Learning to Dive in my Late 30’s
What Was I Thinking?
Learning to dive sounded like a great idea at first … but then the doubt crept in!
Do you ever agree to do something because it sounds fun and adventurous and that’s who you remember being … hell, that’s who you still want to be. But then you remember that you’re nearly 40 and haven’t been fun since you became a parent?
Well, that’s exactly what happened to me when I was given the opportunity to get my PADI Open Water Dive Certificate at the Hervey Bay Dive Centre.
Learning to dive seemed like a great idea, swimming around freely and ogling all the beautiful coloured fish over submerged wrecks. I dreamed of breathing freely underwater and spending a few hours with my husband without the kids.
(Although, I can’t wait to have them try out the bubble program as soon they turn 8 years of age. More about that further down!)
But you see, I lost most of my hair to an auto-immune disease last year and I haven’t looked good in a bathing suit for eight years. So when I pulled on that wetsuit nervously for the first time, ready to begin my first lesson in the pool, I was very aware that I was a chubby, bald woman in a tight wetsuit.
“You need to stick your butt out more!” ….
… This was the advice given by my cheerful and very patient instructor during a hilarious moment where I attempted to put a weight belt on in the water, only to roll over on my side in the attempt, half-submerged like a dead fish.
Fast forward a few more laughs and the lesson passed by quickly. I made it through without drowning!
You know what, turns out it was a great idea and I’m not too old and uncool to learn and experience something amazing and new….. and neither are you!
Stay tuned for my first attempts at diving in the ocean!
Information on Learning to Dive With PADI
For more information or to find your closest PADI dive centre, head to the PADI website. Each dive centre sets its own price and it varies significantly across destinations. Resorts dive centres in sought after areas will obviously be a lot more expensive.
Did you know that kids as young as 8 years old can begin learning to scuba dive? How cool is that!
Kids aged 8 – 10 years can opt for the Bubblemaker and Seal Team experiences. PADI Bubblemaker is a one day program in a pool or confined water with a maximum depth of two metres.
PADI Seal Team is a more extensive pool program for kids 8 and older that covers basic scuba diving skills in addition to fun activities such as taking underwater photos, practising buoyancy and learning environmental awareness.
Kids aged 10 years and over can enrol in the Junior Open Water Diver Course, which can be completed with the parents’ Open Water Diver course. Once junior divers reach 15 years, they can upgrade their junior card to a PADI Open Water Diver certification card.