New Diver: To Get To Know Your Options

By Amillson On August 9, 2009 Under SCUBA, Scuba Tips

Photo: For Illustration Only.

It may take months or even years, after becoming a newly certified diver, to come to know your options that you can consider taking seriously. After the entry-level course was completed, you don’t really remember asking anyone or even yourself what to do next in terms of continuing your scuba journey.

A walking example is me (the author): I had a valid reason:- I was a university student by than. So I needed to give study a priority. But, what waited after that; I didn’t really have a clue. Just hang the wall certificate somewhere and be proud of the achievement? Boast to friends or relatives or anyone that I’m part of the biggest underwater community? That I’m an explorer of the deep? That I’m following the footsteps of the famous Jacques Cousteau?

That will be a big hahaha…

If you refer to my previous article The Scuba Diving Roadmap: Explained, I’ve explained the steps you can take to get yourself certified as a scuba diver and eventually become one of the member of the biggest underwater club in the world: the divers club. Whatever the reasons you’ve got, we all realize that the ultimate goal of it all, at the end of the day, is to have FUN. And it’s all up to the individual to define the word FUN… who knows you might have your own definitions.

In the scope of recreational diving, FUN could be (or should be) described as the ability to convert every actions or processes of the dive into a pure pleasure which are executed at your own pace and desire. So, stay active in diving. To do so, you need to know your options first.

Here are some tips on what you can do to be part of these FUN-lovers:

a) Signup for diving excursions with your dive shops

Do a few more leisure dives after your entry-level certification to build up more confidence and to fine tune your buoyancy – yes, you need to work hard on that swim-like-a-fish thingy. Practice makes perfect – remember? This is another great way to keep up with your diving skills.

Find out what kind of activities your local dive shop has to offer. This is especially true for divers who work and make living on dry land.

b) Signup for Continuing Education (Con-Ed)

To gain more confidence in diving, you can be further trained by signing up for advanced level certifications. You will be doing specific diving skills and tasks – no more of those taking the mask off and back on or recovering & clearing your regulator.

You will be doing exercises like deep diving, night diving, cave diving or wreck diving, dry suit diving and so many more. The list goes on and on…

c) Go on diving holiday

If you can afford the time and money, you should go on diving holiday and explore the world like you never dream or imagine before. The power of that certification card (that credit card-size card) of yours is unlimited.

Meeting new people and discovering new places are just some of the examples you can savor along the journey of scuba diving.

d) Become a member of a dive team

If you have a few months or even years to burn (depending on your long term plans), you should send yourself on a journey of a lifetime that is to become a staff of the biggest office in the world – the divers office – the ocean.

Eventually you will become a pro diver and before you become aware of it you will be living the lifestyle that not many can afford to do – the ultimate divers lifestyle.

Here is a fact, and its up to you to believe it not: many people gave up their normal pen-pushing work and turn their passion in diving into their full time career. Ask around if you are looking for the answer.

e) Build Your Own Diving Business And Network

You are a diver now, equipped with the knowledge and tools required and you speak the “language” of diving. So?

So, this is something you can seriously consider doing full time because scuba diving has become one of the key player in tourism industry.

Among other things you may venture in is to become a provider of products and/or services that will cater the needs of the ever-growing divers population.

Bear in mind that the options listed above are among other things you can do to keep yourself active in scuba diving. Participations in community projects or scientific research or archaeology works and many more can be considered as well. The options are unlimited!

Just remember that it is up to you to position yourself in the endless opportunities that scuba diving may present to you once you become a certified scuba diver.

Get more meaning in life through scuba diving: dive your UNLIMITED interests.