Have you always wondered what it would be like to breathe underwater? To look at a reef full of fish in their own habitat? We know it’s common to have a few reservations when it comes to scuba, but we’re hoping to deflate some of those fears. 

Breathing underwater

Breathing underwater is a foreign concept to most. Especially to those who didn’t grow up with the ocean in their backyard. While you might not think about each breath you take on the surface, you’re more aware of the breaths you take underwater. The solution? Remain calm. Enjoy the relaxing sound of the bubbles flowing from the regulator. Soon enough, it will be second nature.

Open Water

Moving from the security of the pool into the open water for the first time can be intimidating. The solution? Practice, practice, practice! We offer unlimited practice time in the pool during your classes in order for you to feel comfortable, prepared and excited to explore the open water! You can also choose your destination to assure the very best conditions for your open water dives. Your first 5 open water dives are led by your instructor and are basically a repeat of your pool training. You’ll finish up by planning and completing a dive with your buddy as a certified dive team. Your open water dives are a continuation of your education so make sure to express any concerns to your instructor to have the best experience possible.

Communication

Obviously, you cannot talk underwater (except with a full face mask). This can make people feel nervous because of the lack of communication available. The solution? Hand signals! These are the most common way to communicate underwater. There are a lot of frequently used hand signals that are taught in the open water diver class to help communicate important messages to your buddy. 

Sea life

There are a lot of myths surrounding “scary” sea life, with sharks taking the #1 spot. The solution? They’re not as scary as they seem! Underwater creatures typically aren’t concerned with scuba divers. In fact, divers are often intimidating to them. Beyond that, diving generally takes place in well visited areas. Sea life become used to their bubble blowing friends stopping by for a visit. SSI offers several Marine Ecology courses to help you understand different types of sea life, where you can find them, and how they interact with their environment and divers. If there’s one in particular you’re uncomfortable with, you can avoid those waters! Simple as that.

Training

It’s normal to feel anxious to first inquire about scuba lesson and begin your first class. The solution? Find a training center and instructor you trust. Visit with the staff and see if it’s the right fit. We hope it’s us! But we just want people to love the ocean and it’s creatures as much as we do. 

Call us at (417) 624-0900, email us or visit us at Calypso to address any specific concerns we can help you with.

71% of the Earth is water and about 97% of that water is the Earth’s ocean. Let’s go exploring!