About the author: Dive Horizons is owned and run by Nick Valentine, an SSI Advanced Open Water and ITDA O2 and Medic First Aid Instructor. Nick's aim is to provide quality training in a safe, fun environment using SSI state of the art training materials.
Scuba Diving
by Nick Valentine
June 2006
Scuba Diving
Author and Scuba Instructor – Nick Valentine, DCSI 32183
They say that “Travel Broadens the Mind” and while many travel to experience different cultures, for others it is an opportunity just to relax. A growing number of people, travel to enjoy a specific interest or sport and SCUBA Diving has become a firm favourite; both for qualified divers and for those attracted to try the sport for the first time. Holiday Rental Centre advertises hundreds of villa rentals for owners of holiday accommodation in a variety of destinations and locations worldwide. On this website you can rent villas, houses or vacation apartments, close to some of the best ‘dive sites around the world. More information about these and many other property rentals can be found at www.holidayrentalcentre.com/holiday/scubadiving/ including property related articles and advice. From these locations you can explore a relatively ‘new’ and previously unseen world beneath the oceans and get much closer to the sea-bed than you ever thought possible.
SCUBA Diving holidays enables you to explore the underwater world and to enjoy the sight of coral reefs, or the playful “Nemo” Clown Fish and other colourful tropical fish. In the Far East, Thailand offers some excellent diving in the islands around Phuket and further offshore in the Andaman Sea. In the U.A.E. around Dubai and Sharjah, the shallow waters of the Persian Gulf have wrecks teaming with Angelfish and Snapper! In the Mediterranean there is something for everyone from Spain, Italy, Greek islands, Turkey, Sardinia and also Majorca to Malta and Croatia to Cyprus. Just around the corner, scuba diving in Canary Islands offers some surprisingly good diving with their volcanic origins evident in the underwater landscapes. Heading West; some locations like Stuart Cove’s in Nassau, offer fish feeding experiences of Sting Rays and Reef Sharks as added attractions, whilst other dive sites in the Caribbean, such as the Cayman Islands, (Grand Cayman and Cayman Brac) are well known for close encounters with turtles or dolphins.
However, there are also wrecks both old and new to explore; some with an unknown history behind their sinking and others with a story to tell. Barbados has a long history as a port, with many easy wrecks to dive in Carlisle Bay, or the SS Stavronikita a.k.a. “The Stav.” sunk in the marine park on the West coast and is now a home to many fish and soft corals. There is also the attraction – however unlikely – of diving a previously undiscovered wreck and discovering treasure! For many SCUBA divers, wreck diving offers the best of both worlds as they effectively become artificial reefs and become a home to reef fish, soft corals and sponges. For more information on specific locations, the following link http://www.divernet.com/travel/destinations.html includes reviews and reports - by region - from around the world.
The basic SCUBA qualification is the Open Water Diver course, where you study both the theory and learn the skills needed to safely enjoy the sport. Then it’s off to Open Water to demonstrate your competence and comfort to qualify for your “C” (certification) card. It is possible to do the Open Water course during your holiday, but getting the qualification before you travel leaves you free to enjoy your vacation. Once you’ve qualified, there are many specialities available http://www.divehorizons.co.uk/courses.html to help you enhance your underwater experiences. Like many adventure activities it’s also important to keep your skills up to date, so if you’re off on a vacation soon, taking a refresher session in the pool is a good way to prepare for your trip.
Author and Scuba Instructor – Nick Valentine, DCSI 32183