Learning to dive is something I’ve always found excuses to not learn how to do. Something always comes up. I don’t have the money, I don’t have anyone to go with, I am too busy, I’ll learn when I get to Thailand, etc, etc. The list goes on and on.
Traveling Fiji with Gary from Everything-Everywhere, I was finally pushed, prodded, and cajoled by him to go scuba diving. “If you don’t do it, I’ll make fun of you on Twitter,” he said. With the thought of public embarrassment and the promise he’d come on my first dive, I relented. I was going to learn to scuba dive.
Making our way down the island chain, we found a dive shop on the island of the Waya Lai Lai. The dive master, John, had been diving for 13 years and the surrounding area had some of the best diving in the Yasawa Islands. There was no better time or place to learn.
Dive day came, and the instructors took Gary, a French girl, and I on a shallow dive across from the island. They taught us how to breathe, equalize our ears, put on our gear, and what to do in case of emergency. I took a depth breathe, asked not to get the bends, grabbed the instructor’s hand, and began to descend.
We began the dive on the surface, and I felt I was there for ages. I felt like I was descending. Then I stopped and looked around. Whoa! I was underwater. I looked at my gauge- I was 5 meters underwater! We continued diving down, reaching a depth of about 9 meters. The area had some good coral, but the fish were small, though their colors were amazing. And then, before I knew it, it was over. The air was gone, and it was time to come up.
Reaching the surface, I was grinning from ear to ear. “Can we go again?” I asked. And there it was. I was hooked. Back on the shore, I went to John, and said simply “you were right. I loved it. I’ll do the PADI course.”
Later that afternoon, we went out on our second dive. My new dive buddy was Irina, a wily Portuguese girl who had also decided to learn on the spur of the moment. John took us out and taught us some dive skills. I was most nervous about taking off our regulators underwater. I’m still worried I’m going to get the bends.
In order to get a PADI open water license, you need to do four dives. Besides getting over my fear of breathing underwater, it turned out I was going to get over my fear of sharks. Once while in Belize, we went to a reef filled with nurse sharks. I refused to get in. I don’t do sharks. Even if they are harmless. And what was dive number three? Shark feeding.
Turned out the sharks weren’t my biggest problem. About 10 meters down, Irina tried to kill me. Maybe it was all the Latin ghetto booty jokes her friend Paco and I were making on the boat ride over. Maybe it was a dive lover’s quarrel. But about 10 meters down, a fin flapped in my face and out came my breathing regulator. Panic came across my face, but remembering my skills, I quickly found my backup unit and put in my mouth. John lunged over to my side to help me out. After a few minutes relaxing and calming down, we moved on. Diving down to 20 meters, it is easy to see why everyone loves to dive. Snorkeling has nothing on diving. The amount of fish you see, the beautiful coral, the amazing colors. I got to see Nemo up close and personal. And those reef sharks? Turns out, they really are harmless.
Fiji allowed me to cross off one of my travel goals. I don’t know what I was afraid of before. Diving is easy. All you need to do is breathe in and out. The likelihood of anything going wrong is slim to none. I was always up before my air ran out and as long as you stay calm, you’ll be alright.
Diving in Fiji is cheap. My first “discover scuba” dive cost $99 Fijian dollars. When I got my open water dive, it was only $550 Fijian dollars and included four dives. Most one tank dives in Fiji are around $130 Fijian dollars. At Waya Lai Lai, if you dive more than twice, John drops the price down to $55 Fijian dollars per dive. That’s about $30 USD for a dive! Talk about cheap! In fact, if you do learn to dive, make sure you do it in a place like Fiji, Thailand, or Bali. You’ll pay half as much as you would in places like the US, Australia, or the Caribbean.
If you haven’t learned to scuba dive, you should. As much as I always wanted to do learn, I always found an excuse because I was just scared. It turns out diving isn’t that scary, and it’s really easy to breathe under water. Go scuba dive. If I can get over my fear, you can too.
I really enjoyed this story…thanks for sharing. My husand and I are going to Hawaii in October and he is really pushing to learn how to scuba dive when or before we go. We live on the gorgeous Gulf Coast, but like you, I am afraid of sharks. Deathly afraid. Discovery Shark Week makes me sick to my stomach. But this article gives me hope…maybe, just maybe, I will work up the courage to go.
Yep, it’s that quick and easy. My foray into scuba was similar about three years ago in the Maldives. And thanks to Gary’s recs, I think I’m now eschewing a Fiji honeymoon for a Borneo one instead!
Go to Fiji!!! Recommend it. The Yasawas may be not be a honeymoon place but they rock!
I’m on my way to Kho Tao to do the open water course – hope I enjoy it as much as you have.
Sounds like fun Matt! I have doctor’s orders not to go scuba diving, but I may just break the rules someday.
Wish I had taken my scuba test when I took the class a few years ago
Great article! I have only snorkeled, would love to scuba. Have you seen Jean-Michel Cousteau Fiji Islands Resort? Sure it cost more but looks amazing.
My dive experience was similar to yours but did it off Isla Rosario, near Cartagena, Colombia. It was a spontaneous decision based on convenience: the opportunity was there, I had some extra money, why not? And, wow, was it ever worth it. You’re so right when you say snorkeling has nothing on diving. The two don’t even compare. Being immersed, so to speak, in the environment makes for a surreal experience, like flying in a dream.
My course was a “flash course”, or 30 mins of instruction and then diving without the certification course. It wouldn’t have allowed for open water diving, but it didn’t matter. The corals and fish were breathtaking where we were.
Even in my discover dive, I knew there was a lot to offer. I recommend getting the PADI.
Yeah I totally have that fear thing going. Not sure when I’ll be trying that out. But glad you did!
You always seem to be in Mexico. Why not do it there?
I have the scuba course books sitting on my shelf. No reason not to read it and go find a course. I know I will probably have to do it alone, and that is a fear for some reason. Thanks for the article!
Well done Matt, so glad to hear you loved it!
Just one note – you CAN learn to dive cheaply in the Caribbean – at Utila in Honduras I paid US$249 for my open water course, and that included 4 nights free waterfront accommodation, and two more free dives after I’d finished my course. And the diving in Utila is amazing, it’s one of the few places in the world you can reliably see whale sharks at the right time of year.
It’s also a really great fun place to hang out, it’s a very friendly island.
Last summer I also got my PADI in Malaysia. I had never thought I would like it that much ’cause I’m not that much of a water person.
But you’re totally right, once you’re over the fear of breading under water it’s amazing and time has never flown so fast.
Geoff is totally right, Honduras is supposed to be the cheapest place on earth to get your PADI.
Congratulations Matt! It’s always so liberating to push past a fear.
I want to scuba dive but I am afraid as well. I don’t know why, I was swimming before I was even walking but it still scares me. I think learning to surf has given me such a respect for the ocean that it has created some irrational fears. Something about being dragged under the water and not knowing which way is up or if you will get a next breath makes you realize how truly dangerous the ocean can be.
I hope I can get over my fears like you did because it’s such a beautiful world and I would love to experience it without a snorkel mask.
Do it! Do it!
Great article. I love scuba in the pacific. Grand Cayman is my favorite. Thanks for sharing.
Oh, good for you, Matt! I chickened out at my chance in Mexico, but hopefully will get the chance when I head to Australia this summer.
When will you be in Oz?
I really appreciate this one, Matt. I’m utterly terrified of sharks…even pictures of them. But reading this is encouraging. I love swimming, so maybe I’ll get up the courage to go diving someday soon. Thanks.
I hope you do it! I’m glad I did it.
That is really cool that you could overcome your fear and go scuba diving. I’m going to try to remember that when I am going bungy jumping next week…. because I’m definitely more than a bit scared but at the same time know it will be worth it.
I definitely recommend learning to dive in a place like Fiji or Thailand, not only for the cost savings, but also for the comfort and what you’ll see. I got certified in Monterey, California. The instructors were excellent but the water was freezing! Not only that, but it was so murky that you couldn’t see anything, making you wonder why on earth everyone raves about diving. Several years later I started diving in Thailand -what a difference! Not only is the water clear and warm, but the colors of the fish, coral, sea horses, are incredible. That’s where I got hooked on diving.
You’re right, once you start it’s hard to stop. Enjoy!
When you two leave the wonderful world of South America, we’ll go diving.
I laughed out loud about Gary’s threat to expose your fear to your Twitter buddies. Funny thing is, it’s a real threat in these days of social media!
This really takes me down the memory lane Matt – from when I had a month vacation in Australia in Des/Jan. Quite exotic to a Norwegian you know – because:
1: It was winter and -20C back in Norway
2: It was the most colourful under water adventure I’ve ever had.
Happy weekend
Good for you, Matt, for conquering your fears. It’s funny to think that someone that travels alone and that is as adventurous as you are is afraid of anything. I love your site, by the way – I found you through Twitter and have been reading your posts all day long.
Good for you Matt!
I’ve been diving once before in Malaysia (also a cheap and awesome place to dive) and struggled with the breathing at first. But once I got that sorted and under I was hooked too!
I want to dive the Great Barrier Reef whilst here in Oz but am a bit concerned about the price.
Beautiful post, Matt! Embracing fears can be one of the most exhilarating travel experiences. Skydiving is one fear I’ve been trying to overcome for years. Thanks for the inspiration!
Ahhh grinning ear to ear! It only takes one time!! haha
Did you rent an underwater camera? Buy a disposable?
I really enjoyed this post! If you get a chance give Borneo a try, Sipadan is really amazing and the muck diving in Mabul is pretty terrific as well!
I hear you loud and clear. I tried a tandem dive in Brazil and am hooked. Since you mention Thailand, I might do my PADI course there. The other plan was Utila (Honduras). And I’m a really weak swimmer! Go figure. Hope you straightened out latina gal.
Matt, Glad you enjoyed the experience and you have opened a whole new world of possible adventure travel. I have some notes on editing photo’s taken underwater which you may find useful. Pls could you email me and I’ll send them to you.
Cheers
Kim
“If you don’t do it, I’ll make fun of you on Twitter,” he said.
That’s too funny! Surely a good enough reason to stop making excuses and just go diving.
Both Jeff and I got certified while traveling this past year. We did the course with Turtle Bay Divers in the Perhentian Islands in Malaysia. I’d highly recommend doing it there (inexpensive, great instructors, amazing diving). A few weeks later we went diving off Ko Phi Phi and that was spectacular. (Though we dove in during the middle of a huge storm, which I have to say was a bit scary. Underwater all was calm though.) In March, we’re heading to Colombia, and diving is definitely on the itinerary. Congrats for conquering your fear. I too wasn’t sure if I’d like it, but I’m addicted now. It’s simply awesome.
I’m hooked. I can’t wait to go dive in Thailand now!