padi beginners Dahab

Dahab is an up and coming destination for European Divers, offering a plethora of dive sites from wrecks to lava swim throughs. However for many people the thought of scuba diving is enough to frighten them out of their wits, Clunky clobber, open water, sharks — scuba-diving ticks all of these boxes. However at the same time the draw of the ocean is difficult to ignore, the thought of swimming with dolphins and fish of every colour can draw anyone into a world of mystery and wonder.

Many people learn whilst on holiday in the Maldives or the Great Barrier Reef however with the increase in cheaper flights to Europe Dahab is becoming a more common place for UK travellers to learn to dive. A television presenter for GMTV was one of these people, claiming to be hydro, claustro and sharkophobic she was happy to say “Thanks, but no thanks” when diving was offered to her however with some special persuasion whilst filming in The Red Sea two years ago she decided to give it a go.
Accosted by the hotel diving instructor she was shown “some the most extraordinary images” taken right in front of her hotel, “it was impossible not to be impressed. Seeing marine life in books and on television is fascinating. Seeing things that are swimming beneath the waves in front of your hotel beach somehow makes them more tangible”. She finally decided to enrol on a padi beginners course.
Before she could see these images in real life there were 3 obstacles she needed to overcome; the fear of open water; a mask and breathing through a tube, and of course, the sharks. The padi beginners course would help her achieve this whilst easing all beginners into the water at their own pace. She was adamant that however much logic told her that great whites do not live in the seas around Mauritius “what if one got blown off course from Cape Town?”. A Life coach, Pete Cohen helped the presenter get to the bottom of her phobias, he simply posed the question: “Were you born with a fear of large expanses of water, small spaces and big fish?” The answer, naturally enough, was no. “You learnt them,” he said. “Picked them up from society and now you simply play them out in your daily life, and scuba- diving brings all three crashing together. You can dive; you just have to unlearn your fears.”
In order to get out the fear of diving it’s most sensible to give snorkelling a go either as part of a padi beginners course or before you enrol, banishing all thoughts of sharks and any threatening ideology. It’s not nearly as scary as you might think, after this an attempt at breathing through full scuba apparatus in a pool would be recommended. There is a lot of gear that comes with scuba diving however learning as part of a padi beginners course you will learn in bite-size chunks in a safe environment.
You will discover that the tank really does supply air evenly just like breathing on land and that the mouthpiece is actually rather comfortable, equally you will learn what to do if your mask becomes dislodged and fills up with water. The instructor of the padi beginners course will always be around to give you guidance and explain how everything works.
Once you have got over those issues as part of your padi beginners course you will then be ready to attempt either an open water dive of a dive within a local lagoon for example if you have a house reef which is particularly common in Egypt. Once you reach the dive site if on boat its likely you will be required to roll back off the boat, this is nowhere near as scary as you might think, once splashing in the water the marine world will become available to you. The first underwater experience in open water is likely to be a memory you will never forget.
Once under the water with the rest of the members of your padi beginners course you will notice the lack of sharks and hungry beasts coming to get you, but you will notice the mesmerizing multi-coloured fish swimming happily past you as if you’re not even there looking more extraordinary than any of Versace’s wilder designs. It is impossible not to be bowled over by the 360degree beauty around you, the intricate coral, the soaring rock structures, the unbelievable eels being cleaned by little prawns, and simply the utter peace of being there, hearing your own rhythmic breathing. The constant concentration on breathing and visual stimulation creates an environment that’s difficult to compete with, highlighting why scuba is so often compared to yoga.
When it gets to the time to ascent, you won’t want to leave – the experience is the most relaxing thing you will ever do and your first thought will be “When can I do it again?”
Dahab is a magical destination with the wonder of the red sea on its door step, offering a more romantic version of Egypt than the likes of Sharm it is perfect for travellers looking to relax and step out of the modern world.
To find out more about how you can take part in a padi beginners course across The Red Sea, Lanzarote and South Africa visit http://www.activediving.co.uk and quote: ART

Author: Emma Parker (22/08/08)

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