There, I’ve finally said it… I’m bored with scuba diving. Now, before I hear the shouts of “you’re spoiled, don’t you realise how many people… blah, blah”, let me explain.
Kitting up for diving is hard work. It really is hard work; squeezing into a full suit, putting fins on with a scuba tank on your back, the tortuous walk before the giant stride and don’t even get me on exiting after the dive.
So, after all that effort, especially when diving reefs, you pretty much see the same things. Morays, anemone fish, butterfly fish etc, which I’ve seen so many times now that I now wonder if the dive is worth the effort.
Occasionally, you might get a glimpse of something bigger in the blue which signals great excitement in the group but I’m thinking ‘it’s only a shark, what’s the big deal?’
So, I’ve decided to come out, be honest and ask for help. I’m starting by listing everything that I hate about diving and then everything I love so here we go.
Scuba Diving – The Cons:
- Dragging all our kit everywhere (yes, I know I could rent, but I’m tiny and I never seem to find a rental BCD which fits).
- Kitting up – the effort and the indignity (let’s face it, pouring yourself into a wetsuit is not the most dignified thing to do).
- Walking in fins. In fact, anything to do with fins.
- Busy dive sites (I’m constantly worried that I’m following the wrong group).
- Safety stops (I’ve never quite mastered the skill of staying at one depth).
- Washing kit. It gets so heavy when it’s wet and this has to be done after the dive when I’m generally exhausted and hot.
- The early mornings. Having to set the alarm just to get to the dive shop at the crack of dawn and then hanging around for those people who can’t be bothered.
- Salt water – it wreaks havoc with nails and hair and no amount of cream or conditioner seems to help.
- Pretending I’ve seen what the dive guide is pointing too. (Do you know what I mean? Dive guides are great but it seems that their eyesight is so much better than mine.)
Scuba Diving – The Pros
We can do it together and it adds an element of interest to every holiday.- You meet some lovely people who you instantly get on with because you’re all divers.
- The weightlessness. Those moments when your buoyancy is spot on.
- The beer at the end of the dive.
- The exercise.
- The magic is sitting on the sea bed with the sun shining through the water lighting up the reef (think The Little Mermaid).
The Solution
I’ve never really enjoyed the organised dive group where you follow the dive leader relentlessly and just end up trying to keep up rather than enjoying the moment. I’d like to be able to ‘potter’ underwater, to please myself and stay shallow if I want to. I want easy diving and that’s what I’ve yet to experience. Bonaire might be the solution. You just rent your tanks, hire a pickup truck and off you go. Dive sites are signposted and it’s up to you how/when you dive.
So, that’s it. I’ve finally admitted it. Suggestions anyone?
Connect with me