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    What is Scuba Diving & Do I Need to Be Certified to Try It?

    Scuba diving is the pastime for all those fascinated with the world we can’t control underwater. There are many who want to experience the beautiful colors and swim with the marine life deep under the water we can’t breathe in. Even if it is for a limited amount of time, many enjoy the sights that not many are able to see and others just like knowing they are breathing underwater.

    If you would like to see the full underwater ecosystem while being able to breathe, scuba diving is the perfect hobby for you. Seeing as it is just a hobby for many avid divers, no certification is needed. You would need to buy or rent some heavy gear, however. It is recommended that you learn how to operate the equipment before trying to dive because if something were to malfunction, you would need to know how to fix it. Though you do not need special training to go scuba diving, you do need it to go below 133 feet or you should at least have a specially trained diver accompany you. Technically, SCUBA stands for Self-Contained Underwater Breathing Apparatus meaning that “scuba diving” means diving with a tank of air. A common myth is that the air in the tank is compressed oxygen but that would be poisonous so it is a mixture of oxygen, nitrogen, and other gases we breathe on a daily basis.

    The scariest part of scuba diving is decompression sickness which occurs when a diver goes too deep too fast. Once they get back to the surface too quickly and they are exposed to the normal air pressure, the results are fatal. Going too deep can also result in nitrogen narcosis which produces effects similar to large amounts of alcohol.

    When it comes to being certified in scuba diving, for recreational purpose, no certification is needed until the restricted depth, but it is strongly recommended that you take a class to ensure you have accurate knowledge about the equipment. This is also so you can understand how fast you should be returning to the surface and how long you should stay so you can avoid decompression illness, a very serious condition. Another form of scuba diving is the famed swimming with sharks. You’ll be enclosed in a steel cage surrounded by sharks and allowed to experience the thrill without being in any real danger.

    Some of the most popular places to go scuba diving is in Asia or the Red Sea but there are also numerous artificial reefs made either to experimentally attract coral or to act as a reef preventing coastal erosion. Either way, these are made by deliberately sinking ships and are truly a sight to behold. It is a popular feat exploring sunken ships. Whichever thrill you are looking for underwater, make sure to stay safe as there are many risks associated with scuba diving and take a safety course before you attempt a dive so you know what you are doing before you head down.

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