My Scuba Diving Journey | Four Reasons I Want To Complete My Padi
Just under two years ago my friend started doing some scuba diving intro lessons at a pool not too far from us and I popped along to give it a try. My first week didn’t go all that well as I couldn’t breathe through the apparatus properly and then had a mini panic attack (the concept of breathing underwater is a strange one), but this didn’t stop me. I went back to the same group a few times but I just couldn’t commit to going every single week as I knew it would take me forever to build up my skills underwater and move to complete my PADI qualification.
I decided to look into day courses so I could learn and practice everything in one day and found a diving school about a 45-minute drive away from me. I proceeded to spend hours doing all of my theory work so I could get that signed off before I went in for the practical aspect and back in August 2016 I headed to the London School of Diving in Chiswick on a Saturday for a day course. Everything went well during the day, I didn’t panic and although I still hated taking my mask off underwater I did manage it so everything was signed off and I went on my way.
You have to do four outdoor dives in order to sign off on your PADI which will see you repeat all of the skills you learnt in the pool in a real outdoor situation alongside a little free swimming. The dive school planned this as two dives on a Saturday and two dives on a Sunday so I needed a full weekend that I could commit to doing this and as the type of person I am, I couldn’t book in until November. As the day rolled around I headed to the dive centre to get kitted up with all the gear before heading to Wraysbury near Heathrow.
Now as it was November we had to use a drysuit which is something I’d never used before and made me feel a little like the Michelin man, which when you’re already on the larger size didn’t help with my movement. From the moment I headed into the water, I just didn’t feel comfortable in my suit but also in my skills as a diver. Due to the weather, location and number of people the water in Wraysbury was pretty murky so much so that anything more than a metre or two away was just hazy which led me to feel a little anxious anyway.
Photo by Sonnie Hiles on Unsplash
The first time I went down my mask kept filling up with water and no matter how much I cleared it, it just happened again and it caused me to feel very uncomfortable as I basically couldn’t see. It turns out it was caused by the hood I was wearing (another item I’d never worn before) which kept catching on my mask. After trying a few times under the water I was just cold and miserable and knew that at that particular moment it wasn’t for me so I bailed out, but it’s something I’ve always wanted to come back to especially considering I bought some of the equipment.
Reasons why I want to complete my PADI
- To prove to myself that I can do it
I don’t like failing at things and currently, that’s how I feel so I want to complete my PADI just to prove to myself that I can do it. - To be able to go on dive weekends with my friend
One of my friends is PADI trained and doing further qualifications and a few of my other friends are starting to learn and I’d love to be able to go away with them on little dive weekends. - To feel comfortable diving when I am away
I’d love to have the option to go diving when I’m on holidays and while having a PADI isn’t always essential when you’re with an instructor I know I’d feel so much more comfortable if I knew what I was doing. - So it gives me an excuse to buy some pretty fins
I have most of the basic scuba equipment but fins are the one thing I don’t have and Simply Scuba have such an awesome range of them that I’d love to buy a set. I don’t think they’d get enough use out of just snorkelling alone so I’d love to be able to use them diving as well.
Have you ever tried Scuba Diving?
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24 responses to “My Scuba Diving Journey | Four Reasons I Want To Complete My Padi”
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All About Me
Rhian Westbury
Travels and Destinations
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That looks so good & your photographs are amazing. I’d love to go Scuba diving but I think I would panic. Do you feel in control? I really envy you to have the courage & ability to do that. Well done x
Great photos. What an amazing thing to do! Good luck with achieving your PADI.
Wow what an amazing experience. Not sure I would ever have the nerve to do this but I respect those who do. Your photos are gorgeous!
You can do it 🙂 I’m qualified as a scuba diver with BSAC and it took me a while to get used to taking my mask off and putting it back on as well. The first time I did it in a pool I freaked out, I still can’t bring myself to try to open my eyes without the mask on, but its got easier and I now feel comfortable clearing the mask when needed. Now I’m looking forward to doing the fun part of diving, especially abroad. Good luck 🙂
I’d love to go scuba diving, how amazing would that be. I’d love to see the fish and feel free, amazing.
You know you’ve done well when you go on ‘dive weekends’ that’s literally amazing! It’ll be such a great sense of achievement!
I’m too scared to scuba dive but would love to hehe
Oh my how fab are the photos!! I would love to do my PADI also. Scuba diving is the best experience and takes your mind to such a chilled place x
Good luck! My birth Grandfather is an amazing scuba diver, he does videos of his dives and they always look magical. The sea is an amazing place to be able to explore.
We scuba dived for the first time in Turkey and loved every minute. I would love to do a PADI course and we can do one locally but the thought of diving in our freezing waters puts me off lol
Sounds like an amazing experience! I have always wanted to go scuba diving
Do it while you can! My mummy can never do her PADI qualification after her lung surgery last year *sob* 🙁
This looks amazing good luck you know you can do it!!
Those photos are amazing and you sound absolutely determined to complete your PADI x
Honestly the thought terrifies me. I bet it is amazing diving in the ocean but I think the panic would take over for me!
Stunning your all pictures and article too really nice thanks for sharing n keep it up thanks a lot….!
That looks like a really fun thing to learn! Now I’m interested in learning this. Good luck to you and enjoy the learning experience of diving:)
I really hope you manaage to get it booked in soon. 🙂 You will ace it this time. 🙂
Although I am a very good swimmer (my hubby calls me a fish) I am terrified of the sea. I hate it. So diving has never appealed to me. My hubby on the other hand wants to do his Padi here in Portugal and he’s going to start looking into it now the warm weather is starting to return. Fingers crossed you get yours done, I admire you for doing it. I wish I didn’t fear the sea as much as I do x
Good Luck! I have never been scuba diving and think I would panic under water 🙁 Kaz
I’ve never been scuba diving. In fact I am an awful swimmer well done on getting so far and good luck in hopefully completing your PADI. x #bloggerclubuk
Amazing photos! What a fantastic thing to do.
I’ve scuba dived once in the barrier reef and loved it. I was petrified though. Not sure i’d fancy it in this country though as I’d want to be warm lol
These pictures are stunning, cant wait to go back scuba diving later in the year