What Is Scuba Diving? Everything You Need To Know

Scuba Diving
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Have you ever wondered, “What is SCUBA diving?” If so, we’ll do our best to explain it in this post. Do you know that one of the extreme sports that is currently experiencing the quickest growth is scuba diving? Millions of people go scuba diving every year, whether it’s for a class, a beginner dive, or because they already have a diving license.

What Is Scuba Diving?

Almost everyone has heard of the term scuba. Actually, it is an acronym for Self-Contained Underwater Breathing Apparatus.

Underwater exploration of the ocean is what scuba diving as a sport entails. Scuba diving can take many different forms. However, for the majority of people, scuba diving is a leisure activity they engage in while traveling or on vacation. Dive boats are frequently used for recreational scuba diving in order to access incredible dive sites. Recreational divers put on a scuba tank to breathe underwater to see the beauty of the ocean and interact with sea creatures.

People of all ages enjoy scuba diving as a pastime. Some people use yoga or Zumba to reduce stress, as you may have heard. Scuba diving has developed into another meditative activity that many regular people engage in to reduce stress. The sensation of floating through the water while observing marine life, exploring breathtaking reefs, submerged caverns, or even diving into sunken wrecks is unlike anything else in the world.

Additionally, a lot of people make the transition from recreational divers to those who pursue scuba diving as a career or way of life. There are many different types of professional Scuba diving careers available, such as teaching diving classes or working as an underwater archaeologist or marine biologist. As of yet, 80% of the ocean around the globe is still unmapped, and becoming a professional scuba diver allows you to help advance your knowledge of the underwater world.

When Was Scuba First Developed?

In 1942, Jacques-Yves Cousteau and Émile Gagnan invented and tested the first successful and safe open-circuit scuba, known as the Aqua-Lung. Their system combined high-pressure tanks with air inside them with an enhanced and safer on-demand regulator. However, in 1952, Major Christian J. Lambertsen patented a modification of his original invention from 1939 (an underwater free-swimming oxygen rebreather apparatus) and coined the term, ‘SCUBA.’

History Of Scuba Diving

As long as humankind has existed and as long as man has been able to swim, people who live near the coast have been diving. Men who hunted for pearls underwater for a living existed in the Arab world and were known as pearl divers. Of course, people living near coastlines all over the world dived for food, depending on their diving abilities for their very survival.
The origins of modern scuba diving can be found in warfare, and the navies’ constant need for rescue missions was a major driver of advancements in diving and diving techniques. The peculiar risks associated with diving have not changed over the centuries and years, despite the equipment becoming ever more advanced and high-tech.
The development of the demand regulator (see equipment) by the French duo Cousteau and Gagnan, however, helped bring scuba diving into the modern era, made it accessible, and ultimately made it extremely well-liked by the general public. A safety code, rules, and organizations that focused on training and certifying divers became more necessary as scuba diving’s popularity grew. As a result, the Professional Association of Diving Instructors and the National Association of Underwater Instructors were founded in 1966 and 1961, respectively.

Is Scuba Diving Similar To Snorkeling?

Yes and no. Snorkeling gives you the opportunity to see the marine life below the water’s surface, but what you can see isn’t very impressive. You can certainly take a deep breath and descend to something to get a closer look, but you can’t stay there for very long. 

In other words, just because you don’t enjoy snorkeling doesn’t mean you won’t enjoy scuba diving. While snorkelers and divers may travel to the same places, their experiences are very different. You can take your time and get closer to marine life by scuba diving.

Scuba Diving

Is Scuba Diving Risky For Recreational Use?

While there are some risks associated with scuba diving, overall it’s a very safe activity. There are hardly any accidents among the millions of recreational divers who dive each year.

Never diving alone is the first and most important rule that any certified diver learns. Always dive with a buddy; it’s better to share the experience of exploring incredible dive sites with someone else as well as for safety reasons.

To become a certified diver, look into programs like PADI, NAUI, SSI, or BSAC that offer in-depth training. Research your dive school, your scuba instructor, and any dive sites you plan to visit as well. In the end, being prepared will improve your diving.

There is very little risk involved when scuba diving as a tourist. The ocean’s safer regions are typically the only ones where recreational divers go. Additionally, you will be taught everything you need to know prior to diving by a divemaster or an instructor who is an experienced diver. Until you can demonstrate that you are familiar with all the fundamental maneuvers and safety signals, you will not be permitted to dive off dive boats or observe marine life on dive sites.

In the end, you are submerging yourself in an atmosphere where wild animals live, using equipment for life support, and diving in a place where they do as well, so like any activity, you should be a properly certified diver and show respect for the underwater world.

Is Scuba Diving Fun?

If it wasn’t clear from the above, yes. especially if you enjoy:

  • Seeing fascinating plants and animals in their natural habitat
  • History — diving allows you to explore historic wrecks, missile silos, and battlefields
  • Traveling to places your friends have never heard of
  • Activities that support conservation — divers can help rebuild coral reefs

How Is Scuba Diving Equipment Used?

The actual breathing equipment that allowed divers to breathe underwater was once referred to as SCUBA. However, the phrase is now used to refer to the entire general setup of a scuba diver’s equipment. This includes:

  • Mask
  • BCD
  • Primary regulator and alternate air source
  • SPG to check air
  • Tank/cylinder
  • Fins
  • Weights
  • Exposure protection; wetsuit, drysuit, or rash guard
  • Snorkel
  • Dive computer
  • Compass

Health And Medical Requirements For Scuba Diving

Before starting a diving course, every student of scuba diving must complete a medical questionnaire. A diver’s body responds to the high pressure he encounters underwater in a variety of ways. Underwater, physical conditions that might not be hazardous or even noticeably bothersome on land could be.

Underwater, various illnesses, allergies, ear problems, lung conditions (like asthma), and ear problems could all be dangerous. Diving is not advised while taking certain medications. Before enrolling in the program, those who wish to dive should carefully read the diving medical questionnaire and honestly complete it. They should also periodically revisit it throughout their diving careers.

Training For Scuba Diving

To go scuba diving, you will need some training. A certified scuba diver should be present for this. Your introduction to scuba diving will be provided. This will go over diving safety regulations and how to use the scuba gear.

For scuba diving, you don’t need a certification. Under the guidance of the diving expert, you can enroll in a scuba diving experience. However, if you do enjoy it, you should get certified with a diving agency, such as PADI, SSI, RAID, or others, as this will allow you to dive around the world.

Conclusion

There are a few things you can do to make scuba diving even more interesting if you do enjoy it.  There are many artificial reefs, for example.  These man-made reeds were either made as a scientific experiment to study how coral grows and how it attracts other marine life, or they were made to restore damaged coral.  There are many wrecks, for example, that have been purposely sunken to create artificial reefs.

Going on a dive with sharks is something you should think about if you have steely nerves!  A cage dive with sharks can be the experience of a lifetime.  In essence, a steel cage encloses you before you are lowered into a shoal of sharks that have been drawn there by fish guts.

Scuba diving’s primary consideration is and always will be: STAY SAFE and ENJOY.

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