Scuba Diving Travel & Destinations Guide Worldwide

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Origin

Diving and diving equipment have progressed significantly since Harry Houdini's iconic dive helmet of 1921. Jacques Cousteau's aqualung, invented in the early 1940s, was the father of the modern Self Contained Underwater Breathing Apparatus (S.C.U.B.A.).

By the end of 2008, there were more than 17.5 million divers worldwide, as certified by the Professional Association of Diving Instructors (PADI). Throughout the 'Noughties' 900,000 people qualified annually - two-thirds of whom were men.

Although the average age of newly-qualified divers is around 29, scuba diving attracts amateur and professional aficionados of all ages and from all walks of life; HRH Prince Charles is know to follow the sport.

Get Started

The foremost body for diving instruction and regulation is PADI. It was founded in 1966, and now has over 135,000 certified instructors and some 6,000 dive shops worldwide.

Diving can be enjoyed all-year-round, in the UK and abroad. Lessons are taught in a swimming pool or 'on location', during a holiday abroad or around our own coastline. Novice divers can expect to get underwater within a day and the full 'Open Water' certification usually takes four days.

PADI qualifications begin with theory – learnt in class or online – and continue through water skills training in confined water (a pool) or shallow sea. This is followed by open water dives and a review of your new skills. These drills include clearing your mask underwater, sharing an air supply with a 'buddy' or managing your 'neutral buoyancy'.

Children can begin diving at ten-years-old and can become Open Water Divers after they turn 15.

The depth limit for recreational scuba diving is 40m, although beginners stay above 18m - some of the most popular diving is in warm water no deeper than 12m. A novice diver can expect to be underwater for around 20-30 minutes on each dive.

Costs vary according to the destination but you should expect to pay from £250 to £350 ($400 to $500) for your Open Water qualification, including all three stages, but exclusive of kit.

Equipment

Equipment varies at each location. Ideally, you should have your own mask, fins and snorkel as they need to fit you well. Many centres do provide these items, but if you plan to dive regularly, it is worth investing in your own - and buy the best you can afford.

Everything else will be provided, including a wetsuit, which is recommended even in tropical waters. Underwater photography produces beautiful results, so if you're keen to capture what you see in nature films, you'll need a waterproof camera.

Your dive centre will provide

- Air tank
- Buoyancy Control Device (BCD)
- Mouthpiece/regulator
- Wetsuit
- Pressure Gauge
- Weights

For more technical dives, you may be equipped with a computer, watch and compass, as well as dive knife and light.

Style

There are many styles or types of diving, here's a few of the more popular options.

- Technical Diving
Tec divers go to greater depths than 'recreational' divers, they need more training, and use different gas mixes for breathing.

- Wreck Diving
Often acting as reefs and sheltering an abundance of fish, wrecks can be anything from an intentionally sunken rig to a World War II battleship.

- Cave Diving
Diving in a network of caves and passages in absolute darkness by the light of a torch is not for everyone. However, the exhilaration of reaching the clear and calm water of a cave is unforgettable.

- Drift Diving
Allowing the current to take you, you will cover greater distances and will sweep past a range of underwater scenery. Note that you can't stop to photograph or observe as you fly past!

- Night Diving
Requiring an advanced certificate, night diving allows you to meet the nocturnal critters, such as molluscs and crustaceans, as well as experience the 'shooting star' effect of bioluminescence (when plants glow in the dark).
- Macro diving
Macro divers concentrate on photographing miniscule shrimps or pygmy seahorses, witnessing camouflage and other behaviours in intricate detail.

Lingo

"Reg" = demand regulator. This is your mouthpiece, and adjusts high pressure air from your scuba tank to the pressure you need for breathing. It supplies air only on demand i.e. only when you inhale.

"BCD" = Buoyancy Control Device (or BC = Buoyancy Compensator) – usually built jacket-style around the scuba set with a long bladder that runs along your back and under one arm. Used to adjust and control overall buoyancy on the surface and beneath the water.

"Divemaster" = He or she is professionally trained in open water diving, rescue diving and first aid/CPR. They will lead and supervise your training and your dives, both above and below water.

"To equalize" = you will learn to control regularly the effects of water pressure on your ears; similar to the process you go through on an aeroplane.

"Neutral buoyancy" = a state of control whereby you are neither ascending nor descending; takes practice, but is done by regulating your buoyancy.

Govern

PADI: http://www.padi.com/scuba/default.aspx
BSAC (British Sub-Aqua Club): www.bsac.com

Also, a list of other diving organisations can be found here:

http://www.talkdiving.co.uk/guides/scuba_diving_organisations.html

Packing

• Swimwear
• Mask, fins, snorkel
• Wetsuit, depending on the location
• Sun cream
• Seasickness pills
• Underwater camera
• Warm clothes for afterwards
• A jotter to record your dive
• Beachwear and towels - again location specific.

Scuba Diving Travel Guide

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