GO! Smell the diving flowers
October 4th, 2007 by JimAny flower smelling divers out there? We have had the good fortune to kick our fins in Thailand, Sharm el Sheikh in Egypt, near by Oman, The Great Barrier Reef and the River Mersey over the years. Our honeymoon was spent diving at Siam World’s ocean experience in Bangkok!
Over at top dive blog the right blue, read about their lifelong experience of the ocean, some might call this a passion or an obsession. They call it ‘ocean devotion.’ Check them out and find out what ‘the right blue’ refers to!
Do share you comments dive wise here! What attracts you to diving? Any comments, thoughts or tales from the deep welcomed here.
Hi Flowers -
Looking forward to some discussions with your readers about diving and the ocean, and at The Right Blue. Thanks for linking to us.
I would love to be able to dive but unfortunately a fear of deep water stops me. For the moment at least.
I went to the Maldives with the intention of learning but only managed to snorkle my way round. Saw some cool fish though.
Me too Libby, snorkellingis about it for me-why go to all that trouble with wieghts, flippers and those suits? Am I missing something?
Libby and Sarah -
The important thing is to put on a mask so you can see all the wonderful things under the surface of the sea.
Bobbie
You surely are. Its a great experience and gives most people a much greater appreciation of the ocean and conservation of the things it contains.
Snorkelling is great but just not the same experience.
I’m with you Libby. I much prefer snorkelling. I have a claustrophobic fear of what is above me when I tried diving and hoped that what I saw would take my mind off things, but it didn’t.
Snorkelling brings to life the secret world below the surface like Bobbie says, and without the hassle of all the gear! Plus the fact you can have a glass of wine the night before without worrying about the effects of diving the nest day!
I have actually seen much more when I am snorkelling than diving.
You are not missing anything.
Love diving, especially for muff.
How subtle was that!
Any joy?
Sorry bloggers couldn’t resist it.
Had my PADI license for over 8 years now. Dived in Thailand with Jim as well as many other places, however I found Sipidan in Borneo to be the most outstanding. Even the barrier reef pales into insignificance next to this tiny island. You can still dive it but you can’t stay there anymore as conservation has rightly taken precedence.
What really narked me though is that I burnt all the photographs and video onto a CD that turned out to be of dubious quality even though it had SONY printed on it (one of the few things I hate about China - bad copies).
My two favourite parts where when I was on a drift dive at 28m on a sheer cliff face and 2m diameter turtles launched themselves out of their nests and into my face (literally) and Conga eels did the same. Gutted I lost the footage. However if admin ever allow us to post pictures I have a great ‘finding Nemo’ shot from the barrier reef and a wonderful scorpion fish shot from the Philippines I can share, as well as many others that are good. Yesterday I was in amongst a wreck and got a great sea bass shot (no kite surfing as the wind was too weak).
Anyone who hasn’t done diving, treat yourself, you won’t regret it.
Hi gareth in China -
We, too, have been to Sipadan. We went there when you could still stay on the island — that in itself was an adventure! — and it is truly a magical place to dive. We’re going to post a whole series about Sipadan in The Right Blue — including topside photos from the island as well as underwater shots.
Sipadan is where Jacques Cousteau’s documentary film ‘The Turtle’s Tomb’ was shot. The ‘tomb’ the title refers to is actually an underwater cave at Sipadan where there are numerous turtle skeletons. When I do the series about Sipadan, I’ll include some photos I shot in that cave — turtle skeletons, and one of a dolphin as well (poor thing).
Did you see a lot of sharks at Sipadan? We did! There’s a photo of a shark at Sipadan on our blog — August 10th entry titled “Have you seen any sharks?”
Bobbie
I also stayed there, yep saw some hammerheads but they were much deeper than I was, I prefer not to go too deep due visibility and the fact that it canes your air.
Was nice to see one of the responsible local dive masters end some other divers trip as the little buggers wouldn’t keep their hands to themselves.
However Mabul was a bit of a sorry sight with a lot of litter on the island.
I haven’t been able to dive for almost 15 years now so I’m deperately jealous. I adore how soothing diving can be. For the most part, sound is restricted to your own breathing and most movement is slow and considered. It’s like the most beautiful biofeedback mechanism possible. [sigh] Maybe someday I can get back to it.
You have got that one exactly right. For us, diving is the best stress reducer we know. It happens just like you say.
I hope you can get back to diving, especially since it’s obvious you’ve discovered this secret!
Bobbie
Great site Bobbie and I’m jealous of your diving stats flowers. Planning to do my Padi in Oman in 2008 but not that keen on confined spaces, tunnels underwater etc. Is that a requirement?
Dave — To us, diving is all about OPEN space. While we have been in some confined spaces under water (wrecks, tunnels, caves), most of diving is anything but confining. In fact it is quite liberating — both physically and mentally. Do try it!
Bobbie
DubaiDave
Unless you do the required extra courses you should not dive caves, wrecks, etc. You need to know the safety procedures.
Simply open water diving is a good enough experience.
Ok one thing that is not covered is ‘the bends’ -too much nitrogen in the blood? A myth of the old days or still a big risk over 18 metres?
Lemmy - Of course it is still possible for a diver to get ‘the bends’ because the laws of physics have not changed. By the way, ‘the bends’ has less to do with depth, and everything to do with ascent rate (but we’re not here today to give a whole lesson on dive physics!).
The good news is that, while the risk for decompression illness (bends) still exists and always will, we are much better able to manage that risk nowadays, thanks to newer technologies like dive computers.
Bobbie
Decompression sickness - the bends - is caused by poor discipline and not working out your pressure group profile correctly, as well as ascending too quickly. You are taught how to do this during your PADI training so you can plan your dives well and prevent this.
However Nitrogen narcosis is another thing to watch for and is similar to being drunk/drugged but is not directly harmful (although I have heard a tale of one guy taking his regulator out while narc’d). This is a phenomena caused by depth rather than bubbles in your blood and should you encounter it then the best advice is to reduce your depth.
Like most things, done correctly SCUBA is very safe, done incorrectly then there are risks.
Oh God I have lived a sheltered chlorinated life…
The closest to diving I’ve come to is searching for pennies at the bottom of my pool in the summer…..
One day though…one day
Morgan, don’t feel bad. When I began snorkeling (at age 10), the best place I had to do it was a lake, and the only things there were to see were a mud bottom, a few pebbles, and the feet and legs of waders.
Look at it this way: If your baseline experience is searching for pennies in a pool, it can only get better from there!
Bobbie
Great replies Bobbie, clearly an interest in diving here! Thanks for posting about us at your blog too.
When male flower Jim qualified with open water in 99 in Sharm (not 72 in Nam) he went with a group of hypnotherapists from Harley street in London, as a Guinea Pig to test if relaxation techniques could work underwater, to help get you through caves and go deeper than 18metres.
It worked, with the conecpt of trigger points being applied, for example, pinch thumb and forefinger together for a calm feeling when going through a cave.
So, Dave, Libby et al it’s well worth giving it a go and hey, start in a swimming pool / bath locally to get your confidence up. As Barry says, snorkelling is a great first step aswell.
Bottom line, when you relax, let the water do its thing and slow the breathing down and look at the awe around you (except in the river mersey) nature takes over. Well, nearly takes over, the wet suits do have their restrictions.
If you are not relaxed or are panicking - you shouldn’t be there.
If you need a bunch of hockum peddlars to get you though it - you shouldn’t be there.
If you are only open water qualified and heading for a cave - you shouldn’t be there.
Lung control and focus is all you need.
Have you been to Wrexham baths recently?
Wild Wadi at dubai is pretty fine and its mad I don’t at least dip my toe into the pool of diving.
You must have swimming baths locally that offer diving 101 or the basics or is Wrexham baths a bit dodgy?
It’s not that it’s dodgy DD, its just that Wrexham baths thinks that diving is an advanced sport.
‘male flower Jim’
no comment.
you big homm!
I have never dived but know that if I did I would no doubt be the best out there. But I can’t be bothered. I would however like to go great white fishing using dwarves as chum.
Sticks & stones.
Yawn.
I went diving in the Maldives and had to ‘buddy’ up with a boxhead. He’d only been diving for 3 months but had 40 dives to his name along with the Advanced certificate and Nitrox course. He paid an extra $500 to bring his kit with him and was on honeymoon ? his wife didn?t dive!
I had a chest infection so I missed a trip to a reef where he saw seven 4m manta rays all at once.
Hi, we went to the Maldives earlier this year and had a magical time, first dive we saw a manta, two turtles and a shark in the distance. Magical. Went on to do my rescue diver stage which was great fun and full of practical points that will help me be a better diver. Would reccommend it.
After the Maldives and the red sea two years ago, diving in the UK is a whole different world again……different but still great.
lol to my little Sis and her Jim xx
Shame, there’s always the nearby mersey or river dee for you angry!
And another point that I might share with you was our week diving in Lanzarote, Puerto Del Carmen. Fantastic! Didn’t go with too much expectation but found a great beach to dive from with some fantastic dive sites for all levels. Sea life was great too. I remember seeing one group of four returning ‘from the deep’ they each had twin sets and a further two separate tanks each……too much gear for me!
I just love to watch the marine life however big or small, it’s facinating, like the two moray eels out hunting over the rocks, a joy to just hover in the water and watch.
Cool…