Join 48,458 users and earn money for participation

Scuba Diving for Non-Swimmer, Is it Safe?

127 143 exc boost

Written by

tired_momma

339

Into Everything❤️💪

2 months ago

In community: Travel Around the World(f92d)

Topics: Travel, Life, Blog, Experiences, Story, ...

The clear blue sea is inviting. I can't swim and I sign up for scuba diving. Am I a being fool? You'll find out the answer. First, let's discuss scuba diving.

What is Scuba Diving?

Scuba Diving is diving underwater using a Self Contained Underwater Breathing Apparatus, hence the meaning of the acronym Scuba.

What equipment do you need for scuba diving?

You will need diving equipment such as:

Diving mask
Wetsuit or drysuit
Fins
Scuba tank
Regulator

Make sure your equipment is all in good trusted condition before getting into the water.

How deep can you dive?

For recreational scuba, it's 40metres/ 130 feet and for a beginner, you should dive shallower about 18 metres/60 ft.

Who can do scuba diving and what age?

Anyone who is comfortable with water and under the water. Anyone from 8 years old and no maximum age restriction. So you can do scuba diving no matter how old you are.

What are the risks of scuba diving?

Decompression sickness. This happens when the nitrogen dissolved in your blood and tissues caused by the high pressure. And this pressure forms bubbles as the pressure decreases. The common symptoms are fatigue and pain in muscles and joints.

Arterial air embolism. This occurs when an air bubble enters your artery. And these air bubbles can cause heart attack, stroke or respiratory failure when it travels to your lungs brain or heart.
Drowning. When you take in water and got suffocated when it interferes your breathing.

Most common injuries are ear barotrauma. This happens when on your descent it failed to equalize the pressure changes within the middle ears spaces then it creates a pressure across your eardrum. This is sore. I have this for days after scuba diving.

You should know the technique on how you can equalize the ear pressure from pinching your nose and breathing technique.

What is the golden rule of scuba diving?

Breathe normally or continuously. Never hold your breath underwater. Remember that!

What if I panic?

If you panic just as I did, you're subject for near-drowning, your lung could be injured when it over-expand and the worst you can die.

Can scuba divers talk underwater?

Scuba divers cannot talk underwater so you'll be taught of basic hand signals before diving. Which when I was in panic couldn't remember any of it. So pay attention when the professional teaching you the hand signals.

This will be your means of communication. If you want to go up or you're in distress just do the hand signal and the diver will know what to do. Time to time he/she will ask you if you're okay to make sure everything is fine.

Image from padi.com

What Scuba diving feels like?

Based on my experience it feels like you're flying underwater. You feel as of you're a free bird. And because of the mask and tank at my back, it makes me feel as if I'm an astronaut exploring the galaxy of the unknown. And surely I'm enjoying it.

What it Looks underwater?

I will share to you my son's first-time experience scuba diving. And I'm so proud that he did it better than me.

Isn't that amazing? And you can see that he enjoyed it a lot. Now let's see what happens after my panic attack and trying again for the second time after the underwater overwhelmed me.

Yes, that's. I tried. That's all I can say.

Is it safe?

You're the one who can answer that question. The answer is completely up to your level of confidence if you're a non-swimmer.

But remember this:

You know, entering the sea without knowing how to swim isn't safe at all. But scuba diving underwater and not knowing how to swim, you're putting your life in danger. And I prove that myself.

The first thing you should know and be sure about is your comfort level with the water.

For first-timer, based on my own experience this wasn't easy. There's a professional diver with us teaching us what to do but the first time I tried to breathe, with the scuba tank in my back and mouthpiece regulator in my mouth, I can't stick to it. I can't breathe underwater. I tried and tried until I become comfortable with it. But my husband wasn't and he's a good swimmer unlike me. So that gives you an impression that not all swimmer can do scuba diving and not all non-swimmer can't.

Don't let the professional diver pursue you if you know within yourself that you can't. Because they know how to swim, that they are experienced and yes they will be there but if something went wrong, your life will be in danger. And it won't be a good experience.

If you're not 100% sure. Don't dive!

My first-time scuba diving experience happened in Fethiye, Turkey in September 2020. I can say that this is one of those great spots for scuba diving and there are more diving sites with more underwater creatures that you can explore around Fethiye.

What happens to me?

When we're about to kneel on the bottom of the sea, I look around and panic. I was overwhelmed with what I see and I started taking water. I can't breathe and at that moment I wasn't thinking I just removed the regulator mouthpiece in my mouth and it makes everything worst. I'm drowning, I feel like I will die and the diver keeps putting the mouthpiece in my mouth I won't take it. I can't. I want to go up!

When she's trying to lift me up my legs started to cramps. I'm shaking. It's unbelievable. How I started so confident that I can do it then ended up on a panic state. What an experience!

Will I do it again?

Yes! I never regret trying it and experiencing what I experienced. I'm just gonna be looking forward that I'll do better and see more beauties the next time. Gotta bring the magnifying glass this time to see more of the hidden beauty undersea! This is a great tip from my dear friend @milanlukic.

If you're planning of visiting Turkey very soon check out my related travel articles.