Scuba Diving FAQs: The Non-Divers’ Curiosities (Part-1)

Non-divers tend to have different ideas, theories and perceptions about scuba diving. I call them The Non-Divers’ Curiosities – there are hundreds of them.

There are loads of questions that we, as certified divers, get to hear time and time again. These Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) though simple, once learnt, require one’s knowledge and experience to present the answers and explanations in a “lay man term” as opposed to the “language of diving” used by divers. Meaning: we have to deliver the answers and explanations in a way accepted and understood by the non-divers.

This series of articles will look at the most FAQs by the non-divers for example from our own family members, relatives and friends. And even total strangers that we meet at the airport, bars, subways, and bus stations, at seminars, office, coffee shops, on the beach and so on.

Please be reminded that the non-divers we are referring to here are those who have never heard, seen or experience scuba diving before. But there are also people (with the same frequently asked questions) who’ve heard about scuba diving before, but simply don’t have, yet, the time to get involve and participate in this exciting and fun-filled outdoors activity.

This article will try to present the answers in a simple fashion way as much possible so that whatever curiosities you, as non-diver, have on mind can be answered. Or if you are a diver and need to find the way to explain in a friendly manner to the FAQs, than use these discussions to help you.

I must let you know that the answers are based on my years of experience in scuba diving. I must also stressed that the answers to the FAQs discussed here, in this blog, can not be used as the ultimate answers to the FAQs that you, as certified divers, might come across in the future.

Ok, so, well, what are they: the Non-Divers FAQs? In this Part-I, well look at 3 most FAQs. I called it the typical FAQs:

1) IS IT NOT DANGEROURS?

Simple question isn’t it? Try looking away from this reading for a minute and see if you can give a convincing answer.

What kind of “dangerous” are you talking about? Scuba diving itself? Or being underwater? Or the dangers of getting suck to the deep aka abyss? by some sea monsters? Or the dangers of getting bitten by dangerous sea creatures?

Most of the time the questions are too general. As a diver, we are always caught in a dilemma – not knowing where to begin. So we need to know the angle of danger that we need explain here.

Overall, the answer to this question is: NO! Diving is NOT dangerous! Not at all. The top priority in scuba diving is SAFETY. Each diver is trained to prioritize and exercise safety at all times while engaging in scuba diving. I guess it is the same in every activity that we are doing – underwater or on land.

Diving requires divers to maintain good physical and mental fitness at all times. Dive equipments must be maintained and serviced. The air that we pump in into the scuba tanks must be pure, dry and filtered compressed air. We always dive with a buddy – never dive alone. We are trained to breath continuously and never ever hold our breath while on scuba – to avoid lung over expansions that can cause injury or even death.

Divers are trained to dive safely according to the standard set by the diving community. Here is a fact: scuba is rated as among the safest activity in world.

2) How long can you stay underwater with one scuba tank?

To help answer this question, we need to explain the effect of pressure in relation to the depth – how deep we go down there. The deeper we go, the more pressure we get because water has weight and therefore they exert pressure.

To determine the length in time that a diver can stay underwater, we need to understand the simple formula: depth = pressure = air. The relationship between these three elements will answer the question above.

Here is the lay man term: if a diver goes very deep, he will finish the air faster and so he/she will dive for a very short period of time under the water. If the diver keeps to the shallow water the entire dive, he/she will stay longer underwater. So one tank will longer.

But how long exactly can you stay down there in minutes with a single tank? Now this one depends on so many factors like the diver’s level of experience (experienced use less air, normally), the type of diving (strong current, underwater surge etc), diver’s lungs capacity (bigger lungs tend to use up air faster – normally applies to man divers) etc. So, there is no typical time or average time in terms of minutes for this kind of question. Really.

3) Aren’t you afraid of the sharks?

Sharks are not dangerous. They are of course on top of the food chain in the constantly wet and frenzy underwater world. The most dangerous of all is the one claiming the top spot of the food chain of the entire world – be it underwater or on dry land – human being. That’s us! The sharks’ fins soup maniac!

Sharks have been perceived as a dangerous creature. Movies, photo images and videos and other type of media have been delivering negative messages about sharks. Of course they, the sharks, are nasty looking creatures with the protruding teeth and so on but the fact remains intact: sharks are not dangerous.

Shark attack among scuba divers is very rare. It’s the same thing as tiger or lion attacks on visitors at the South Africa safari – very rare. Both are hardly unheard of.  Well, of course you don’t dive when you are bleeding profusely because sharks might mistaken you as a potential food – sharks are attracted to “dying prey”. Bleeding or injured fish (even other sharks) are considered as an easy food for other predators below the surface of the ocean.

The true fact is sharks are actually “afraid” of scuba divers – the human beings. Hammerhead sharks, leopard sharks and thrasher sharks are among the favourites. Divers are willing to spend thousands of dollars just to go and see these magnificent creatures. Every encounter with sharks is a dream come true and every moment has never been wasted – the divers will just sprint towards the sharks, like crazy, to get as close to the sharks as possible. The process of swimming too fast too close scares the sharks away.

Who is more dangerous now?

So far in this Part-I article, we’ve covered the 3 most typical non-divers FAQs. I hope the answers and explanations will give you a little bit of ideas. And I hope you can sleep well at night now that you have found the place for the answers to your scuba diving questions, doubts or what ever you might call them.

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Related posts:

1. Scuba Diving FAQs: The Non-Divers’ Curiosities (Part-2)
2. Scuba Diving FAQs: The Non-Divers’ Curiosities (Part-3)
3. Scuba Diving FAQs: The Non-Divers’ Curiosities (Part-4)
4. Mini survey: Questions About Scuba Diving That Have Been “Bothering” You