SCUBA and the City: Get your PADI
diving license at your local “City Dive Centre”
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I’ve been a PADI Professional SCUBA Diving
Instructor since 2013. I’ve lived and worked by at least 3
different Seas for nearly 3 years. I tasted the salt of the Oceans, bleached my
hair blonde with every day in the sun, and lived the picture-postcard life by
the beach… I was living a beautiful dream.
Then, I made the decision to
return to my hometown and spread the joys of SCUBA with my friends and
family. A SCUBA
Instructor in the city? How?! And why did I return to
teach SCUBA in a land locked place like Pune? How can one even imagine SCUBA in
Pune?
Well, I think, it’s the best
decision I’ve made! I may have confused you further but indulge me for a bit
and I will tell you why.
PADI (Professional
Association of Diving Instructors) is the single largest recreational SCUBA
diving federation which issues international SCUBA diving licences. What makes
PADI so amazing is the fact that they make it easy and convenient to learn this
wonderful sport. All “Beginner” SCUBA
courses start in a “confined
water environment” very much like pools (or shallow pool like
areas at the beach). Initially, eager students need to master their skills and
gain comfort in a safe & controllable manner.
9 out of 10 dive centres, WORLDWIDE, will start
these Beginner Courses at
their resort or dive centre training pool; even if they are based out of the
most exotic open ocean diving destinations.
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All OK: Getting started with training and skills in the PADI Open Water Diver Course
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Take the PADI Open Water Diver course for
example. It comprises of three steps (or modules) to finish and get your
International SCUBA license, FOR
LIFE! Two of these steps must be conducted in pool-like
(confined) and classroom conditions whether you begin your course in Pune or
the Andaman Islands or Philippines even. This is where I fit in!
It was perfect for me to move back to my
City. I now live amongst my family and friends and am happy to spread SCUBA
awareness in places where it’s most needed (or even where most people don’t
even think that SCUBA is an option). Our everyday and sometimes monotonous
routines can do with a little shaking up every now & then. What better way
to do that, than breathing
underwater & finding a hobby for life, or getting a
passport to another world altogether? Yes, that’s what your diving license is.
a passport to 70%
of your Blue Planet and an all-access pass to the Liquid World!
Whether it is to begin a
certification course, just experience SCUBA or refresh your skills (if you’re
already certified), I’ve found people tend to learn quicker and gain more
confidence starting off in the city.
What adds to their comfort is the fact that
they’re not in a
rush (on holiday, we are often short on days with multiple
things to do). This gives me as an Instructor the ability to really give personal attention to
each and every diver. Apart from saving
money and time on holidays, students who lack confidence
or need further
training sessions often benefit from signing up for these
sessions before heading to the Oceans for course completion (where all the
skills & theory learnt at the pool comes together for practical application
in the Ocean)
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Having fun on the course is as important as mastering the dive skills
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On the other hand, conducting the entirety of
the course by an ocean often means that students who do not perform well at
first, do not get the chance to improve their skills sufficiently. This leads
to an inability to complete their course successfully OR WORSE, being
certified even though they do not deserve it! It also means you have to do the
same studying, theory reviews & exams in the middle of your holiday!
We’ve all had days when frustration builds up
when we don’t get something straight away. I’ve noticed that performance based anxiety definitely
reduces in city based pool training. This makes the atmosphere
more learning
friendly and ensures that, as an Instructor, I can give
an education
quality which is not rushed.
This doesn’t mean I don’t “See
the Sea” at all. Travelling with groups of students aspiring to complete their
courses and certified divers wanting to explore new diving destinations is a
monthly routine:) Personally, I find this a lot more fun than meeting divers /
students at the destination, finishing the course and then hardly ever seeing
them again. Escorted
travel to various beautiful diving destinations is what
Absolute SUBA is also famous for. This allows a seamless transition to the
oceans for our students and allows me (as an Instructor) to really share my love and knowledge of our
Blue Planet to others.
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Being a Scuba diver means exploring 70% of your Blue Planet
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So look around for your city-based in-land
Dive Centre if you have one around you. You’ll find them an easy bunch of
people to speak to, hang out with and learn one of the greatest recreational
sports in the world from! Getting your SCUBA diving experiences were never
easier than today. So,
what’s stopping You?
Reach us to
claim your SCUBA certification or explore the underwater world with SCUBA
diving in India or abroad.
About
Absolute SCUBA
Absolute SCUBA is the brainchild
of two seasoned Dive Industry professionals, Seemant Saxena, and Siddharth
Pujari. Between them, they share a collective experience of over 15 years in
the Dive Training, Scuba Certification and Dive Travel business.
Want to experience SCUBA in the
City? Book your spot here
+91 9970983456 |+91 9860003456
Best
Fishes as always from all at Team
Absolute!
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