The life aquatic

It would be wise for us young people to heed the advice of Iggy Pop and have a lust for life. We could live life to the fullest by taking up water sports, for instance.

We all know how it is in Boracay during summer: swimming here, boating there, and partying everywhere. When I went to Boracay recently, I did something for the first time. I went jet skiing (thanks to Yen Sanicas of Scuba World-Boracay). Call me a wimp but I got scared at first. It was probably because I didn’t want to fall off with my contact lenses on. Well, I was up for the thrill and rode on the Yamaha 800 jet ski. It was such a blast. I drove so fast and sped through the crashing waves. Awesome!

Dig this, Scuba World – the one-stop shop for diving rental, dive instruction, equipment sales, and tank refills – also offers water sports like jet ski, banana boat, and flying fish in Boracay. They have shops located in every station, with the latest one beside Boracay Regency.

Celebrities are also fascinated with the underwater world. Model Bianca King took an open watercourse with Scuba World in Boracay last April and is now a PADI (Professional Association of Diving Instructors)-certified diver. KC Montero took an intro dive. Amanda Griffin went on a diving tour to Tubbataha Reef with Scuba World’s Expedition Fleet Liveaboards. Who’s next, we wonder.

"We have this ‘Transform Your Life, Learn to Dive’ campaign," says Scuba World marketing director Mike Claparols. He adds there is more to it than just learning to dive and buying the latest dive equipment.

"Diving becomes a lifestyle change, and for many, it becomes a spiritual experience, a sort of therapy or a confidence-building thing. Diving can turn fear into courage and wimps into brave souls."

For interested parents, Scuba World also offers Junior Open Water Course for kids, making this a truly family-oriented hobby.

I tried an intro dive last February and it was amazing. I can’t wait to take the course already. The great thing about Scuba World is that they offer entry level packages that start at P28,500 complete with a buoyancy compensator device and a regulator combo (consisting of a regulator, an octopus, and a pressure/depth gauge console).

"Our packages are affordable for new divers and we want to assist them in entering the underwater realm," shares Mike. "The nice thing with these packages is that clients can choose from well-known dive equipment brands (MARES, Oceanic, Dacor, Sherwood, SEAC-Sub and Tusa) and come up with their own packages." In addition, Scuba World is also offering up to 40-percent discounts on selected items as part of its summer sale. And those who buy a complete set will be assured of Scuba World’s warranty and after-sales support, covered by all of Scuba World’s nine dive shops located at Makati, San Juan, BF Homes, Cebu, Boracay, Puerto Galera, Bohol and Dumaguete.

There are really a lot of beautiful things under the sea – enough to keep your senses alive and enough to make you lust for life.

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For information about Scuba World, visit www.scubaworld.com.ph, e-mail diveschool@scubaworld.com.ph, or call 895-3551. For information on Scuba World’s Expedition Fleet Liveaboards, visit www.expeditionfleet.com.