The world under the sea

CEBU, Philippines - Nothing could come close to how I felt when I first encountered the vastness of the ocean. I saw beautiful things that I previously thought were something that could only be seen in books and magazines. I was so amazed by what this other world offered.

A new world opened right before my eyes. I didn't expect it to be like that - oh so inspiring.  A kind of fulfillment like no other. An experience that would make anyone look forward to another chance, for yet more wonders to discover. It was certainly one of the best activities I had ever gotten myself into, so far.

It even saddened me somehow that I came to try something so wonderful so late. I should have tried it sooner. I thought about the many lost opportunities for doing it.

I'm talking about diving - scuba diving. Scuba diving satisfies my quest for adventure. I have tried mountain climbing and biking but didn't get hooked with them the way I am to scuba diving.

It all began with curiosity. I wanted to know what it was like to be in the middle of the ocean - to be deep in the water. Then I came to know, through word of mouth, Mr. Emeterio Bonghanoy, who was teaching for the Confederation Mondiale des Activites Subaquatiquesan (CMAS), one of the world's oldest underwater diving organizations. Sir Emi owned dive boats that he stationed at places where he also operated a dive shop.

On our first meeting I was amazed by the way Sir Emi looked. I saw a man whose skin was almost burnt tan, maybe because of his constant exposure to the sun. Although very humble, it was clear that this man was a master of his craft. I signed up with him.

I invited some friends to join in, which they did. We started with the basic Open Water Course, where Sir Emi taught us fundamental water skills as well us safety consciousness. He emphasized that it was important to always have a buddy when diving, even when one is already a certified diver (meaning with proper CMAS certification), in which case the buddy has to be of equal qualification, too.

Further on, we were taught the other basic skills, like proper equipment assembly and disassembly, pre-dive safety check, regulator clearing, regulator recovery, mask clearing etc. The importance of communication was emphasized, too, especially the standard hand signals for underwater interaction with one's buddy. To any newcomer, like I was at the time, it could seem like rocket science.

At the start, I had trouble with buoyancy (I didn't even quite get what "buoyancy" meant at first). But, by and by, I learned to control my breathing by inhaling deeply and continuously and never holding my breath, which is a crucial skill in scuba diving. But I still had to learn "equalizing," which was difficult on a first dive since water is denser than air such that pressure increases as the diver descends.

It is common among new divers to encounter problems in any air-filled spaces of the body, like the mouth, ears, para-nasal sinuses and lungs. There's the so-called Valsalva Maneuver to remedy the discomforts, though, which is to pinch the nose and blow gently with a closed mouth. It sounds simple but is actually not so easy to master.

Obviously, there are risks to face in scuba diving. The human lungs do not function naturally when the body is underwater. Extended dependence on the breathing gear can cause narcosis, from the nitrogen supply in the air tank. Under pressure, nitrogen dissolves into the body tissues and starts to accumulate, forming "bubbles" inside the body. This is called decompression sickness or the "bends."

First of all, scuba diving training and equipment cost money. Not to discount the need for extreme boldness of spirit in the diver. But why does one want to dive?

It is a completely different world a diver finds underwater. There is overwhelming beauty down there; one can't help but be awed by the magnificence of God's creation. It is a rare privilege to be able to come face to face with creatures that can't be found anywhere else.

The depths of the ocean bring a surreal feeling. The taste of the water, the grunting of a fish, the sound of the stream of bubbles from one's own breathing and of the boat engines above seem to work together to bring a peculiar kind of high. Sound travels about four times faster underwater, so the diver gets to hear more of the world down there.

I'm a medical technologist by education. But spending time in the medical laboratory for sure won't compare with the experience of diving. Or even if I were a professional journalist, I probably won't have the exact words to describe the feeling.

Scuba diving has become a habit with me. A hard habit to break. I just can't resist the lure of the fantastic world under the sea!

TRIVIA

SCUBA means Self-Contained Underwater Breathing Apparatus. It used to be that divers had to be connected to an air hose through which air was pumped down from the surface. But scuba changed all that, giving divers more freedom to move about underwater. The air contained in the metal air tank or cylinder is 21% Oxygen and 79% Nitrogen and 1% of other gases whose only purpose in the mix is simply to simulate ambient surface air.

The B.C.D. (Buoyancy Control Device) jacket, the inflatable diving vest, allows divers to control their buoyancy underwater. It is attached to the air tank and works like a backpack.

The Regulator controls the pressure and supply of air from the tank, through a hose, to the diver by way of a mouthpiece.

Divers use Weights made of lead to compensate their buoyancy. Some of these weights can be placed into pockets in the BCD jacket for wearing convenience. If not, there are also special belts designed for carrying these weights.

Everything looks 25% percent bigger and 25% closer underwater.  The diving Mask covers the diver's eyes to let him see clearly underwater, with a nose pocket to prevent water from entering the diver's nose.

Divers use Snorkel, a tube for breathing, while swimming on the surface so as to spare the air in their tank.

Fins, the paddle-like shoes, give the divers more power underwater.

The Wetsuit, which is made of rubber material, helps keep divers warm underwater and as skin protection from cuts or scratches.