What's is scuba diving REALLY like?
- Thread starter jadeyy
- Start date
I agree with the person that said "I wish I did this earlier". I started diving around 5 years ago at age 25 and wish I started earlier.
As far as the experience, one of the factors that effects this is how close you are with swimming/water. My family introduced me to swimming as an infant and I grew up with it so I am very comfortable in a pool or the ocean. My wife is the opposite as she started later in life so she was terrified when I tried to get her to scuba dive with me and I think all hopes are lost on that.
I am extremely relaxed when I am diving and just want to enjoy everything around me. Its so peaceful down there for me and I just want to see new things and explore. This isnt the same for others as I have seen many people be forced to come up very early since they get nervous, breath heavily and go through air in a way I can't understand.
If you think snorkeling is cool, Scuba is way better. More relaxing, more oppurtunity to look at stuff up close, no need to compete with waves and get thrown around, etc.
As far as the experience, one of the factors that effects this is how close you are with swimming/water. My family introduced me to swimming as an infant and I grew up with it so I am very comfortable in a pool or the ocean. My wife is the opposite as she started later in life so she was terrified when I tried to get her to scuba dive with me and I think all hopes are lost on that.
I am extremely relaxed when I am diving and just want to enjoy everything around me. Its so peaceful down there for me and I just want to see new things and explore. This isnt the same for others as I have seen many people be forced to come up very early since they get nervous, breath heavily and go through air in a way I can't understand.
If you think snorkeling is cool, Scuba is way better. More relaxing, more oppurtunity to look at stuff up close, no need to compete with waves and get thrown around, etc.
Absolutely. And no sunburn issues to worry about. Some people who have claustrophobia seem to have difficulties with scuba.
Zoodiver
As seen on TV
I dive for work. :headwalls:
Actually, I love being underwater (when I'm not on the clock). It's a totally different thing when you HAVE to dive because there is work to do once you get down.
Recreational diving is amazing. My daughter told me "You're like Peter Pan and get to fly over everything".
hogfanreefer
Active member
I just finished my classroom and confined water dives 2 weeks ago. It was a blast even in just a 15' deep pool. Seemed very natural to both my wife and I. We will go to Vortex Springs, FL week after next to do our open water dives. Can't wait.
My only regret so far is waiting till I was 57 to start!
My only regret so far is waiting till I was 57 to start!
Well, on some of my live aboard dive trips, there were a fair number of folks in their 80's. As such, you have a lot of years to enjoy.
NatureNerd
New member
I love both but have taken to snorkling more lately. I like the unlimited amount of time in the water, and I hate carrying diving gear. If only I could hold my breadth for longer.
RedStangGA
New member
Snorkeling is too much work lol! Nothing beats a vacation where we can dive. Just needs the kids old enough to get certified so we can have family fun.
Paul B
Premium Member
I am not that far from being one of those old coots on a dive boat. :lol:
Diving opens you up to an entire new world, literally. Many places you go to are kind of boring unless you get under the water. I remember Aruba for instance. That is just a desert but the diving is pretty good there.
Bora Bora has almost nothing on land as it is just a small, round Island with one road, but the diving is the best I have ever done.
My first dive was on the Great Barrier Reef in Australia and I was hooked.
So when you decide to go someplace you can decide on the land activities as well as the under water stuff.
It even changed my life for many years as I used to always go fishing with my friends on our boats, after we started diving, that is what we did every weekend for many years and it was extreamly enjoyable. :dance:
Zoodiver
As seen on TV
A friend of mine hung up his fins after doing a dive on his 90th birthday.
You still have 33 years to go!
rssjsb
New member
I've always been a little claustrophobic, but that's never been an issue for me with diving. I think it's like when I learned to drive a car. So much stuff to learn, and it's easy to get wigged out about it because the consequences of getting it wrong are scary. At some point, though, the equipment gets to be more intuitive and you can just marvel at the scenery. There's nothing quite like that weightless bliss.
I would recommend a discover scuba class in a warm water dive location like Hawaii or Bonaire. You take a short class, watch some videos and do some pool dives. If you like that they will then take you in the ocean for two supervised dives with a dive master next to you. We did that and it got us hooked.
TFP Marine Biologist
.Registered Member
The hard part is getting to the point where you can relax, and breath normally. Once you get there, SCUBA is the one of the most amazing experiences you will ever have. I started Snorkeling when I was 5 years old, and spent time in the water whenever I could, and did not get SCUBA certified until I was in college, for me, it was and easy transition, and by the time I got to my open water certification I was good. Some of the folks who were on my open water trip, not so much, they never got to the point where they could relax and never even made it underwater.
I have been diving for over 20 years, and have worked at an aquarium were I did hundreds of dives, and also volunteered for a SCUBA center during college, that allowed me to go on many off shore trips in South Carolina. Everyone's experience is different when they get into diving, it is not for everyone, but in my opinion it is worth trying if you have the interest, and can make the commitment to take the classes and do it properly.
I have been diving for over 20 years, and have worked at an aquarium were I did hundreds of dives, and also volunteered for a SCUBA center during college, that allowed me to go on many off shore trips in South Carolina. Everyone's experience is different when they get into diving, it is not for everyone, but in my opinion it is worth trying if you have the interest, and can make the commitment to take the classes and do it properly.
Were you looking for sand tiger sharks?
TFP Marine Biologist
.Registered Member
Never actually saw any big sharks on all the dives I did in SC, even on some of the deep wrecks that are notorious for them, only shadows in the distance. Lots of really big barracuda, they gather under the boats above the wrecks, because people fish in the same spots that we dive. It takes a little getting used to having a large group of 5-6' barracuda hanging out with you face to face while you are doing your safety stop.
Paul B
Premium Member
In the Caribbean you rarely see anything larger than a couple of feet except maybe a parrotfish or a sleepy nurse shark.
In the South pacific like here in Bora Bora, you can't get away from them and you have to be careful jumping off the boat that you don't land on one as they are curious.
On this dive we were always surrounded by 10 or 15 black tip reef sharks with large lemon sharks in the distance. There were so many sharks that they got in front of the camera and it was hard to get decent pictures of the more interesting manta rays.
Even if you are standing on an Atoll it is like in the cartoons where you see shark fins all around you.
We rented some tiny boats to go out and feed sting rays, but someone had to stand there and throw fish to the sharks to keep them from coming in close and trying to take the fish out of your hand (along with possibly your hand as they are large)
The guy threw a fish in the water and a bird came in to take the fish, a shark came up and took the bird and the fish. That's why I am disillusioned now with Caribbean diving. The South Pacific spoiled me.
This is a lagoon in Bora Bora where they filmed "Mutiny on the Bounty" That is our ship in the middle.
In the South pacific like here in Bora Bora, you can't get away from them and you have to be careful jumping off the boat that you don't land on one as they are curious.
On this dive we were always surrounded by 10 or 15 black tip reef sharks with large lemon sharks in the distance. There were so many sharks that they got in front of the camera and it was hard to get decent pictures of the more interesting manta rays.
Even if you are standing on an Atoll it is like in the cartoons where you see shark fins all around you.
We rented some tiny boats to go out and feed sting rays, but someone had to stand there and throw fish to the sharks to keep them from coming in close and trying to take the fish out of your hand (along with possibly your hand as they are large)
The guy threw a fish in the water and a bird came in to take the fish, a shark came up and took the bird and the fish. That's why I am disillusioned now with Caribbean diving. The South Pacific spoiled me.
This is a lagoon in Bora Bora where they filmed "Mutiny on the Bounty" That is our ship in the middle.
Yes, the South Pacific will do that; spoil you that is. Yet, around St. Vincent I saw more frogfish than any other place in the Caribbean because they are not eaten. (No green morays though) Best weird critters was found in Lembeh straits in Indonesia and Batangas in the Philippines, best large animals, galapagos, but northern Papua New Guinea was right up there.
