Did you know that the acronym SCUBA stands for 'Self-Contained Underwater Breathing Apparatus'?
Well, I didn't, not at least till the day we started exploring scuba diving options in Andamam.
The beautiful islands of Andaman offer some great opportunities for scuba diving in the waters of the Andaman Sea adjacent to the Indian Ocean.
Winter months from November to April are ideal for scuba.
There are many locations that have been earmarked for scuba in Andaman, including coral reefs in Havelock and Neil Islands. When deciding our itinerary for Andaman, we chose Neil Island as our destination of choice for scuba.
Our reasons for choosing Neil Island were,
One, Neil Island has fewer crowds compared to more active tourist destinations like Havelock and
Two, Neil is known for its white sandy beaches, bio-diversity and rich coral reefs and fewer mangroves that help to keep the seawater clearer offering better visibility of marine life.
Scuba for first-timers
Like most people attempting scuba for the first time, we also had many questions in our minds about the safety procedures and expertise of the agency conducting scuba dives.
We also had to take into consideration the fact that both of us, my husband and I, are very basic-level swimmers, that too in the swimming pool. Swimming in the sea is a totally different ballgame.
After some deliberation, reading lots of reviews and going through some information on the internet, we decided to enrol for scuba with DIVEIndia at Neil Island.
DIVEIndia is considered to be one of the best scuba diving agencies in terms of safety and expertise. The moment we stepped into the 'DIVE India' Neil Dancing Dugong Resort, we knew we had made the right choice.
The resort has a reception area, independent cottages, a cafeteria and basic changing facilities before your venture into the sea.
Apart from all this, there is an air of familiarity and warmth that greets you there. The instructor casually tried to prod us about our preparedness for the dive the next day.
I told him that I was nervous and apprehensive about breathing underwater. This worked like an ice-breaking session before the dive.
Morning of the Dive
The morning of the dive was bright and sunny, we headed to the jetty area, slipped into our wetsuits and followed the instructors into the waist-deep shallow water for our training session.
Each diver is assigned an expert diver/instructor on a one-on-one basis. The knowledge that there would be an expert diver, one for each of us, by our side throughout the dive was really reassuring.
The training before the dive
Let me start by saying that more than the dive itself, it was the training session that was unnerving me.
But let me also state, that by the end of that 40-odd minute training, we had grown familiar with the breathing apparatus called the Regulator and the Fins that are attached to the diver's feet.
During this training,
- The instructors talked to us about breathing underwater,
- The signs that are used to communicate underwater
- Problems that might occur during the dive
- Addressed all our apprehensions and doubts that we had prior to the dive.
Basic concerns about diving
My major concern was that what if we panicked?
Did we have the leverage to come up to the surface and then go back again into the water? The answer that I got totally put my mind at ease.
The instructor told me that they would keep trying to make this venture a success till the time we gave up and did not wish to try anymore. I gave him a broad smile. This was the first time I had smiled all morning. I knew in my heart how desperately I wanted to make this a success.
There are 3 major problems that could arise underwater.
One, our ears could get pressurized as we go deep into the water.
Two, the regulator could slip out of our mouths.
Three, water could seep into the mask while diving.
The instructors very patiently simulated all the problems that could arise underwater and their redressal in shallow water.
Holding hands before the lift off into the sea for the dive
With this, we were set to take our first scuba plunge at the Lighthouse diving site, which holds the wreckage of an old lighthouse, about 5 to 6 minutes by speedboat into the sea.
We were made to sit in the boat with our backs facing the sea, the bulky oxygen cylinder strapped to it. Our adventure started the moment our backs hit the surface of the water.
Waiting to be thrown into the water on my back on the count of 3...2....and 1..
Once we went Underwater
Once underwater, the first few moments are disorienting since the body suddenly feels weightlessness around it.
There is a slight discomfort in the ears too.
I had to pinch my nose to equalize my ears. This is a must otherwise the pressure can lead to ear pain.
A minute or two into this awkward feeling, if you let yourself relax, the surroundings grow on you and you eventually start enjoying the mesmerizing underworld of the sea.
Trying to apply what we've learnt in the last 40 minutes above water!
I had been telling myself repeatedly that no matter what, I was not going to panic. I think the brain registers things it's told again and again.
So, after the briefest moment of panic when I suddenly realized that I was actually in the deep sea in the middle of nowhere, I quickly bounced back and started focussing on the stunning marine life all around.
My husband had to clean his mask twice to flush out the water. It's easy and doable.
It's therapeutic to watch nature with its wonders go by, and even more therapeutic to do it in the calm depths of the sea.
We saw huge schools of colourful fish, yellow, blue, purple, and many more, all floating by oblivious to the presence of any visitors.
The show put on by this turtle, called Bob the Turtle, as I learnt later, was spectacular. I think the turtle knew that it had an audience waiting for it to perform.
Joining hands in awe of the Almighty for his wondrous creations!
Our outing in the sea lasted a good 49 minutes. The icing on the cake was that at the end of the dive, we got a Basic Diver Certificate from SSI (Scuba Schools International) to recognize our completion of the SSI Basic Diver Introductory Program.
What we saw, and how we felt during the dive can be summed up only in one word - humbled.
Humbled by the thought that we are but a speck in this vast creation which is not dependent on us and not affected by our presence, not in the least! We are a visitor in their domain and not the other way round. Let's never ever forget that!
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