Five Things I Learned from Scuba Diving

May 01, 2016 -- Day two of our stay at Berjaya Tioman Resort we woke up to a perfect weather braving to try Discover Scuba activity. 

Perfect weather for a dive

Dive instructor doing brief brief brief brief brief

During the initial briefing we learned how to inflate and deflate our buoyancy control device, how to clear our masks under water, how to return and recover with your regulator and the critical hand signals we will use under water.

Time to practice what we learned in the briefing. Good luck to us ladies!

Kaye, Michelle and me doing our water exercise with our two dive master

Here are five take-aways I learned after making the decision to tick "scuba diving" from my bucket list that day:

1. Keep calm and just keep breathing
If there's two main responsibility you need to do as a first time diver - equalize and breathe. Remaining stuff you need not mind or less think of as your dive masters will be there to assist you - like checking your oxygen tank gauge and buoyancy control. Always always equalize and keep breathing only because your dive master cannot do it for you.  

2. Communication matters
When you are underwater communication is limited, so you learn to master non-verbal skills through hand signals to be able to interact with your dive master. After our water exercise and before doing the actual dive, I made sure I knew the most important life-saving hand gesture which is the "up" sign :) just in case I will need it.

Okay sign before the actual dive

3. It is a different world down there
Aside from an environment where lucid marine life comes in slow motion, under water is like a window to a new cosmos featuring a variety of unique animals, plants and organisms living in harmony undersea. No words can best describe the life and habitat I saw undersea but one thing I am sure of there is a Creator beyond all this wonderful creation.

4. The great things in life don't come easy
Carrying a 12 kg oxygen tank in your back plus 4 pieces of 1 kg weights in your belt in a shore entry is something that did not cross my mind when I thought of trying intro to scuba. But if I admit defeat to this letdown I couldn't have experience the distinct peace only underwater can give.    

Doing our water exercise before the actual dive

5. You are not meant to be alone
Having a dive buddy reduces the risks of potential life-threatening dangers of scuba diving. For a first timer it's encouraging to know that someone is there to look after you, thanks to our friendly dive masters who made our experience worthwhile. Plus what could be better than trying an extreme sports for the first time with your friends slash sisters in Christ who are dear to you.

Dgroup post dive picture - Intro divers me, Kaye, Michelle and our supportive certified divers Grace and Angela

Trying scuba dive is one milestone we all achieve as a small group together and that alone is something worth writing and celebrating.