When I say scuba diving what’s the first image that pops into your mind? Water? Fish? Drowning in water as you’re eaten by fish? (Sometimes I think of a monkey playing a music box but that hasn’t much to do with what I’m saying…)

Ursh loves diving and one of the woes of her existence is that I never took it up as well. She can’t understand why I wouldn’t want to do it? There are so many reasons I should!
So shall we explore those reasons?

1. Ear and other injuries aren’t that frequent:
In fact an experienced diver seldom gets any injuries of any sort! Well Yay for the Experienced Diver!
That’s where they catch you. Experienced. I know me, I get injuries just thinking about maybe thinking about maybe getting injuries. I’m the one who’ll end up being the textbook case of ‘What Not To Do Ever Again In That Situation!’
IT wouldn’t be the first time.

2. Seeing all those frisky fish:
Sure you get to see some awesome fish and sea creatures underwater. You also see them at the Aquarium. It’ll cost less in the long run and you’re rather unlikely to get an eel trying to shake hands with its teeth!

3. Diving is doing something together:
So is going to the aquarium.



4. Scuba gear is only heavy on land:
The water then supports all your gear and you are A for Away. Of course you have to still get to the water! Now I’ve had a watermelon on my back (See previous blog – Extreme Sport???), and I can tell you that the air tank alone is that heavy! Now I am a small female with the upper body strength of a syphilitic kitten and I have to lug one of those things to the water? I’m more likely to stand up, fall straight back down and then wiggle like an upside-down beetle until someone cuts me free. (Which they won’t do until they’ve had a good laugh and popped a video of it on YouTube, I know my friends…)

5. You feel the water enshrine you, what bliss:
Apparently it’s like another world there, where you are weightless and graceful and encompassed by fishy beauty. Me thinks that sounds like a nice warm bath! (Just without the warm and heavy on the sea weed). I’m easy to awe; a big banana can make my day, with the added bonus of not making me snort 6 liters of water before hand. Besides I can swim and then TADA, magical moments on demand!

6. Your chances of being eaten by a shark are slim:
I have no fear of sharks. (They’re not too good on the stealth and attack bit when on land). And I know the chances of being eaten by one in the water is slim. But I also know my chances of being indecently assaulted by sea slugs or stepping on the one and only deadly Rock Fish for 12 miles are significantly higher. As with injuries, when it comes to weird (it will be), painful (for me), amusing (for onlookers) attacks by aquatic animals, it will be Jo who gets dragged off to the brimy deep with a pod of over enthusiastic dolphins.



7. You have plenty of air in your tank
You have even more air on land.

But don’t get me wrong. I think diving is a lovely sport… for someone else! I’m only too happy to stay on land and watch others go off into the big blue, secure in my knowledge that I’m safe and warm and unlikely to suffer crippling Bends from nitrogen bubbles in my blood that yes, even experienced divers can get, so there!

Would anyone like to go to the aquarium with me?