader. But my teacher told my class to write a 6 paragraph story about something we did this summer. I couldn't think of anything!! So I wasted 3 days in class… and now she is making us write it out on the computer and etc. Major grade. >< So… last minute story. :] Soo… this helped!

That sounds so exciting.learning to scuba dive is a really good experience.Reading your exciting scuba dive moment is pretty interesting.

That must have been such an awesome experience. I've never been scuba diving before, but you almost make me want to go.This is very interesting blog.

Thanks for your compliment 🙂 Why don't you try scuba-diving? You can start taking a Discover Scuba Diving lesson first 😉 and see whether you enjoy the experience.

Diving with sharks is extremly diving adventure, but only for people who never dived with shars. They are beautiful and elegant creatures and not danger at all! i did it so many times! I like your diving experience, hope you'll continue with diving. You have great talent for writing! Bike Racks Mike

@Bike Racks Mike: thanks for your compliment on my writing :). Now, I've dived with sharks many times, too and got really addicted with scuba-diving! Do you remember your experience seeing lots of sharks? Where was it? Mine was in Palau, Micronesia (grey reef sharks), Komodo National Park, Indonesia and Raja Ampat, Papua, Indonesia –> mostly white tip and black tip reef sharks.

hey!!!! Lucy after listening ur experience i also want 2 do this but i dun't think i will be able 2 do this thing any day…….whatever…nice expereince u hv shared with us…

hey!!!! lucy afer listening ur comment i also want 2 do this….. bt. don't think that i would be able 2 do this any day…anyways….it was nice experience u hv shared with us.

@Nupur: you're welcome!

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How Diving Changed My Life – Stories From Divers Around The World

Happy World Oceans Day!

The #AAOceans Month campaign was inspired by World Oceans Day, to continue the important conversations about our oceans all month long and connect ocean-lovers from all around the world virtually, as so many of us are unable to get to the ocean right now.

I’ve talked A LOT about how important the ocean is to me; with family roots in the archipelago of the Açores , a piece of me has always been tied to the sea. If my life had a highlight reel the ocean would be in every frame. Every good memory or life-changing event is somehow tied to the ocean; like becoming a PADI Open Water Diver in 2016 , seeing whale sharks for the first time in the Maldives , and falling in love with shark diving . The ocean effectively shaped my entire professional career, inspiring me to pursue research in sustainable seafood and giving me opportunities to speak at events like TEDx .

The ocean is a big and remarkable place – I know that I’m not the only one who’s been changed by it. So, I spoke to divers from all around the world to hear their stories about how the ocean and learning how to dive has made a positive impact on their life. I spoke to 28 divers from all over the world – from Canada to Japan and Australia and Malaysia. I also spoke to divers of all different skill levels, hearing from how Open Water Divers all the way up to PADI Course Directors. Each of these divers has a unique and inspiring story of their own and I’m really excited to be able to play a part in sharing them today.

How diving changed my life: Stories from divers all around the world

Sandra Schleier

Marine Biologist Guide at Pure Adventure , Program Coordinator at Scuba Dogs Society, Editor in Chief at Reefbites

Certification level: PADI Rescue Diver Years diving: 13 years Home base: Fajardo, Puerto Rico Favourite dive destination: The Caribbean Favourite underwater creature: I have so many but the one I always look forward to spotting when diving is the Southern stingray Hypanus americanus, extremely majestic creatures. How diving changed my life: I have been diving since I was 17. It began as a journey on my way to become a marine biologist and quickly became my therapy. When life gets tough or sad, I dive to release those feelings and get inspired by what I can do about it. Being underwater is my safe place where I meditate and blissfully enjoy my surroundings. I have embraced diving as a part of my life and it has changed it for the better, it is where I recharge my energy, where I have fun, and where I satisfy my curiosity by observing the complexities and intricate details of the coral reef and its inhabitants.   First place I’m going diving after COVID: On the @pureadventurepr boat to Culebra and Vieques, Puerto Rico. Final thoughts: The ocean is a beautiful place full of mystery and wonder waiting for us to enjoy and let it WOW us. It is also one of our main sources of oxygen, food, education, and recreation. We must treat it and its creatures kindly so we may continue to reap the benefits of its amazing existence. I exhort humankind to learn more about our ocean so they may love and understand why it is vital for us to protect it. 

Kendal Karstens

Founder of Getaway Girl

Certification level: PADI Advanced Open Water Diver Years diving: 2 years Home base: Maryland Favourite dive destination : Florida Favourite underwater creature: Octopus  How diving changed my life: My first open water dive after earning my certification was in Hawaii for my birthday! My father had dived in Hawaii nearly a decade earlier and described the colorful coral and vast marine life available. When I dived at the same spots, though, most of the coral was bleached and it was difficult to find marine life. For the first time, I saw in plain sight the impact of my actions on the planet. This wasn’t plastic I had learned to ignore on the side of the road; I was face-to-face with humans’ devastation of the environment. I thought I would bring beautiful ocean photos with me from Hawaii, but instead I brought back a commitment to the planet and its health. I started going zero waste and educating myself on environmental issues. Diving made me a better person for the planet.  First place I’m going diving after COVID: Hopefully Egypt or Oman! But maybe somewhere closer to home.

Melanie McArdle

Certification level: PADI Advanced Open Water & Nitrox  Years diving : 8 years Home base: Waterloo, Ontario  Favourite dive destination: Turks and Caicos Favourite underwater creature: Sea Turtles  How diving changed my life: I started diving with my mom, she got her open water when she was in University and I started to become really interested in it on a trip to Jamaica. The first time I had ever dove, I started with a resort course and the rest is history. I fell in love with diving and getting to see a new world. My mom has been my dive buddy since the beginning and it has brought us so much closer, we really trust each other with our lives and get to share in the whole experience together. Not only did diving bring us closer together but it allows us to plan trips with each other and something we can continue as we both get older. The scuba diving community is such a great one and I am so glad that my mom introduced me to it and has supported my journey and furthering our education together.  First place I’m going diving after COVID: I really want to dive with the whales in Tonga, I think that’s our next big bucketlist trip 

Shira Margulies

Founder of Respect the Fin

Cert level : PADI Scuba Instructor Years diving : 15 years Home base : Miami, Florida Favourite dive destination : Tiger Beach, Bahamas Favourite underwater creature : Whale shark (Top of my bucket list!!) How diving changed my life : Diving has completely transformed my life. Ever since my first scuba diving lesson at the age of 10, I fell in love with the underwater world. I was completely captivated by the dynamic variety of marine life that existed just below the surface. It was a whole new world down there and I knew that I would always make time to explore it.  Diving has led me to many incredible opportunities throughout my life. It has allowed me to explore new places, meet like-minded people, and build a dream career of my own with Respect the Fin. My first glimpse of the ocean made a lasting impression on me, and continues to drive my motivation to devote my energy to protecting the marine environment. First place I’m going diving after COVID : I can’t wait to get back in the water and go on a shark dive! The first place I will probably go diving after COVID is right here in West Palm Beach, FL with Jim Abernethy! Final Thoughts: If you are considering getting your scuba diving license, go for it! It is a lifelong certification that you certainly will not regret. There is a whole other world right below the surface waiting for you to dive in. 

Rosie Williams

Dive Below UK and Zoological Society of London

Certification level: Divemaster Years diving: 24 Home base : London but I grew up by the sea in Scotland Favourite dive destination: The Maldives Favourite underwater creature: Very tricky question! Either the Manta Ray or the Clown Triggerfish. How diving changed my life : I did my first dive when I was 6 years old, tucked under my Dad’s arm, breathing through his spare regulator to look at some clown fish. From that moment on my passion for diving and my fascination for the ocean have grown and grown. This has ultimately led me to my dream job researching the impacts of pollution on whales and dolphins.  First place I’m going diving after COVID: Probably Scotland, although I’ll hopefully be booking in somewhere warmer soon! Final Thoughts: If you’d like to know about my research then I regularly tweet about what I’m up to @RosieSWilliams1

Nathalie Mourier

Certification level: Open Water Scuba Instructor (PADI) Years diving: 8 years Home base: Amorgos, Greece Favourite dive destination: French Polynesia  Favourite underwater creature: Jellyfish How diving changed my life : I was studying a French technical degree (BTS) about Environmental Management and Conservation and had to do an internship. That is how  I arrived in Thailand in 2012 in a marine conservation program in Koh Tao. To be part of the program I had first to be a diver so I did my Open Water Course and then my Advanced Open Water Course in a week. What I lived open my eyes on a new world. I meet marine biologists and divers that completely changed my life and my path carreer (at first I wanted to be a primatologist). I decided to come back 6 month later to learn more about diving so I completed then my Rescue Course. I wanted to be more confident while diving and I thought that would help a lot and it did. I was already passionate about nature and its preservation but I now fall in love deeply with the ocean. After this experience I choose then to become a marine biologist and did a bachelor in Plymouth University, UK. However, being in a lab wasn’t appealing to me. I needed to be closer to the water. Therefore I then started my Dive Master Internship in Mallorca and finally ended up doing also my Instructor Course. I wanted to be closer to the people, make them discover this new world that was part of my life now. Honestly, there is nothing better to me than see the astonished eyes of my client after their first dive. I also thought it was a better way for me to transmit my passion. I always try to make people aware of the fragility of our world and involve them. Sadly, most of the time I realise that they have no idea of what is happening but I also have very nice surprises with children that are really concerned about the environment. I deeply think that people protect what they love so I made it my mission to make them love it as much as me and teach them how to be ethical divers. First place I’m going diving after COVID: Amorgos 

Final thoughts: I am half French half Brazilian

Alanna Canaran

Blowing Bubbles

Certification level: PADI Open Water Scuba Instructor Years diving: 11 years Home base: I’m originally from Toronto but haven’t really lived there since I was 17. This is always a strange question for me because I’ve lived in so many different places in the last 10 years, some for just a few months, others for a few years. In short, home is where the heart is right? Covid-19 brought me from Southern Thailand to Northern New Brunswick, and I’ve been here for 2 months now!  Favourite dive destination: Roatan, Honduras has been my favourite dive destination so far. I did my Divemaster Internship at Roatan Dive Centre, so this location will always hold a special place in my heart. In general, the diving was good, colourful, warm and the reef was in a pretty good, healthy state. One of my favourite dives was at Cara Cara, where you dive face-to-face with Caribbean Reef Sharks. It was the first time I had been diving with so many sharks at once! I love sharks and want to help break the stigma that they are scary, deadly creatures. Did you know that more people die from vending machines falling on them than from shark attacks every year Favourite underwater creature: It changes every time I learn something cool about a creature or see something while diving that I never have before. I can’t narrow it down to just one, so here’s my top 5: Whale Sharks, Southern Sting Rays, Mola Molas (Ocean Sunfish), Pharaoh Cuttlefish, Mantis Shrimp.  How diving changed my life: Learning how to scuba dive ignited my passion for ocean conservation and education. I was 15 when I learned how to dive in a cold dark quarry in Southern Ontario. It wasn’t really until I went diving in the tropical, warm waters of Hawaii that I actually fell in love with the sport. My most memorable dive was also one of my first ever ocean dives, a few months after getting certified.  It was in Hawaii, off the coast of Big Island. We took underwater propulsion scooters and jetted out about 150ft offshore to a cleaning station where Manta Rays gather to be cleaned by small fish called cleaner wrasse. It was a magical experience. I can still vividly remember watching the Manta Rays emerge from the darkness and soar through the ocean so effortlessly. From that point on, I yearned to know more and dive deeper below the surface. Seeing, firsthand, the beauty of the underwater world sparked my curiosity and desire to live for a better ocean. Through my experiences diving, and teaching other to dive, I’ve realized how important it is to foster respectful emotional connections with the ocean in order have a desire to protect it.  First place I’m going diving after COVID: I’ll be able to dive here in New Brunswick soon. The Bay of Fundy is home to the second largest whirlpool in the world! I’ve never been diving in the Bay of Fundy and don’t have much experience in cold waters, so it should be interesting!  Final thoughts: The ocean reminds us to be present and that we are small in the grand scheme of things. I think it’s important to practice mindfulness when visiting the ocean to get the most out of the experience. Be aware of the sounds and sights around you. Watch the corals sway and the fish dance with the surges of the water. Get lost in the colourful busy movements of the reef, or the vastness of the deep blue. Let your everyday stressors disappear and feel the sense of calmness and awe that the ocean pours over you. Remember that you are saltwater and that humans are inextricably connected to the ocean. Be respectful. Don’t touch or tease animals. Practice good buoyancy control so you’re not banging into coral, rocks or other divers. Participate in beach cleanups and dives against debris. Take only pictures and leave only bubbles. 

Kendall Haun

Certification level: Rescue Diver  Years diving: 3 years Home base: Pomona, California, USA  Favourite dive destination: Palancar Reef, Cozumel, Mexico  Favourite underwater creature: Sea Turtles  How diving changed my life:  Scuba diving has been my greatest unexpected adventure. I have always been a great swimmer but I never considered a life of diving until I went to college. My university certifies students at a subsidized price all the way up to dive master. In 2017, I knew that I would be taking a trip to Cozumel, Mexico the following summer so I decided to take the leap of faith and get open water certified. Once I started, I could not stop. Diving has improved my mental health because being underwater is so peaceful and therapeutic. It’s where I get to quiet my mind and feel pure joy by seeing a whole new world. Scuba diving has also allowed me to push my comfort zone and grow outside of my previously conceived limits.  First place I’m going diving after COVID: Okinawa, Japan 

Certification level: SSI Rescue Diver Years diving: 6 years Home base: Melbourne, Australia Favourite dive destination: Koh Tao, Thailand Favourite underwater creature: Emperor Angelfish How diving changed my life: There is a whole other world below the surface that most people never experience. It’s such a peaceful place full of life.  The complexity and connectedness of all life below reminds me how incredible the planet is and how much we take for granted above the surface First place I’m going diving after COVID: The Great Barrier Reef!

Julia Courville

Graduate student at Jacksonville University, Florida

Cert level:  Master Diver and AAUS Scientific Diving  Years diving: 4 years Home base: Monterey, CA Favourite dive destination: SCUBA: Oahu, Hawaii. Freediving: Costa Rica Favourite underwater creature: My favorite animal is a bottlenose dolphin or Tursiops truncatus, but I think one of the coolest underwater creatures are Christmas tree worms  How diving changed my life:  As cliché as this sounds, I always knew I wanted to be a marine biologist and when I was younger, I heard the quote, “the best way to observe a fish is to become a fish.” SCUBA diving is one of the closest, if not the closest, way to do this. What I wasn’t expecting, however, was seeing all the anthropogenic evidence that was visible while diving… This includes plastics, fishing debris, corals bleached or covered in algae, and damaged reefs.   This inspired me to think about how we are affecting the oceanic environment beyond what we can actually see with our own eyes. I’m currently in graduate school with the intent of completing a master’s thesis on an analysis of microplastics (pieces that are <5mm in diameter) in the intestinal tracts of odontocetes (toothed whales). I hope that others realize that we can simply inflate our BCD and swim our way out of the ocean, but marine creatures can’t. I think diving solidified that there is truly another world below us, and we must do everything we can to protect it. First place I’m going diving after COVID:  Florida Keys

Emma Gordon

Certification level: PADI MSDT/SSI Advanced and Dive Guide Instructor Years diving: 10 years certified but I was doing DSDs when I was younger so probably 14 years or so! Home base: The World! (My folks live in the UK so I visit them often but I move around a lot.) Favourite dive destination: So far… Raja Ampat and then Palau Favourite underwater creature: Such a tough question to narrow down! Big – Sharks (all and any) I would love to see a Great White! Macro creature – Harlequin Shrimp or Nudibranch.  How diving changed my life: It made me more confident in speaking with others and gave me the ability to travel the world and see places I couldn’t even dream of. I have met and made friends with so many amazing individuals and can’t wait to get back to it as soon as International Travel is given the okay again. First place I’m going diving after COVID: Depends on where the work is. Perhaps Malaysia or Thailand (again) Final Thoughts: I am definitely one of those, don’t knock it until you try it with scuba diving. If I take a complete beginner diving, the look of awe on their face when they relax and really ‘see’ what is there gives me goosebumps. (I got them typing it!) We need to encourage people to dive or snorkel and see and love what is there. That way we can protect the oceans and its inhabitants more every day. They need our love and protection to survive. 

Rebecca Purchase

Certification level: PADI Divemaster.  Years diving: I started diving in 2014 while I was still in University. I took a couple years hiatus, but overall I have been a certified diver for 6 years. Home base:  Boston, MA Favourite dive destination:  Canoe Beach in Nahant of Massachusetts. I know many divers who would say that diving the northeast of the United States is cold, uncomfortable, and boring. I understand that train of thought, of course, having just returned from diving tropically myself. However, the cold waters of New England are something special that deserve to be marveled at. Canoe Beach is difficult to get to, as the town of Nahant is strict on their resident parking unless you have a special permit. Believe it or not, I don’t go for the creatures, “bugs” (lobsters, for the non-New England folk), but for the amazing topography. There are steep rock formations called “the chimneys” which look exactly how you would imagine them. Swimming around them is like riding a rollercoaster – and it is exciting when the visibility is only a few feet in front of you. You witness these narrow monoliths gliding between you and your dive buddy – hoping that they’ll actually appear on the other side. Suspenseful and thrilling. For those that say “there is nothing to see diving in cold water”, they truly haven’t opened their eyes. Favourite underwater creature: Fins-down, a stingray. There is something about the flat sharks that are majestic and intriguing – when you look at them, it feels like they are looking back at you. Cliche maybe, but it is hard to ignore those butterflies of enjoyment you get when you swim with them. My particular favorite species would be the Bluespotted Stingray or Maskray ( Neotrygon kuhlii) . They exist almost in colonies, and it is not uncommon to find them all stacked on top of one another like pancakes. Without fail, you will laugh at the site when you see it and it can turn any “bad” dive right around. I do have to throw out an honorable mention to moray eels, though. They are vastly misunderstood and are quite unique in their behavior if you’re lucky enough to catch them doing something other than… breathing. How diving changed my life:  To my surprise, diving has led me to uncover many new opportunities in some unrelated fields. It has pushed me to make new friends, start creative projects, and volunteer my time at an aquarium. However, it changed my life for the better when learning to become a Divemaster. I was lucky to have received my Divemaster on the island of Nusa Penida in Indonesia. Renowned for Manta Point, a cleaning station for Manta Rays, it truly is a slice of paradise. I found myself there after coming from a stressful career, and my going was played off as a passionate skill building opportunity. I just wanted to do something different. I don’t have a sappy story as to how I’ve become “the new me”, but I did develop a better sense of direction and discipline that I believe everyone should have the opportunity to experience. Diving teaches you patience and focus at its technical minimum. But at its maximum, it teaches you how to feel and respond to the water around you. It is almost as if you are having a conversation, saying you are just a visitor and will be on your way soon. She will either respond with placidity or with gusto. And being able to understand her is a superpower. Not only is it the coolest feeling ever to be surrounded by water and be able to breathe, but it is genuinely relaxing. I have been able to dive with mantas, sharks, stingrays, eels, skates, and probably thousands of species of fish. Ultimately, I became more calm and understanding. I am more accepting to change and knew that regaining control was as easy as aborting yourself from your current situation. And even just becoming a part of this close-knit community is rewarding. Thanks to the friends I have made, it pushed me to pursue a project I have been putting off for years as an illustrator – and now I am hoping to turn it into a business called Science in Pictures. First place I’m going diving after COVID: I plan to dive locally as soon as my “season” starts (read: when waters warm up a tad bit more). As for non-local destinations, I am thinking of the Bahamas. I know… another cliche (I’m full of them) but I want to experience the history of shipwrecks. (PSA: Don’t attempt to dive inside or close to wrecks without being properly trained). I want to dive around these wrecks and witness the ocean life that has made themselves at home there while simultaneously considering the history that landed them there. Final Thoughts: In addition to being a diver, I worked as an Educator at the New England Aquarium, spent most of my summers off from college working on a whale watch boat, and I am also an artist. I illustrate cartoons about ocean life and other scientific topics. My magazine, called Science in Pictures, tries to communicate science through comics. I believe our discoveries of the underwater world and other scientific topics are important to communicate – and by interpreting that information into visual stories, I know we will be able to reach a much larger audience that just having information published in peer-reviewed articles or textbooks.

Andrew Lewin

Founder, Speak Up For Blue

Certification level: Advanced Open Water Years diving: 20 + years Home base: Burlington, Ontario Favourite dive destination: Grand Cayman Favourite underwater creature: Cuttlefish How diving changed my life: It opened my eyes to the wonderful world of the Ocean species and how there are different scales of species (large fish, small fish to large invertebrates and tiny invertebrates). First place I’m going diving after COVID: Costa Rica, if I can travel in a year. Final thoughts: I don’t touch wildlife. I am just there to observe.

 Liyana Izwin

Marine Research Foundation

Certification level: Advanced Open Water Years diving: 12 years Home base: Malaysia Favourite dive destination: Sipadan, Sabah Favourite underwater creature: Sea turtles How diving changed my life:  Started diving as a curiosity that turned into a hobby and then eventually a career… I first started to learn how to dive out of curiosity, to know how it feels like being underwater. I remembered vividly the adrenaline rush going through my body from my very first lesson and right until today, it always feels like the first time, truly. No matter how many dives I’ve done, or where I dive, that feeling is the best feeling in the world, and it is indescribable.   How it has changed my life? It was where I found my best of friends whom I am still close with until today.. it was how I started my first job – met my first employer, we went diving together!.. it was how I found my dream job as a marine conservationist.  Diving has made me how I’ve become today. First place I’m going diving after COVID: Sipadan, Sabah!

Alexandra Hanusch

Certification level: Rescue Diver Years diving: 14 years Home base: Insel Usedom, Germany Favourite dive destination: Maldives Favourite underwater creature: Spotted eagle ray How diving changed my life: Diving opened a new world for me. In my opinion, the underwater world is full of wonderful treasures to discover and there is much more hidden in the deep depth of our oceans. Feeling weightless and free observing what the ocean has to offer is the best. There are no bad dives as each single dive allows me to encounter something special – nature. With each dive my passion for the blue planet grew and I expanded my knowledge by taking several dive courses as well as earned a master’s degree in marine biology. Diving strengthened my goal to become a marine biologist protecting our oceans. I think every scientist agrees with me that fieldwork is the best but also most challenging part during a research project. Diving is a great tool which allows me to study the marine life and to follow my passion. I am already looking forward to jump into the blue and dive deep into my world full of wonders. First place I’m going diving after COVID: Maldives Final thoughts: Do not hesitate and dive right into the deep blue. Maybe the beginning will be scary, but it is worth the try. Also, if you have a negative experience during one of your dives get back in the water as quickly as possible.

Nora Uotila

Certification level: Advanced Years diving: 11 years Home base: Medellin, Colombia, but I am from Finland Favourite dive destination: Bonaire Favourite underwater creature:  Sharks How diving changed my life: I choose my studies, Marine Biology, because of diving First place I’m going diving after COVID: I dream of going to dive in Malpelo, in the Colombian Pacific. It is a great spot to dive with sharks.

Recent Graduate from Queen’s University Belfast

Certification level: PADI Advanced Open Water and PADI Coral Reef Research Diver Years diving : 3 years Home base: UK Favourite dive destination: Heron Island, Australia – a pristine coral reef was always on my bucket list! Favourite underwater creature: Cuttlefish  How diving changed my life: I was introduced to diving on a marine conservation volunteering program in the Seychelles and I quickly fell in love with the underwater world. Observing the beauty of marine life up close but also seeing the detrimental impacts of climate change on coral reefs has driven me to pursue a career in coral research and conservation. I am committed to doing my part to conserve these amazing animals and to learn more about them. Diving is such a brilliantly unique experience and one that I will never tire of! It has truly changed my life by helping me find my passion and guided me towards my future career. Diving physically connects me to the marine world, allowing me to work in this incredible field at the frontier of science. First place I’m going diving after COVID:   Indonesia – super keen to find some manta rays and whale sharks

Corinne Klein

Founder, Corinne Loves Nature

Cert level: Divemaster Years diving: 13 years Home base: Yokohama, Japan Favourite dive destination: A tie between Mafia Island, Tanzania and San Diego, California. Favourite underwater creature: Nudibranchs How diving changed my life:  I have always loved the ocean but learning how to SCUBA dive gave me that intimate look into a world that I was not made to be in. I initially started diving to help me as a biologist with my marine conservation work but since then it has morphed into so much more. It has become something that brings me peace, allows me a brief escape from the busy world above the surface, and has become my personal brand of therapy. There is no pivotal moment for me when I can say that diving has changed my life, but it has had a profound effect on me, shaping my career, creating long lasting friendships, and I can’t imagine a life without it. First place I’m going diving after COVID: Ishigaki, Japan or anywhere in the Philippines.

Charlotte Ahls

Certification level: Divemaster Years diving: 5 years Home base: Indianapolis Favourite dive destination: Great Barrier Reef Favourite underwater creature: Sharks How diving changed my life: Since I’ve been diving, I’ve been able to travel the world, meeting an incredible network of people along the way. I’ve met marine researchers who have inspired me to pursue graduate school where I hope to study the effects of climate change on coral reefs. Scuba diving gave me the confidence to pursue the career of my dreams. First place I’m going diving after COVID: Yucatan Mexico for some cenote diving! Final thoughts: Just because you don’t live near an ocean, doesn’t mean you can’t become a scuba diver and get involved with marine conservation. There are many opportunities for those of us who happened to be landlocked. Check out your local dive shop for opportunities to get involved!

Taylor Dupont

Taylor is a fellow University of Guelph Alumni, like me! 😋

Certification level: Dive Master  Years diving: 6 years Home base: Amherstburg, Ontario  Favourite dive destination: Carriacou, Greneda  Favourite underwater creature: The mighty and intelligent Manta Ray How diving changed my life:  For myself, diving helped me see, which is ironic because I always get a foggy mask haha. After logging my first few dives, I developed a much deeper appreciation and passion for complex marine ecosystems. I’ll never forget the dives I did in 2016 while assisting in reef restoration projects, including culling invasive lionfish, fish ID surveys, and cleaning farmed coral gardens. Not only have these diving experiences sparked my love for the ocean and it’s beautiful inhabitants, but it has given me the chance to learn about myself. Each dive teaches me something new and pushes me to a better version. I learn how to adapt in stressful conditions, to respect the environment around me, to be fully conscious and aware; and I feel stronger- both mentally and physically, I feel confident, happy, sometimes sad, maybe angry. I reflect on these feelings every time I resurface. Scuba diving truly is the ultimate teacher. I can carry these lessons with me in the water, and in every day life.  First place I’m going diving after COVID: I’ve heard great things about Utila, Honduras. I’d love to do some dives here, with the main goal of coming across a whale shark. Final thoughts: I just want to emphasize my gratitude for diving. I feel incredibly lucky to be able to explore the underwater world. My advice to anyone who has not experience diving, or snorkeling at the least, is to get out there and submerge yourself. I understand it can be a scary concept, or a burn in the wallet, but it is an experience worth prioritizing, I promise. 

Genevieve Bergemann

Certification level: South African Commercial Class IV license & PADI Rescue  Years diving: 7 years  Home base: Cape Town, South Africa  Favourite dive destination: South China sea, the Perhentian islands  Favourite underwater creature: When it comes to diving beneath the waves, I enjoy sharing space with inquisitive puffer fish & scuttled cuttlefish.  How diving changed my life: Growing up in-land, the sea was always a much looked forward to treat, a delightful December destination. As an adolescent, I consciously chose to learn the skill of diving to make my marine biologist dream come true. Little did I know that swaying like giant kelp & feeling weightless whilst meeting my inner merwoman would allow me to skillfully fall deeper in awe of the Big Blue and her beautiful creatures. I’ve been able to assist in building coral reefs & ethically remove Crown of Thorn starfish in Malaysia, collect algae and various fish species for the Two Oceans Aquarium, recreationally swim with Manta Rays in Bali and release rehabilitated Loggerhead turtles in Cape Town. I’ve been able to play with the painted blue of the sea, appreciating my every breath whilst doing so & realising ocean-lovers have a responsibility to be ambassadors for the wellbeing of the sea & her creatures. The sea has always & will always be a delight for my body, my mind & my soul.  First place I’m going diving after COVID: A sneaky spot in Cape Town, South Africa 

Charlotte Lewis

Blog Writer for O.R.C. Ireland

Certification level : Rescue Diver, 70 dives Years diving : 3 years  Home base : United Kingdom  Favourite dive destination : Nusa Lembongan Favourite underwater creature : It’s between the Humpback Whale ( Megaptera novaeangliae ), Whale Shark ( Rhincodon typus ), Giant Oceanic Manta Ray ( Manta birostris ) or Yellow Box fish ( Ostracion cubicus ) How diving changed my life : Learning to dive has opened up a new world of opportunity for myself, particularly professionally, as it has enhanced my career aspects and research opportunities as a marine biologist. Being underwater and able to see marine animals in their natural habitat has motivated my passion for marine conservation and research even more so than before I became certified. Not just the diving itself, but the dive community you become part of and the people you meet are incredible; they have all added a great deal to my life! First place I’m going diving after COVID : Florida or the Maldives Final Thoughts: Diving is a brilliant activity that gives us the opportunity to submerge ourselves in the underwater world. With this gift comes responsibility, and we all need to help preserve this world that we are so fortunate to be able to encounter.

Yolanda Chen

Certification level: Freediver Years diving: 4, freediving only Home base: Catalina Island, where I work at a marine science summer camp, and get to dive regularly  Favourite dive destination: USC Wrigley’s research base on Catalina Island is one of my favorite places to dive. Since it is so well preserved, no creatures have any fear of humans, and the sheer amount of marine life there makes me feel so small and clumsy in comparison.  Favourite underwater creature: Shovelnose guitarfish! They’re so strange looking, and I love how they spend their entire lives just chilling in some sand.  How diving changed my life: I started interning at the summer camp when I was 14, younger than many of the campers I was responsible for. I was hired as a Chinese-English translator for international exchange students. Diving was new to me, but it was terrifying to many of the campers who had never even been in the ocean prior to camp. Although I was only a translator, I had to follow the campers through all their activities to make sure they would be able to communicate and be safe, and I had to hide all of my own fears of diving into water when I couldn’t see what was below me. Looking confident reassured the campers, and I was glad that they were able to experience the incredible sights I was seeing. Soon, I learned to hold my breath longer and equalize, and diving became one of my favorite things to do. Diving taught me to take risks and to never let fears of the unknown keep me from trying new things. Now, when I try things that scare me, whether applying to jobs or moving to a new place, I’ve learned to push the fears aside and simply take a deep breath and dive in.  Diving has also allowed me to witness the damage that ocean pollution has done to marine life, and highlighted the urgent need for extensive conservation efforts. It has inspired me to do more research and major in environmental science.  First place I’m going diving after COVID: The first thing I want to do is to get scuba certified at Casino Point Dive Park. I’ve snorkeled and freedived there numerous times, and only caught a glimpse of a massive kelp bass living underneath all the kelp. I’d love to scuba dive down to say hello to it.  Final thoughts: For anyone who’s in a similar situation as me: liking diving but not being scuba certified, don’t let that stop you from going on adventures! I would go out with all my scuba certified friends and still have a great time just swimming around and keeping an eye on them.

Laura Lemieux

Certification level: Open Water Diver Years diving: 10 Home base: Ottawa, Ontario, Canada Favourite dive destination: The Fijian Reefs! Favourite underwater creature: Sea Turtles How diving changed my life: Diving gave me the life changing knowledge that there is so much more to our planet than what we see in our day to day lives on land. The biodiversity and symbiotic relationships in even the smallest of reefs are essential ecosystems that provide more than just food and shelter for billions of species, food for coastal communities, and contribute to the ocean’s biodiversity and health, but that the health of the reef affects the economy in coastal regions that rely on tourism for survival. Furthermore, I learned about the catastrophic impact that coral bleaching has on not just the species within the reef but on the entire earth as a whole. Diving taught me that everything is connected. First place I’m going diving after COVID: Nusa Penida, Indonesia! To obtain my DiveMaster certification and learn how to utilize it towards ocean conservation and research through the Indo Ocean Project’s intern/ research program.

Georgia King

Marine Conservation Costa Rica & Go Pro Costa Rica

Certification level: PADI Course Director. TDI instructor, DSAT instructor trainer Years diving: 15 years Home base: Quepos, Costa Rica Favourite underwater creature:  I don’t have a specific creature but any type of manta or devil ray, watching them fly through the water just emanates complete freedom to me. How diving changed my life: What was a short stop gap before “real life” turned into my full time career. It has allowed me to travel and explore and really appreciate how amazing this planet is.  First place I’m going diving after COVID: I’m lucky enough that I have already been diving with the non-profit, keeping track of our coral nurseries here in Quepos. To travel and dive, I know my wish list is Fiji but I think it will be the Mexico! Final thoughts: Being underwater is where I feel like I can actually breathe. Focus on that and nothing else and everything else on the surface seems small and enough to handle.

Certification level:   AIDA  2 (freediving) Years diving:   3 years Home base: Nice, France Favourite dive destination:   Villefranche sur mer, France Favourite underwater creature: Great white shark How diving changed my life: Freediving extremely changed my life, it has taught me to slow down, take time and stay focused on the “here and now”, this attitude became a lifestyle. Freediving it’s a long inner journey that also allows to reconnect with nature. First place I’m going diving after COVID:  San Fruttuoso, Italy

Natasha Posnett

Tasha in Africa

Ce rtification level: Divemaster  Years diving: 8 years Home base: Cornwall, UK Favourite dive destination: Mabul Island in Borneo  Favourite underwater creature : Reef sharks  How diving changed my life: Diving has allowed me explore countries in a whole new way. I always make sure that I try and dive in every new country that I visit! This has taught me so much about our oceans and the problems that it is currently facing. Diving has also opened up exciting research opportunities for me and allowed me to work on a range of ocean conservation projects.  First place I’m going diving after COVID: Zanzibar

Kaitlyn McQueeney

Shark Tours Florida

Certification level:  PADI Scuba Instructor  Years diving: 11 years Home base:  Palm Beach, Florida  Favourite dive destination:  The Bahamas  Favourite underwater creature: Tiger Shark  How diving changed my life: I have dedicated my career to ocean conservation with a focus on sharks, and diving has given me the ability to study and enjoy the wildlife and feel at peace in the ocean, my favorite place on Earth.  First place I’m going diving after COVID: Right here at home, in south Florida  Final thoughts: Becoming a diver has led me on the path to my dream job working with Shark Tours Florida, introducing people to these misunderstood animals and inspiring conservation efforts to fight for sharks globally. 

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Checking In: Courtyard Marriott Dive Resort in Bonaire

Becoming a PADI Divemaster: Everything You Need to Know (Part Two)

5 Things I Learned From My First Scuba Dive

The Reef-World Foundation

November 30, 2020, thank you to hannah hesford for this guest post:.

5 things I learned from my first scuba dive

They say scuba diving opens up a world of possibilities, from facing your fears to learning new skills and exploring places beyond your imagination. A few years ago, I was lucky enough to do all three on a reef dive at the Gili Islands in Indonesia. 

Here are a few things I learned from my first ever scuba dive…

Diving is a lot like meditation

I’d always thought of scuba diving as an activity for serious adrenaline junkies. But after my first dive, I realised that it has far more in common with yoga and meditation than it does extreme sports.

On land, switching off your brain (and your phone) can be a struggle. Breathing is something that just happens without thinking and rarely do we take the time to stop and just ‘be.’ 

When you’re diving, it’s a totally different ball game because being immersed underwater is such a sensory experience. Everything you can feel, hear and see comes into sharp focus. Your breathing becomes slow, purposeful and rhythmic. And you’re suddenly aware of how your movements connect with each intake of breath. 

It’s hard to feel distracted when nature is putting on a show-stopping performance and you’re right there on the stage. To me, this is what living in the present moment feels like!

on a scuba dive, We’re visitors in another world

Something I hadn’t really considered before my first scuba dive was just how human-centric our lives are on land; particularly in Western society. Everything seems to revolve around the human experience: from motorways to fast food. We are the centre of the universe (or so we think). 

But when you enter the marine world as a diver, it’s a different story entirely. All of a sudden, you’re the outsider. A guest in someone else’s home. 

Seeing a coral reef for the first time is a humbling experience, especially because almost everything in front of you is alive and part of a delicate ecosystem of life. From the moment you submerge, you become a quiet observer in a vast universe of biodiversity. Here, clownfish weave among anemones and bumphead parrotfish munch on their favourite coral. Everything here has its place and purpose. Nothing is ours to take or touch. Suddenly, your own world feels rather tiny and you realise just how awesome and precious our oceans are.

Sharks aren’t the bad guys (we are)

Like many kids, I grew up watching the film, Jaws . But as I grew up, I couldn’t shake off that eerie leitmotif that seemed to follow me around wherever I swam. After all, sharks are the bad guys, right? Or so we’ve been led to believe.

This irrational fear of sharks followed me as far as the Gili Islands. “I just hope we don’t see a shark,” I told my diving buddy, moments before taking the plunge. So when I did have my first encounter, I was surprised at how I felt. This was the moment I’d been nervous about for so many years. Yet, I felt no fear. Just peace and appreciation. 

It was a lone blacktip reef shark and I watched in delight as it zipped gracefully between the coral, in search of a hiding place. For the first time, I saw sharks in a new light. Vulnerable, not menacing. Just animals trying to survive in a world where up to 100 million sharks are killed each year by humans . When you put it that way, it’s easy to see who the real bad guys are.

Calm is power (both underwater and above)

There are some lessons you learn from scuba diving that can have a profound impact on how you experience the world on land. Keeping calm under pressure (quite literally!) is one of them.

Being underwater can throw up all sorts of unexpected challenges, be it a flooded mask or a strong current. Stressful situations like these can easily lead to panic, especially if you’re a novice diver. But when you panic, your body goes into high alert. Your heart races, your breath quickens and logical thinking goes out the window.

Scuba diving reinforces the value of keeping your cool when things get tough. It teaches us to stop, breathe, think and act. And that’s a good mantra for above water too. Life can be stressful. But even when you feel out of your depth, you’re still in control. So take a deep breath.

Our oceans need our protection

More than anything else, my first scuba dive gave me a much deeper appreciation for our oceans and a renewed sense of environmental stewardship to protect them. Now I understand why divers are so passionate about ocean and reef conservation. They know just how much is at stake. 

Coral reefs are wondrous places. As well as looking beautiful, they’re also a source of food and habitat for thousands of species of fish. They protect coasts from storm erosion and provide income to local economies too. But they’re also under threat.

Climate change, poor fishing practices, pollution and irresponsible tourism are just a few of the stressors coral reefs face. The good news is there are lots of simple changes we can all make to protect them, whether that’s choosing to dive with a Green Fins member , never touching or taking marine life or switching to reef-safe sunscreen . 

With any hope, the actions we all take today will help preserve our oceans and reefs far into the future.

The Green Fins initiative is supported by:

1-3 Gloucester Rd, Bishopston, Bristol, England, UK, BS7 8AA +44 (0)7763 092895

© the reef-world foundation 2023. registered charity no. 1157096..

Home — Essay Samples — Life — Scuba Diving — Scuba Diving: History, Techniques, and Benefits

Scuba Diving: History, Techniques, and Benefits

• Categories: Scuba Diving

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Published: Sep 12, 2023

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Introduction, a journey through scuba diving, descending into the depths, the joys of scuba diving, environmental concerns.

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Essays on SCUBA Diving

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Crafting gobs of SCUBA Diving papers is an implicit part of present-day studying, be it in high-school, college, or university. If you can do that unassisted, that's just awesome; yet, other students might not be that lucky, as SCUBA Diving writing can be quite difficult. The catalog of free sample SCUBA Diving papers exhibited below was compiled in order to help struggling students rise up to the challenge.

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Course Work On The Organizational Model

I Have you ever wondered how it feels to breathe underwater and commune with the creatures of the sea?

II Thesis statement Today, I will share with you the wonderful things and places I’ve experienced and want to further experience from scuba diving.

III Preview statement First, I’ll tell you about my introduction to scuba diving, then, I’ll share with you my scuba diving experiences, and finally I’ll divulge some of the diving sites that I wish to visit.

I MPTS#1: First, I’ll tell you how I was introduced to scuba diving.

English Essay on “Scuba Diving” English Essay-Paragraph-Speech for Class 8, 9, 10, 11 and 12 CBSE Students and competitive Examination.

Scuba Diving

Beauty has no limits. If you stop to think, just about everything around us exudes beauty. Nature is the greatest blessing to mankind. Our planet offers us grand mountain ranges, lush green forests, golden beaches and sand dunes, flora and fauna of different varieties and vast oceans with a myriad sea life- all vibrant with colour and teeming with life and freshness.

Man has made most of God’s gift and found ways of exploring the heights and the depths of the Earth, interacting and co-existing with interesting forms of life. A recent avenue of recreation which helps us blend with the underwater charms of the oceans, Scuba diving, is capturing the attention of many people including children. Scuba Diving is a form of underwater diving in which a diver uses a scuba set to breathe underwater for recreation, commercial or industrial reasons. I met a friend who had experienced scuba diving in the Caribbean. He said he had been to paradise – a vast unspoiled playground filled with exotic sea creatures, breathtaking vistas and ever-changing colors. “It’s a silent world teeming with life. The third largest barrier reef offers canyons and caves, warm water springs and coral formations whose textures and colors can never be forgotten.

The vast and calm ocean hides beneath its benign surface a diversity of sea plants and tropical fish, from sponges and snappers to barracuda, shark and octopus. It also houses the reefs, wrecks of hundreds of ships and this mystery is open for the scuba diver to explore.

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Peer-reviewed

Research Article

The influence of scuba diving experience on divers’ perceptions, and its implications for managing diving destinations

Roles Conceptualization, Data curation, Formal analysis, Investigation, Methodology, Supervision, Writing – original draft

* E-mail: [email protected]

Affiliation TREES – Tourism Research in Economics, Environs and Society, North-West University, Potchefstroom, South Africa

Roles Conceptualization, Investigation, Methodology, Writing – review & editing

Affiliation Studio Associato GAIA s.n.c., Genova, Italy

Roles Funding acquisition, Project administration, Writing – review & editing

Affiliation Department of Life and Environmental Sciences (DiSVA), Polytechnic University of Marche, UO CoNISMa, Via Brecce Bianche, Ancona, Italy

Roles Methodology, Writing – review & editing

Affiliation UBICA s.r.l., Genova, Italy

• Serena Lucrezi, 
• Martina Milanese, 
• Carlo Cerrano, 
• Marco Palma

• Published: July 5, 2019
• https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0219306
• Reader Comments

Scuba diving experience–which can include accumulated diving experience and familiarity with a diving location–is an important descriptor of diver specialisation and behaviour. Formulating and applying generalisations on scuba diving experience and its effects could assist the management of diving destinations around the world. This requires research that tests whether the influences of scuba diving experience are consistent across divers’ segments at different locations. The study assessed and compared the influence of scuba diving experience at two study areas in Italy and Mozambique. Scuba divers (N = 499) participated in a survey of diver segmentation, experience, and perceptions. The influence of diving experience on perceptions was determined using canonical correspondence analysis (CCA). Experienced divers provided positive self-assessments, were less satisfied with dive sites’ health and management, and viewed the impacts of scuba diving activities less critically than novice divers. Scuba diving experience exerted similar influences on divers, regardless of the study area. However, remarkable differences also emerged between the study areas. Therefore, the use of generalisations on scuba diving experience remains a delicate issue. Recommendations were formulated for the management of experienced scuba diving markets and for the use of generalisations on diving experience to manage diving destinations.

Citation: Lucrezi S, Milanese M, Cerrano C, Palma M (2019) The influence of scuba diving experience on divers’ perceptions, and its implications for managing diving destinations. PLoS ONE 14(7): e0219306. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0219306

Editor: Agnese Marchini, University of Pavia, ITALY

Received: January 21, 2019; Accepted: June 20, 2019; Published: July 5, 2019

Copyright: © 2019 Lucrezi et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License , which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.

Data Availability: All relevant data are within the manuscript, Supporting Information files and at Mendeley Data: Lucrezi, Serena (2019), “Scuba Diving Experience and Divers’ Perceptions”, Mendeley Data, v1 http://dx.doi.org/10.17632/xszp88c6sr.1 .

Funding: The project leading to this paper has received funding from the European Union Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under the Marie Sklodowska-Curie grant agreement No. 643712 coordinated by author CC (Green Bubbles RISE project www.greenbubbles.eu ). The funder provided support in the form of flat-rate reimbursement for mobility and research costs (including management costs) for all authors [SL, MM, MP, CC]. All authors are affiliated with the entities indicated in the "authors’ affiliations" sections, and these entities have provided support in the form of salaries. Neither the funder nor these entities had any additional role in the study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript. The specific roles of these authors are articulated in the ‘author contributions’ section.

Competing interests: In the frame of the Marie Sklodowska-Curie grant agreement No. 643712 received from the European Union Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme, Studio Associato GAIA s.n.c. and UBICA s.r.l. acted as full beneficiaries and provided support in the form of salaries for authors MM and MP, but did not have any additional role in the study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript. This does not alter our adherence to PLOS ONE policies on sharing data and materials. The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

Introduction

Scuba diving segmentation research and the role of experience.

Scuba diving is an activity characterised by an important recreational component as well as a professional component including commercial and scientific diving. Recreational scuba diving, in particular, is a leisure and tourism sector affecting the communities, economies and environments of destinations across all latitudes in both developed and developing countries [ 1 ]. In marine protected areas (MPAs), for example, scuba diving is a recreational activity which, when properly regulated, can generate income for MPA management and for communities surrounding MPAs [ 2 – 3 ]. On the other hand, uncontrolled scuba diving can pose serious threats to the conservation agendas of MPAs through either direct (e.g. contact) or indirect (e.g. pollution) impacts [ 4 – 5 ].

Segmentation research at diving destinations has been central to the understanding of the general profile of scuba divers for the purpose of marketing, management and sustainable development planning [ 6 ]. In this context, scuba divers have also been categorised according to their level of experience ( S1 Table ). Investigating how experience influences the way scuba divers think and act can be critical in formulating strategies to manage diving tourism, diving activities and marine environments. Scuba diving experience can affect divers’ motivations, preferences, attitudes, underwater actions, and perceptions of the quality of the environments in which they dive [ 7 ].

As the diversification (according to the level of experience) of the scuba-diving tourism market is likely to affect all diving destinations indiscriminately, the influence and implications of scuba diving experience could be considered a constant factor across divers’ segments at various destinations. Consequently, generalisations regarding scuba diving experience could be formulated and applied to different markets and diving destinations worldwide for management purposes. However, pooled research assessing the influence of scuba diving experience in different contexts shows contrasting results, with scuba diving experience affecting divers’ attitudes, perceptions and behaviour either positively or negatively [ 5 , 8 – 9 ].

These contradictions, which make it difficult to understand whether experience exerts similar influences on different groups of divers and at different destinations, have consequences for both research and management. One reason behind the contrasting results is that scuba diving experience has been measured through different sets of variables, since it can be defined in many ways. Comparing the influence of a given construct that defines scuba diving experience across typologies of divers and locations can possibly help to elucidate documented contrasts. To date, almost no research has experimented with such a system.

Defining scuba diving experience and its influence

Much research has categorised divers’ experience levels according to the number of years diving and the highest scuba diving qualification held ( S1 Table ). In time, however, the need to deploy more variables to explain scuba diving experience has become evident [ 10 – 14 ]. Research has been using scuba diving experience as one of the components characterising scuba diver specialisation ( S1 Table ). Scuba diving specialisation, a multidimensional index that includes behavioural, cognitive and affective (conative) domains, has successfully predicted scuba divers’ perceptions, attitudes and behaviour [ 12 , 15 ]. However, if represented by the right variables, accumulated scuba diving experience, which includes aspects in the three domains of diver specialisation, remains a valid tool to segment and study scuba divers [ 11 , 16 – 17 ]. Accumulated scuba diving experience should at least include indicators of diving history, for example the total number of years diving and the total number of logged dives; indicators of regular practice and commitment, for example annual diving frequency and time elapsed since the last dive; and indicators of development, for example certification level.

Accumulated scuba diving experience is viewed as the primary element shaping the growth of scuba divers. The transformation from a novice to an experienced diver is generally accompanied by the improvement of skills and a shift in motivations to dive, expectations of the diving experience, preferences, satisfaction, attitudes towards conservation and management, and behaviours in and out of the water [ 7 , 15 , 18 – 20 ]. In addition, the development of divers is normally underpinned by their growing attachment to the diving activity, the importance of the resources the diving activity depends on, for example environment and safety, and the desire to improve and to learn [ 12 , 21 – 23 ]. Thus, accumulated scuba diving experience can play a crucial role in affecting diving activities and informing the management of diving tourism and destinations ( S2 Table ).

Familiarity with dive locations is also an indicator of scuba diving experience and specialisation ( S1 Table ). A number of variables can be ascribed to familiarity with a dive location, for example the number of dives logged, the number of years diving, and annual diving frequency at that location. Studies looking at the influences of familiarity with dive locations on divers have yielded mixed results, impinging on management guidelines. On the one hand, scuba divers who are familiar with a dive location tend to become attached to it and thus willing to either deepen their knowledge about its biological characteristics or pay for its conservation [ 22 , 24 ]. Loyal divers also tend to have more realistic expectations of ecosystem conditions, for example coral cover and fish abundance, and thus tend to be satisfied with their experience [ 22 , 25 ]. On the other hand, scuba divers who are attached to a particular location can become intolerant of changes such as an increasing influx of tourists, crowding of dive sites and the introduction of man-made structures [ 26 ]. Despite the attachment to a diving destination, experienced divers can be prepared to abandon it when unacceptable levels of degradation are perceived [ 27 ]. Given these influences, familiarity deserves special attention in scuba diving research and can be a valuable addition to variables representing scuba diving experience [ 26 , 28 ].

Aim of the study

The aim of this study was to test the influence of scuba diving experience, underlain by a given group of variables, on divers’ perceptions relevant to environmental, destination, and business management across two study areas. The choice of study areas fell on destinations beyond the tropics. This choice was grounded on two considerations. First, research on scuba diving tourism at destinations beyond the tropics is still limited [ 29 ]. Second, based on the relatively few available studies (compared with the literature available for tropical destinations), locations beyond the tropics tend to host a good proportion of experienced divers [ 30 – 33 ]. For this study, we selected one diving destination in the northern hemisphere that is further from the tropic (temperate climate), and one in the southern hemisphere that is closer to the tropic (subtropical climate). The selected locations present some notable differences in climate, environmental conditions, local history of diving activities, the type of local diving activities and attractions, and the average diver profile. Both study areas share the status of being protected areas. Protected areas such as MPAs and marine reserves tend to attract scuba diving tourism [ 3 ]. They are subjected to regulations that are likely to affect diving activities [ 2 , 15 ]. And they can set an example for destinations that are not officially protected and are heavily affected by the impacts of human activities, including scuba diving [ 5 , 14 , 34 ].

The following research questions were formulated for this study: Does diving experience influence divers’ perceptions? Is this influence similar across different study areas? Answering these questions will have implications for the management of diving tourism based on market segmentation, and for the formulation and application of generalisations on diving experience to diving destinations. Such implications will be relevant for both authorities and local businesses.

Materials and methods

This study was approved by the Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences Research Ethics Committee (EMS-REC) at the North-West University under the ethics code EMS2016/11/25-0237. No private personal information was asked from the participants in the study. The data were handled according to laws on privacy and oral consent was provided by the participants before the study. Participants were able to leave the research at any point during the study.

Study areas

Two study areas were selected for the research, specifically the Portofino MPA in northern Italy, and the Ponta do Ouro Partial Marine Reserve (PPMR) in southern Mozambique ( Fig 1 ). Large inland cities in the range of 215 km from Portofino and 645 km from Ponta do Ouro ( Fig 1 ) provide the majority of the scuba diving clientele, which is mostly characterised by daily visitors in the case of Italy, and overnight stayers in the case of Mozambique [ 35 ].

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https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0219306.g001

The Portofino MPA (with an area of 3.74 km 2 ) is located in a small but populated area of the region Liguria in the northwestern Mediterranean Sea ( Fig 1 ). The area has a temperate climate, with annual sea surface temperatures (SST) averaging 18 °C [ 36 ]. The MPA was established in 1999 [ 37 ], yet scuba diving tourism has been present in the area for several decades [ 35 ]. Considering trends from 2012 until today, the average number of dives recorded in the MPA annually is about 50,000 [ 35 , 38 ]. The prominent underwater habitats in the MPA include seagrass meadows, vertical rocky walls of Oligocenic pudding stone, coralligenous biocenoses, boulders and stones, caves and caverns, and the pelagic zone.

Since its establishment, the MPA has achieved important goals, for example increasing fish biomass, protecting endangered species such as the grouper and red coral, and safeguarding ecosystems such as seagrass meadows [ 39 – 40 ]. The MPA is zoned to control uses, including artisanal fishing, scuba diving, free diving, snorkelling, and boating. Given the small area of the MPA and the many uses, some of which tend to overlap, conflicts between stakeholders such as divers and fishermen can occur [ 35 , 41 ].

Scuba diving activities in the MPA are strictly regulated and limited to a number of dive sites marked by fixed mooring buoys. A study dating back to 2005 described the scuba diving population of Portofino as male-dominated, moderately experienced (generally at divemaster level) and loyal to the destination (visiting the destination up to 30 times per year) [ 42 ]. The peak diving season in the MPA is from June to September (summer season) [ 35 ], although an off-season market also exists which focuses on technical dives and training dives (S. Lucrezi, pers. obs.). The dives offered in the MPA are both recreational, following established routes along vertical rocky walls and reaching depths of up to 40 m, and technical and wreck dives, which can exceed recreational depths [ 43 ].

A famous shark diving destination, Ponta do Ouro is a small village at the southern end of the PPMR (with an area of 678 km 2 ) and close to the border between Mozambique and South Africa ( Fig 1 ). The area has a subtropical climate, with SST averaging 25 °C [ 44 ]. Scuba diving activities in Ponta do Ouro are characterised by a busy season from December to April, alternated with a quieter season during the rest of the year [ 45 ]. Approximately 30,000 dives are logged from the launching site in Ponta do Ouro annually, although the total number of dives logged for the entire PPMR is greater [ 46 ].

The PPMR was proclaimed in 2009, but it was already a popular scuba diving destination before its establishment [ 47 – 48 ]. Various uses are allowed in the multiple-use zone of the PPMR where Ponta do Ouro is located. These include snorkelling, surfing, swimming with dolphins, recreational (sport) fishing, and scuba diving on sandstone reefs and outcrops largely populated by soft coral [ 49 ]. The establishment of the PPMR has allowed the regulation of scuba diving activities, which were previously threatening the underwater ecosystems due to uncontrolled crowding of dive sites [ 50 ]. However, important construction threats and impacts from abusive fishing and littering persist to this day [ 35 , 45 , 51 ]. Research dating back to 2003 described the scuba diving population of Ponta do Ouro as dominated by male newcomers with approximately six years of scuba diving history and an average of 50 logged dives [ 50 ].

Research design and data collection

The research followed a quantitative, descriptive and non-experimental design, with a structured questionnaire survey being the instrument of data collection [ S3 Table ]. In this study, scuba diving experience was defined by two sets of variables, namely accumulated diving experience and familiarity with diving at the study areas. Divers’ perceptions were defined by three sets of variables, namely divers’ self-assessment, satisfaction with the diving at the study areas, and perceptions of scuba diving impacts on the environment.

The first section in the questionnaire included questions on demography (gender, age, education, country of residence, marital status and occupation), accumulated diving experience and familiarity with the study areas, and asked the divers whether they engaged in underwater photography at the destination (by means of a Yes/No question).

Accumulated diving experience was defined by four variables. The first variable was the total number of scuba diving certifications held (whatever the certifying agency) under the following categories: basic (from the equivalent of PADI Open Water Diver to that of PADI Rescue), professional (from the equivalent of PADI Divemaster to Instructor, all levels), specialties (such as Enriched Air Diver, Deep Diver, Wreck Diver and Dry Suit Diver), technical (such as Advanced Nitrox, Trimix, Cave and Deco), and dry (such as Oxygen Provider and Gas Blender). The second variable was the total number of years diving. The third variable was the total number of dives logged. The fourth variable was the average number of dives logged annually. Familiarity with the study areas was expressed as the total number of dives logged at the study areas, and the average number of dives logged at the study areas annually.

The second section in the questionnaire asked scuba divers to assess themselves by using a five-point Likert scale of agreement with a number of statements (where 1 = strongly disagree and 5 = strongly agree). Statements included aspects of knowledge (e.g., I know all the local diving regulations ), environmental attitudes (e.g., I would like to be involved in local marine conservation ) and behaviour (e.g., I keep a good distance from the bottom habitats when I dive ), particularly in the context of the study areas. Previous research demonstrated that self-reported behaviour of divers can be used as a valuable substitute for observed behaviour [ 9 , 52 – 53 ]. Therefore, self-reported behaviour was seen as an indication of actual diver behaviour.

The third section in the questionnaire included a set of three-point Likert scale questions on satisfaction (where 1 = unsatisfied and 3 = satisfied) with the diving sites at the study areas, particularly with reference to environmental (e.g., underwater cleanliness and visibility, general health of the dive sites, variety of species) and management aspects (e.g., crowding of dive sites, pre-dive briefing, litter).

The fourth and last section invited the divers to rate the potential ecological damage caused by diving-related actions by using a four-point Likert scale (where 1 = no damage and 4 = heavy damage). Some of these actions included anchoring, underwater photography, intentional and unintentional contact with mobile and sessile wildlife, diving after drinking alcohol, and a poor pre-dive briefing.

The population under investigation were the scuba divers visiting the study areas. Data were collected during the summer months of 2015 and 2016. This period corresponds to peak diving at the study areas [ 35 ]. Using the recorded number of dives logged at the study areas annually (approximately 50,000 in Portofino and 30,000 in Ponta do Ouro) and assuming that a single diver would log at least three dives per year at each study area [ 10 ], the population was established as approximately 17,000 divers in Portofino and 10,000 in Ponta do Ouro.

Of these populations, a sample of 370 scuba divers would yield a confidence level of 95% and a margin of error of 5% [ 54 ]. Thus, a total of 400 questionnaires were printed for each study area. All 400 questionnaires were distributed in Portofino, of which 279 were completed and returned, yielding a participation of 70%. In Ponta do Ouro, only 300 questionnaires were distributed due to the poor turnover of divers during the time of sampling. A total of 220 questionnaires were completed and returned, yielding a participation of 73%. The number of questionnaires that had successfully been completed guaranteed an acceptable sample size at both study areas (a 95% confidence level and 6% margin of error).

Sampling was done every second day for a total of 30 days per study area. The fieldworkers collected data at most dive centres that operated at each study area. On each sampling day, two fieldworkers visited either one or two dive centres and haphazardly invited scuba divers returning from a dive to participate in the questionnaire survey, which took ten minutes to complete. Divers were invited to remain at the dive centre while completing the questionnaire; this ensured that questionnaires were completed and returned to the fieldworkers in time.

Data analysis

The demographic and experience profiles of the scuba divers were determined through descriptive statistics, frequency tables and breakdown statistics to compare variables across study areas in a descriptive manner. Binomial logistic regressions were used to test whether associations existed between accumulated scuba diving experience and the use of underwater cameras, which is normally associated with specialised scuba diving as well as negative ecological impacts to bottom habitats [ 5 , 8 ].

Following normality (chi-squared) tests, either a one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) or a Mann-Whitney U test was performed to highlight significant differences in divers’ demography and experience between study areas. The magnitude of the differences between study areas was determined by calculating practical effect size (Cohen’s d ) [ 55 ]. Cohen suggested that d = 0.2 represents a low, d = 0.5 a medium and d = 0.8 a large effect size.

Two exploratory analyses were performed on divers’ perceptions (self-assessment, satisfaction with diving at the study areas, and perceptions of scuba diving impacts). The first one is the exploratory factor analysis (EFA), employed to reduce the size of a dataset by identifying relationships between questionnaire items and extracting latent factors (determined by eigen values and factor loadings as cut-off criteria, and then calculated as factor scores) underlying the items [ 56 ]. The second one is the reliability test, which checks for internal consistency (Cronbach’s α value) of the factors extracted through EFA [ 57 ]. The means of factor scores between study areas were compared through a general linear model (analysis of covariance [ANCOVA]) in which all the significantly different demographic and experience variables between study areas were included as co-variates. The magnitude of the differences between the study areas was determined by calculating the practical effect size (Cohen’s d ). Correlational relationships between variables of accumulated diving experience, familiarity with the study areas, and factor scores were investigated using the nonparametric Spearman’s rank-order correlations ( r s ). All above analyses were performed using the Statsoft Statistica software, Version 13.2 (2016).

The influence of divers’ scuba diving experience (accumulated diving experience and familiarity with the study areas) on their perceptions was determined using a canonical correspondence analysis (CCA), a constrained ordination method using correspondence analysis [ 58 ]. This multivariate technique was developed in ecology to investigate the abundance of species in relation to environmental variables; however, it is also deployed in other domains such as the social and economic sciences [ 59 ]. The main result of CCA is the ordination of the principal dimensions of the dependent variables (points) in a bi-dimensional space, determined by two axes and constrained by the explanatory variables (vectors). Two CCAs were performed, one testing the influence of accumulated diving experience and the other the influence of familiarity with the study areas. The CCAs were performed with the PAST statistical software, Version 2.17 [ 60 ], following the eigenanalysis algorithm of Legendre and Legendre [ 61 ].

Profile of the scuba divers

The variables of demography and the participants’ scuba diving experience, as well as the statistically significant differences in these variables between study areas, are displayed in Table 1 . The proportion of male participants in Portofino was greater (79%), whereas Ponta do Ouro had a similar ratio of males to females (55% to 45%). The divers were either in their late 30s (Ponta do Ouro) or in their early 40s (Portofino), with a moderate (Ponta do Ouro) to high (Portofino) level of education. Divers were primarily Italian in Portofino (82%) and South African in Ponta do Ouro (69%). Other markets were mostly European for both study areas. Most divers were either single or married and had paid employment, regardless of the study area.

https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0219306.t001

The participants varied from novice to professional divers ( Table 1 ). Participants in Portofino held a mean of seven scuba diving certifications, while divers in Ponta do Ouro possessed a mean of over four scuba diving certifications. The divers tended to be certified with PADI (57% in Ponta do Ouro and 43% in Portofino), although as many as 28 other agencies were mentioned by divers in Portofino and eight in Ponta do Ouro. The participants had been diving for a period of one to 49 years, with a mean of 12 years in Portofino and 10 years in Ponta do Ouro ( Table 1 ). They had logged between a single dive and 5,000 dives, with a mean of around 380 for Portofino and 335 for Ponta do Ouro. They logged between one and 500 dives annually, with a mean of 41 for Portofino and 37 for Ponta do Ouro ( Table 1 ).

The familiarity of the participants with the study areas ranged from none (a single dive at the study areas and no annual visits) to very good (thousands of dives logged at the study areas with hundreds of dives logged there annually); it is thus evident that some of the participants had done the majority of their diving at the study areas ( Table 1 ). However, the mean number of dives logged in Portofino was more than twice the number in Ponta do Ouro, and the mean number of dives logged annually in Portofino was nine times greater than in Ponta do Ouro ( Table 1 ).

Less than half (43%) of the participants in Portofino and half of those in Ponta do Ouro declared that they used underwater cameras while scuba diving. Results from a binomial logistic regression show that two experience variables, namely the number of scuba diving certifications held and the number of dives logged, had a significant positive association with underwater photography (Wald test statistics number SDC = 11.92, p < 0.001; number dives logged = 8.82, p = 0.03).

Divers’ perceptions

Descriptive statistics for items used in scaled data are included in S4 Table . The exploratory factor analyses (EFA) performed on divers’ perceptions (self-assessment, satisfaction with diving at the study areas, and perceptions of scuba diving impacts) yielded a total of eight factors ( Table 2 ). Items characterising each factor (also listed in Table 2 ) had loadings exceeding the cut-off value of 0.40 [ 56 ]. All factors were reliable, with Cronbach’s α values above the threshold of 0.60 [ 57 ]. The self-assessment of divers was characterised by an assessment of personal knowledge of local conservation , personal underwater skills and behaviour , and attitudes towards conservation . Satisfaction with diving at the study areas was divided into two factors, namely satisfaction with the ecosystem health of the dive sites and with the local management . Perceptions of scuba diving impacts were divided into perceptions of the damage caused by direct impacts , contingent impacts , and irresponsible actions .

https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0219306.t002

Scuba divers at both study areas were confident in their own underwater skills and behaviour and tended to have positive attitudes towards conservation ( Table 2 ). Divers in Portofino believed that they possessed good knowledge of local conservation initiatives, whereas those in Ponta do Ouro believed to possess average knowledge ( Table 2 ). Scuba divers were neutral to satisfied with diving at the study areas, although satisfaction with local management was slightly higher in Portofino than in Ponta do Ouro, where litter management received a relatively low score compared with other items ( Table 2 ).

Divers at both study areas believed that contingent impacts by divers were small and caused minimal damage to underwater ecosystems, whereas direct impacts and irresponsible actions caused moderate damage ( Table 2 ). Divers in Portofino saw the damage of direct impacts as significantly greater compared with divers in Ponta do Ouro, where items including walking on sand before or during a dive, touching mobile wildlife accidentally, and collecting shells received low scores for damage ( Table 2 ).

Influence of scuba diving experience on divers’ perceptions

The results of the canonical correspondence analysis (CCA), assessing the influence of accumulated diving experience on divers’ perceptions for both study areas, are displayed in Fig 2 . Variables describing accumulated diving experience were positively correlated ( Table 3 ). Axis 1 and Axis 2 in the ordination biplot ( Fig 2 ) accounted for nearly all the variance in the data; thus, the variation in perceptions was well predicted by accumulated diving experience.

The “+” symbol next to a factor represents a positive influence, whereas the “˗” symbol represents a negative influence.

https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0219306.g002

https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0219306.t003

Whereas permutation tests only yielded a significant effect of Axis 1 for Portofino, the CCA ordination tended to be similar between study areas, with some exceptions. The projection of points (perceptions) on the vectors (scuba diving experience) shows that experienced scuba divers possessed a more positive image of their underwater skills and behaviour, had more positive attitudes towards conservation, and claimed to be more knowledgeable of local conservation programmes–the latter was the case for Portofino, but not Ponta do Ouro ( Fig 2 ). Regardless of study area, more experienced divers were less satisfied with the ecosystem’s health and management of the dive sites, and were also less critical of the negative impacts of scuba diving, whether direct, contingent, or caused by irresponsible actions ( Fig 2 ).

Fig 3 shows the results of the CCA determining the influence of familiarity with the study areas on divers’ perceptions. The variables describing familiarity were positively correlated ( Table 3 ). The axes of the ordination biplot accounted for all the variation in the data. In this case, permutation tests yielded significant effects of Axis 1 for Portofino, and of both axes for Ponta do Ouro, where the CCA ordination tended to separate the total number of dives logged from annual diving frequency ( Fig 3 ). The projections of points on vectors show that, similarly to scuba diving experience, familiarity with the study areas had a positive influence on scuba divers’ self-assessment, a negative influence on satisfaction with diving at the study areas, and a decrease in the level of damage ascribed to scuba diving impacts. However, annual diving frequency in Ponta do Ouro increased satisfaction with the ecosystem health of the dive sites, as opposed to Portofino ( Fig 3 ).

The “+” symbol next to a factor represents a positive influence, whereas the “−” symbol represents a negative influence.

https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0219306.g003

The scuba divers were mostly male, middle aged and well-educated people, and skewed towards high experience and loyalty to the study areas. This profile partly reflects that of divers described in similar research carried out at both tropical [ 18 , 21 , 25 , 28 , 52 , 62 – 66 ] and non-tropical diving destinations [ 10 , 12 – 13 , 16 , 20 , 22 , 29 – 30 , 53 , 67 – 70 ], making it possible to generalise some of the implications of this study to different diving destinations.

The structure of the sample is still notably comparable between the study areas, and also longitudinally to the characteristics of the diving population of each study area according to previous literature. Divers in Portofino were more experienced than those in Ponta do Ouro. The two destinations are seemingly going through different phases in their destination lifecycles [ 71 ], with Portofino having a longer history as a scuba diving destination and a protected area than Ponta do Ouro. Comparisons with data from 13 years ago confirm that scuba divers in Portofino possess a slightly higher average level of scuba diving experience currently, and show the same degree of loyalty to the destination [ 42 ]. The scuba divers in Ponta do Ouro have become more specialised compared with data from 15 years ago [ 50 ]. Ponta do Ouro remains positioned relatively early in its lifecycle as a tourism destination [ 71 ].

The influence of diving experience on divers’ perceptions

Diving experience affected the divers’ self-assessment positively. This finding aligns with literature demonstrating how diver specialisation is characterised by the improvement of skills and self-confidence, and by positive attitudes towards conservation [ 11 – 12 , 21 , 53 ].

As divers gained experience, they became less satisfied with the health of the dive sites’ ecosystem and with overall management [ 15 , 26 , 29 , 67 ]. In particular, satisfaction among divers in Ponta do Ouro was lower than the level reported 15 years ago [ 50 ], possibly due to the specialisation of divers in this area over time, as well as actual environmental degradation.

Experienced divers tended to view the impacts of scuba diving activities less critically than novice divers. Experienced scuba divers may become more aware of negative environmental effects of human and natural impacts other than diving [ 27 ]. They may increasingly trust their ability to self-regulate through their skills [ 12 , 15 , 19 ]. They may also deem certain harmful behaviours acceptable because they were customary in the past [ 13 ], and they possibly fear that acknowledging the potential negative impacts of diving on the environment could lead to further regulation of the activity itself.

Scuba diving experience exerted similar influences on divers, regardless of the study area. However, remarkable differences also emerged between the study areas. In Ponta do Ouro, knowledge of local conservation was not high and was only influenced by familiarity with the study area. The PPMR is a vast marine reserve ( Fig 1 ) that was recently established and is managed through multiple efforts. Becoming acquainted with its management and conservation programmes may be challenging for tourists, in contrast to other well-established tourism destinations with a limited geographical scope ( Fig 1 ) and less complex governance structures, for example Portofino.

Divers in Ponta do Ouro tended to appreciate the ecosystem health of the dive sites as they became more familiar with them. In contrast to Portofino, where the diving sites are delimited by fixed mooring buoys and they have relatively similar habitats (boulders, stones and vertical walls), Ponta do Ouro offers a broader variety of diving experiences, from shallow reef diving to deeper shark diving, with new dive sites being discovered over time [ 49 ]. The dive sites here are distributed over a wider area compared with Portofino, and the majority of the diving for first timers tends to happen on the closer, more popular and more crowded (and possibly less healthy) reefs. As a result, divers would need to visit more dive sites in order to become familiar with the quality of the reefs in Ponta do Ouro.

Regardless of experience, divers in Portofino tended to be more satisfied with management than those in Ponta do Ouro. This difference appears to be based on a single item, namely the presence of litter, which is a crucial issue in Ponta do Ouro [ 45 ] and has been known to detract from divers’ satisfaction [ 50 ].

Finally, divers in Ponta do Ouro underestimated the damage of direct impacts from scuba diving activities compared to Portofino divers. Specifically, the effects of walking on the sandy bottom, touching mobile wildlife accidentally, and collecting shells, pieces of coral et cetera were underestimated. Dive sites in Ponta do Ouro are reef patches surrounded by sand, and divers often adjust their buoyancy on sand before proceeding towards the reef. They are also encouraged to follow this practice during the pre-dive briefing (S. Lucrezi, pers. obs.). Interactions with mobile wildlife are very common in Ponta do Ouro, and while intentional contact with these species is highly discouraged, accidental contact is still likely to take place (E. Ferretti, pers. comm.). The bottom habitats in Ponta do Ouro have an abundance of loose coral pieces, shells and shark teeth, which are also washed on the beach by the ocean waves. The collection of this material is prohibited in Ponta do Ouro. However, many kiosks in the village sell shells and dead wildlife. This contrast is likely to create confusion among divers, who do not appear to be warned about the no-take policy in the marine reserve during the pre-dive briefing (S. Lucrezi, pers. obs.).

Management implications of diving experience

The results of this study highlight both positive and contradictory elements related to diving experience and its influences, with implications about the persistence, but also the proper management, of a specialised diving market at a destination.

Enhancing the persistence of a specialised diving market.

The ideal scenario for diving destinations would be to have a broad spectrum of markets, from generalists to specialists, to ensure the sustainable growth of diving tourism at the destination. Specialist divers constitute an important market, as they tend to be high-yielding, experienced, responsible, committed and proactive when it comes to conservation. Their persistence at a given destination can be ensured in three ways:

The first way involves maximising the value of the destination over the number of tourists to prevent the negative consequences of mass tourism, which is a deterrent to specialised divers. This may happen through a mixture of special marketing efforts (advertising diving tourism more than other forms of mass tourism, like beach and party tourism) and management of the tourism flow (e.g. through entry fees and traffic control) at the destination. The second way involves creating an attractive offer to a specialised market. Examples include the promotion of participatory research programmes such as monitoring and mapping and the zoning of dive destinations based on specialisation levels. The third way involves carefully planning and controlling the development of generalists in the market into specialists. This needs to happen through education, training, regulations and interpretation. Diving operators should provide high-quality ecological or research experiences to encourage diver specialisation. Generalists should also be educated on the characteristics and importance of healthy underwater ecosystems in order to avoid becoming affected by a “shifted baseline syndrome” [ 71 ].

Enhancing the management of a specialised diving market.

The persistence of a specialised diving market also implies that this market needs to be properly managed. The divers in this study were confident in their skills and responsible behaviour, although experience influenced perceptions of the damage of diving activities negatively. There is a direct link between acknowledging the potential ecological harm of diving activities and responsible diving behaviour [ 9 , 16 ], and experience and self-confidence will not necessarily translate into pro-environmental behaviour [ 21 , 53 , 72 ]. Thus, the underestimation of diving impacts by experienced divers in this study can raise concern for management. Underwater photography can become a strong negative mediator in the influence of diving experience on diver behaviour [ 5 , 8 ]. As a result, researchers have recently proposed the introduction of courses that enable scuba divers to meet low-impact standards in underwater photography [ 5 , 66 ]. The results of this study support this proposition.

Other forms of management aimed at specialised divers would involve improving this market’s trust in governance. This can be achieved by voicing the concerns (especially those related to environmental degradation) of specialised divers; educating older and occasional divers on previously accepted behaviours that have become either regulated or prohibited; enhancement of personal responsibility and trust in external control by using positive messages (e.g., on the conservation benefits of regulation); and opening as well as mediating a dialogue with conflicting stakeholder groups such as fishermen.

Implications of generalisations on diving experience

The findings of this study make it possible to formulate generalisations regarding the effects of diving experience, and to use them to manage diving activities and destinations. However, any generalisation needs to be based on an appropriate definition and measurement of scuba diving experience [ 10 ]. Furthermore, the context-specific nature of diving industries at different locations makes the use of generalisations on diving experience a delicate and, perhaps, controversial issue if the proper precautions are not taken.

Firstly, different dive locations can have very different markets and be characterised by divers with different demographic backgrounds and levels of specialisation. The use of generalisations on diving experience to justify social and environmental management actions at a destination would have to be based on data drawn from locations with comparable market structures. Secondly, diving locations are likely to follow a lifecycle as tourism destinations. Generalisations which may previously have been used for management purposes could become inapplicable after a period of time, and the monitoring of the destination’s lifecycle would become essential to assess whether new actions are needed. Thirdly, divers with similar levels of experience but who have been certified in different locations may have different impacts and views; such differences would make it impractical and risky to apply generalisations on diving experience to management decisions. Fourthly, this study compared two protected areas in which diving and other activities are regulated and controlled. This could have affected the influence of experience on divers’ perceptions and behaviour. The application of generalisations on diving experience to unprotected areas may be inappropriate when based on information drawn from studies in protected areas. Finally, the application of generalisations on diving experience for management purposes may be useless at destinations that are already naturally zoned according to market specialisation. These destinations would probably require ad hoc management actions for each zone.

Conclusions

This study highlighted the relevance of using recreational scuba diving experience as a tool to segment scuba divers, understand their attitudes, perceptions and behaviour, and manage diving destinations accordingly. The study makes a contribution to the dearth of research assessing the potential reliability of scuba diving experience as a constant in predicting scuba diver behaviour. However, it also acknowledges the limitations resulting from making generalisations on scuba diving experience and its influence. Scuba divers represent an opportunity for the development of sustainable tourism-based livelihoods in a number of countries. It is important to ensure that research endeavours are focused on assisting the proper growth of this market, particularly the training phase, and that the findings of new research are shared with certifying agencies and governance bodies for the purpose of improving the education and management of diving activities.

Supporting information

S1 table. variables measured to categorise scuba divers according to experience (also as part of specialisation) and familiarity with a study area, based on examples in the literature..

https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0219306.s001

S2 Table. Summary of the relevant literature about the influence of accumulated scuba diving experience on the following: Diving behaviour and personal responsibility; satisfaction and environmental perceptions; and attitudes towards conservation.

https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0219306.s002

S3 Table. Questionnaire survey.

https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0219306.s003

S4 Table. Descriptive statistics for items used in scaled data.

https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0219306.s004

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• Diving History: Tales from the Abyss

Short essay on influence of sea hunt

• Thread starter covediver
• Start date Feb 28, 2018

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Contributor

• Feb 28, 2018

Many divers attribute their interest in diving to Sea Hunt Covediver's Log: Sea Hunt, Mike Nelson, and the Popularizing of Scuba Diving Was the show's influnce a cause or effect of greater trends in underwater recreation? A short essay explores the relationship.  

The Lorax for the Kelp Forest

I enjoyed "Sea Hunt" but I don't think it affected the way I dove back then. After all, Lloyd Bridges wasn't a real diver and had to be trained for the show by Bob Meistrell. Occasional co-star and my friend Zale Parry however was a REAL diver and had set the women's deep diving record off my island (Catalina) back in the mid-50s. The show itself focused on story lines that were generally only tangentially related to the marine environment. Jacques-Yves Cousteau's early work had greater influence on me since he focused on the marine life and my interest was in becoming a marine biology.  

drbill: Jacques-Yves Cousteau's early work had greater influence on me since he focused on the marine life and my interest was in becoming a marine biology. Click to expand...

Wide-eyed nube in the Pub

Growing up in rural NE Oregon in the late 50's and early 60's, Sea Hunt was the first time I "saw" anyone SCUBA dive. We only had one UHF TV channel with a transmitter 50+ miles away, we didn't get TV in our house until I was in my early teens. I don't remember seeing Jacques Cousteau episodes until much later. When I was more or less coerced into taking a SCUBA class at the Naval Academy (a long story), the only mental images I had came from that show. I bought a double hose regulator in 1966 (Royal Aquamaster, which I still have), even though single hose regulators were starting to proliferate, primarily because of that Mike Nelson image...and a lot of U.S. Divers advertising copy about the advantages of a balanced first stage.  

If someone was coming at him with a big knife to cut his regulator hoses my money would be on Lloyd Bridges over Jacques Cousteau any day. To say Lloyd Bridges was not a real diver is like saying Donald Trump is not a real President.  

MaxBottomtime

Although I spent a lot of my youth at the beaches of Southern California I never thought about diving until I was married. My first wife grew up in the Nevada desert watching Sea Hunt. When she moved in with me one of the first things she wanted to do was snorkel locally. After a year or so of free diving we decided to get certified. A couple of years went by and we were making one of our first 200 dives at Marineland in Rancho Palos Verdes. There was a film crew there at the time making a movie called Hot Shots! with Lloyd Bridges. I'm not an autograph seeker and usually don't like to bother anyone but I saw Mr. Bridges sitting in a chair looking bored. There was a lull between setting up shots so I asked him if he would like to borrow my gear and go for a quick dive with my wife. That would have made for a unique page in her logbook. He politely declined, saying that he would love to dive at Marineland again but the insurance company would frown on the idea.  

• Mar 1, 2018

I fell in love with the whole undersea scuba thing from watching Seahunt, as a near infant !! I still get all moist and giggly when I see old clips of someone using a double hose and triple tanks ! (I loved that intro video on VDH's website!) Of all the old GI Joes and accessories I got handed down from a favorite uncle when i was a kid, by far my favorite was the scuba diver and his gear. I used to try and breathe underwater in a swimming pool using a piece of garden hose, but it wasn't until years later, when i was ascending the various PADI cert levels, that I found out why I could never take a breath, even from only a foot or so deep. I would have to agree, Seahunt was as responsible as anything for inspiring my love of the water, and especially, going under the water.  

scrane: If someone was coming at him with a big knife to cut his regulator hoses my money would be on Lloyd Bridges over Jacques Cousteau any day. To say Lloyd Bridges was not a real diver is like saying Donald Trump is not a real President. Click to expand...

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Scuba Diving Essay

Scuba diving is a popular sport. It involves diving underwater while breathing from a scuba diving tank (a diving cylinder also called “diving stage”) filled with air or scuba diving gas. The equipment used for this includes scuba diving masks, fins, diving suit and of course scuba diving tanks. Scuba divers breathe compressed air, so they must rise to the surface frequently to empty their diving bladder. Scuba diving is popular for several reasons: scuba diving normally attracts many people with different backgrounds and professions, because of its beauty, architecture or challenge.

It also offers a unique experience which is not possible on dry land. A person who cannot swim can scuba dive without life-threatening danger. No matter how long you scuba dive it will never be enough; there is always something new to explore underwater. The only limit with diving is your own physical ability, but most divers manage fine by getting diving insurance beforehand. Scuba diving courses are relatively cheap and even a limited budget can cover this sport for a couple of years before you have to take diving lessons again.

With diving, there is no need to leave home without your diving equipment; you can take it with you anywhere in the world. This is one of its major advantages compared to other extreme sports like scuba diving kiteboarding . If you travel abroad for holidays, diving will certainly give you the extra touch that distinguishes your holiday from others’. You can find diving schools at almost all diving resorts. Some diving schools offer scuba diving packages which include transport, accommodations, meals and diving (for example six dives). Such scuba diving packages are easy to manage even if your budget is limited.

Scuba diving requires specific training before you start doing it safely on your own. There are many certification courses available for beginners and pro divers. A diving certification course covers scuba diving theory, diving physics and diving techniques to prepare you for a safe diving experience. In some cases scuba diving instructors even give diving lessons over the Internet. Scuba diving courses are available from about three days up to one year of classes. People who have discovered scuba diving cannot imagine living without it anymore because scuba diving is fun and adventurous, but also relaxing and rewarding at the same time!

You can explore hidden caves or abandoned ship wrecks that have been undisturbed for hundreds of years by just breathing underwater, slowly moving around with complete freedom of movement due to buoyancy control while admiring the beauty of everything you see through your mask under water. Scuba diving is an amazing sport; it has great value for money compared to other extreme sports. It will let you experience unique diving moments which you will remember for the rest of your life!

The diving that takes place on scuba diving equipment is diving done underwater without propulsion of any kind.

If you enjoy the water, this exhilarating sport might be for you! It involves diving below the surface of a body of water to go after certain things. Scuba diving has many benefits, both physically and mentally! Physically, diving can help strengthen your lungs by conditioning them to hold more oxygen. Mentally, scuba diving can provide an exciting experience. And if you are looking for some way to have fun with friends or family members, this could just do the trick!

Scuba diving also helps you stay active overall. You will need some strength to handle the equipment that’s necessary for diving the surface of any body of water. There are diving classes that teach you the basics, and from there it’s up to you! You can take diving lessons until you feel comfortable enough to head down underwater by yourself. The more diving experiences a person has, the more comfortable they will be with diving. But diving is an activity for the fearless!

Diving in scuba gear is fun but safety must always come first. That means paying attention when going through diving classes, reading all of your equipment’s instruction manuals very carefully before diving, and staying close to other divers while under water. If something goes wrong while scuba diving, it’s good to know what you should do in order to get back safe and sound.

The diving regulator controls the airflow into scuba, this means that the diver’s air-supply is limitless. The diving regulator has three stages: first stage, second stage, and submersible pressure gauge (SPG). Scuba diving is not just a swim in the water; there are many risks involved with diving. First of all, scuba diving is an activity where you can die if you don’t follow safety rules. There are at least 10 common mistakes that divers make that will lead to injury or death.

One of these most common mistakes is diving with too much weight on your body because it makes you negatively buoyant which means that instead of floating to the surface like normal, you sink quickly to greater depths with too much diving equipment. Another mistake is diving deeper than 100 feet, because this will cause the nitrogen in your body to form bubbles which can get stuck under your skin and damage organs. These bubbles are also know as decompression sickness or “the bends”.

There are many other common mistakes that divers make that can be life-threatening if not corrected immediately after they happen. The diving regulator controls the airflow into scuba, allowing divers to breathe underwater easily while diving on a supply of air from an air-tank worn on their backs. The diving regulator has three stages: first stage, second stage, and submersible pressure gauge (SPG). A diving regulator usually has five parts: diaphragm, spring chamber [or piston chamber], exhaust valve, first stage fixed seat, and first stage moving seat.

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