Did you ever ask the question “What is SCUBA diving”  We will try to answer this question in this post for you? Did you know that scuba diving is one of the fastest growing extreme sports in the world today? Every year, millions of people go scuba diving, whether for a course, an introductory dive, or because they already have their diving license.

What is Scuba Diving?

When you go scuba diving you are going for a longer period of time underwater to enjoy the beautiful underwater world. Our body, however, is not made to be in an environment where there is no oxygen. If you are scuba diving, you use scuba gear to breathe, see and move.

People of almost all ages can practice this sport, but before you can dive, you must first learn to dive.

Scuba diving is mainly done for the attraction of the unattainable undersea world.  It is one area of nature that mankind has not been able to fully control, we simply are not able to breathe underwater.  Hence, scuba diving gives us an opportunity to be in that underwater world, even if it is just for a limited amount of time.

Of course, the underwater world is beautiful as well, with many people opting for scuba diving in Asia or scuba diving in the Red Sea or the Great Barrier Reef, said to be some of the world’s best scuba diving locations.  The different colors and marine wildlife are so impressive in all these locations that people find themselves returning over and over again.

Diving underwater is something that has attracted mankind since they figured out that there was a living world under the seas.  SCUBA is an abbreviation for Self Contained Underwater Breathing Apparatus, in other words, equipment to allow us to breathe underwater.

The air that is in the tanks is compressed air as we know it outside, so parts nitrogen, parts oxygen, and some other gasses as well.  Many people mistakenly believe that the air is pure oxygen, but that would actually poison the divers!  Because of the nitrogen in the compressed air, divers need to be very careful when diving to greater depths, as nitrogen narcosis can occur, which has the same effect as excessive alcohol.  This is easily solved by going back up to shallower waters.

The main thing to remember with scuba diving is that you need to be safe.  Do not go diving on your own and don’t be tempted into buying diving gear and simply giving it a go without the proper training.  Research some good diving schools if you want to go scuba diving.

Here is the list of all the essential scuba diving equipment for those who starting to scuba dive:

Mask

As the human eye was only designed to work properly in the air, not water, your mask is your essential window on the underwater world.

Regulator

A demand valve supplies air whenever you want to take a breath via the mouthpiece. You will also have a second demand valve – known as an octopus – which you or your buddy can use as an alternative air source. The regulator is attached by a hose to an air cylinder that you wear on your back.

Wetsuit or drysuit

Depending on where you dive – in warm or cold water – you will need a protective layer of clothing. In warmer waters, a wetsuit is used, which is made of a layer of neoprene rubber. This acts as insulation by trapping a thin layer of water next to the skin which the body then heats up. The colder the water, the thicker the wetsuit.

Buoyancy Compensation Device (BCD)

This is a streamlined jacket connected via an inflator hose to your air cylinder. At the surface, enough air can be injected into the jacket to keep you afloat while, underwater, small amounts of air can be added and adjusted so that you are neither rising or sinking – this is known as neutral buoyancy.

Weight belt/integrated weights

A weight belt worn around the waist is used to help a diver descend and stop them rising to the surface involuntarily. The weights also help to counteract the positive buoyancy of a diver’s equipment. Integrated weights can also be used with BCDs that have pockets.

Fins

Fins enable divers to swim underwater and allow a level of control and freedom of movement that would otherwise be impossible. There is a wide range of fins on the market but they fall into two types – full foot fins, most commonly used in the pool while training and strap fins, which are worn with boots.

Gauges

Attached by a hose to your cylinder, your gauge tells you how much air you have. Gauges also tell you how deep you are and can include a compass and temperature reading.

Dive computer

Your dive computer displays essential information about how deep you are, how long you have been underwater and how long you can safely stay at the depth you are at.

Torch

These come in all shapes and sizes. The deeper you go, the more light is filtered out by the water. Torches restore the natural color to coral and marine life and are good for general looking around.