 You
may never have contemplated taking up scuba diving in your life,
but let us take a look at some of the reasons why it is worth mulling
over, especially now that you are here in Thailand. Firstly we should
address the one aspect of diving that puts off any number of people
from signing up for a course. Firstly we should address the one
aspect of diving that puts off any number of people from signing
up for a course.
"I'm terrified of sharks!" is the
norm. Well, there are few areas in the world where sharks big enough
and aggressive enough are willing to seek out humans, and Phuket
is definitely not one of them. However, if you were really lucky
you might just come across one of the gentle leopard sharks that
roam these waters, though they are more likely to make a fast exit
when they see you coming. Your dive instructor will teach you what
to look out for before you even enter the water, so trust him or
her and you will soon expel all your negative illusions of deep
sea monsters.
 In
terms of safety, you may be interested to learn that the worldwide
body PADI (Professional Association of Dive Instructors) has recently
released figures which show that diving is statistically safer now
than football, baseball, basketball, badminton and, paradoxically,
swimming, believe it or not.
"It's very expensive,
isn't it?" is another echoed lament. Prices for dive courses
are pretty much the same the world over. Dive Boats in Phuket cost
as much those plying the Caribbean or Red Sea. Similarly, registration
or dive masters and company fees do not fluctuate from country to
country. So yes, it is not the very cheapest of recreations, but
when was the last time you experienced weightlessness or found yourself
in a "real" fantasyland as far removed from the world's
problems as is humanly possible?
Most professional dive operators offer an introductory course which
usually involves a free swimming pool dive. To explain a little
further, the experience is called "Discover Scuba Diving"
and includes an introduction to the pleasures of diving in one of
the hotel's swimming pools. From here you will, if you have not
already lost interest and few
people do, experience another dive going straight into the sea from
your nearest beach. The Price of this introduction is around 2.500
Baht but the fee is usually wavered if you stop after the swimming
pool phase. However, few people, having had a taste of what diving
is all about, will stop at this stage. The majority instead will
be keen to carry on book further dives during their stay here.
"But I am not a good swimmer!" many will say. Fear
not. The fact is that you need to be a particularly good swimmer
if you wish to dive. While breast-stroking on the surface of the
water might compare with jogging on land, scuba diving is more akin
to taking a leisurely stroll and stopping occasionally to study
something on the way.
Now, if you don't need any more convincing that this is a safe
and exhilarating way to spend part of your holiday, go along to
one of the many diveshops around and have a talk with the instructors.
Make sure here you visit a professional operation with highly
qualified instructors. Ask to see the qualification certificates
of those who are going to teach you. Learn to dive properly with
the professionals and you will have no need to worry about anything.
 Another
important thing to remember is to leave the coral alone. It has
been growing for millions of years to reach the stage where you
can appreciate its present beauty. So if you are in a position
to enjoy swimming amid the coral gardens today, surely you would
wish your children and their children the opportunity to feel
the same sense of awe, should they decide to emulate you in the
future.
You should also remember that coral is alive; thus,
breaking pieces off and taking them away as souvenirs is a wasted
effort because as it dies it emits an unpleasant odor, and then
you would only want to throw it away. Learning to dive will give
you pleasure you never imagined possible, and as you drift through
this aquatic heaven you will quite easily forget the troubled
world above. Try it and see for yourself. |
BOOKINGs
