SCUBA diving is one of the most beautiful and enjoyable activities on the planet today. If you’ve ever explored the underwater world by snorkeling or SCUBA, surely you would agree.
Despite the beauty to be discovered under water with SCUBA diving, there are still many myths out there keeping people out of the water. Here’s a brief look at some of the SCUBA myths AND the realities!
MYTH: Diving is a very dangerous activity
TRUTH: When done within the guidelines taught during the open water certification course, diving has an extraordinary safety record. Diving is an exciting activity that combines all the thrills of exploration and adventure, with a safety record that compares favorably to other sports, such as bowling.
MYTH: Diving is complicated and difficult to learn
TRUTH: Learning to dive is easy today. Professional diving instructors use all the learning materials and proven strategies to make it simple and fun to learn. Before you know it, you’ll be breathing underwater and using all the cool “toys” that make diving easier than ever before to learn and participate in regularly.
MYTH: You have to be in top physical condition to dive
TRUTH: Like any active sport, diving is more enjoyable if you are physically fit. And you do need some basic swimming skills in order to learn. But it’s nothing extreme; if you are comfortable in the deep end of a pool, can swim, and you can walk for several minutes without getting winded, you can probably learn to dive with ease.
MYTH: The ocean is full of dangerous animals like sharks
TRUTH: Since such sightings are so rare, most divers actually consider a shark sighting to be a special and memorable occasion. While such critters as sharks and barracuda should be respected and treated as wild animals, the vast majority subsist on a diet of things considerably smaller than a scuba diver. In fact, most sharks and barracuda are somewhat intimidated by divers; with our long fins and other equipment, we appear big to them which is something they don’t want to mess with! Besides, it’s a myth that sharks are perpetually hungry or are always on the attack. It is not uncommon at all for a shark to go two weeks without hunting, and in one documented case, a healthy shark did not eat for better than a year.
MYTH: It’s expensive
TRUTH: When compared to other leisure activities, such as owning a quality mountain bike, golfing, boating, or skiing; diving compares very favorably. And the more you dive, the more true that becomes. Dive gear, for instance, is very durable and can last for many years. In fact, after a short while, the cost of your gear can work out to just a few pennies per dive.
Content Provided Compliments of Maduro Dive Fanta-Seas | www.madurodive.com