from the TDI/SDI website
Around the world, individuals, friends, couples, and families often look for new and exciting activities. These activities may involve sky-diving, hiking, camping, or even game night at the house. Certain activities may even fall into a category some colleges choose to refer to as “life-sports.” Life-sports are activities that a person can learn, develop, and perform throughout a lifetime. One such activity is scuba diving. Scuba diving is a sport that allows people to first learn about the sport, and then carry education and experience down various pathways of adventure. So the next time you or your companions are considering trying something new, take a moment and look into what it takes to become a scuba diver. You may find the one new activity that keeps you happy and smiling for many years to come. Here are 7 reasons to get SCUBA certified:
1. Adventure
Often, when people try something new, they hope it carries them to unique places and allows for interesting experiences. Over 70% of the Earth is covered in water, so the odds are pretty good that scuba diving may allow you go to new places. Almost any place a person travels will have some sort of water-filled environment that will allow for a little adventure. Similarly, scuba diving is a sport that allows a person to explore new places as that person continues his or her education. For instance, if a diver learns to safely dive with mixed gases, that diver may choose to venture to wreck sites at deeper depths. Or if a diver partakes in cave diving classes, he or she may be able to adventure in the watery passage ways below the ground’s surface. Essentially, scuba diving opens the doorway for adventure and excitement, and with more education, this adventure never really ends.
2. Relax and Eliminate Stress
Every day as we all walk around, we experience the effects of gravity gluing us to the ground. Scuba diving changes that daily weight on our shoulders. Under water, divers get the opportunity to experience a near weightless environment where there are no cellular phones, television shows, or office meetings. Instead, divers hear the sounds of moving water, aquatic life, and peace. Many divers view scuba diving as a release from the normal work world. Every time they submerge below the surface, the only thing in the world is the water and the current dive. For this reason, if someone is looking for a new activity or hobby, scuba diving may be the perfect release from the daily grind.
3. Explore New Places
As mentioned earlier, roughly 70% of the world is covered in water. Scuba diving is a sport that people can use to go places and see things that they have never before experienced. The underwater world is one that will open up to a new diver. New coastlines, reefs, lakes, rivers, and springs will be available to experience in a whole new way. No longer does a person need to look at the water from the surface, or swim down with snorkeling equipment for a quick glance. Now, a diver can take time to see what is down there, and develop new experiences.
4. See Creatures Outside of an Aquarium
Many people have only seen aquatic life from the side of a boat, at the end of a line, or walking through an aquarium. Scuba diving allows a person to delve into the realm of aquatic life and see interesting new creatures in their own backyard. Fish, sharks, rays, eels, and hundreds of other creatures can be seen in their natural environments. As you travel the world, new and interesting creatures may even be visible in each new place. Scuba diving takes the creatures and the visitor outside of the aquarium and allows the visitor to really see how marine creatures exist in the underwater realm.
5. Develop New Friendships
No matter where scuba diving may take you, divers are never alone. Scuba diving is a unique sport in which the participants always seem happy, excited about the most recent adventure, and willing to share stories. For this reason, at the end of a diving day, divers can often be found together at the local watering hole, restaurant, or by the water waiting on tomorrow. The scuba diving community is one in which new friends can be made and new adventures can be shared.
6. Get Outdoors
One of the greatest things about scuba diving is that the sport requires people to get outdoors and get wet. Whether you are exploring a new cave in a jungle somewhere or simply visiting the local quarry, scuba divers get outside and exercise. This sport is one that encourages participants to be fit and to get out of the house. Whole families can get outdoors and spend days enjoying local dive sites or simply discovering new places to get wet.
7. For You
Lastly, scuba diving is sport you should take on for you. Scuba diving can take you to new places, show you new things, help you make new friends, and get you outdoors. Despite these great advantages to scuba diving, you should only take on this sport if it is something that excites or intrigues you. Do it because you love the idea of sinking beneath the waves and doing something that few people can. Along the way, you will realize that a life-sport of this type will keep you excited and happy, but do not do it just because someone tells you to. Instead, look into what it takes to become a scuba diver and take the plunge because you want to be a diver.
There are many reasons a person may choose or desire to become a certified scuba diver. The best way to better understand the sport is to visit your local dive shop and talk to the staff about what it takes to become a diver, and how they can help you begin your new adventure. Just remember that scuba diving will take you on an interesting adventure should you allow the sport into your life, and it just may become something you really love to do with the people you care about.
– Dr. Thomas Powell
Owner/Instructor Trainer – Air Hogs Scuba, Garner, NC
If you’re interested in getting SCUBA certified, give me a call at 954.406.0181
I can set up your training to fit your schedule and busy life. Let’s get out there and DIVE, DIVE, DIVE!