When you hear diving, you normally think of diving head first into a pool of water, but diving can also mean something much deeper:scuba diving.

Scuba Diving can be considered a hobby by many people, but it’s actually an abstract sport. With scuba, you can explore the unexplored and see things that people swimming on the surface will never be able to encounter. The best thing is that you acquire the ability to breathe under water!

Getting certified as an open water diver isn’t as difficult as it seems- as long as you can float and swim well. The basics are pool training, open water training, and a writing test. These three components can be completed in a time span of 4-5 days, depending on what company you choose to take classes from. Whichever company you choose though, it is ensured that you will get certified with PADI, which is the Professional Association of Diving Instructors. Once you’ve completed the course, PADI will issue you certification that will last an entire lifetime. There are also different levels of scuba diving: open water diver, advanced open water diver, rescue diver, and instructor diver. If you become an open water diver, you can keep advancing in your levels and potentially become an instructor as a hobby in the future.

Though I’ve personally only been a diver for a few months, I am hooked! I was able to make my first vacation diving trip over the summer to Okinawa, a southern island in Japan. It was a thrilling experience and enabled me to see so many interesting creatures that live in corals along the ocean floor. Not just that, but I learned about certain features of the ocean and its complete environment.

If you’re looking for a new and a bit thrilling activity to occupy your time, I definitely recommend trying out scuba diving. If you don’t want to be certified yet, you can try adventure diving the next time you’re on a tropical trip. Adventure diving is a one-time diving experience for people who are interested in trying out the sport before committing to get certified.

Especially if you live in a coastal area or right by a beach, take advantage of it! You never know what you’ll find in the water.

For more info on getting certified, visit PADI’s website or a local scuba diving shop.