Why do we dive?

I posted a series of questions on my favourite, unapologetically uncensored Facebook page, Scuba Divers Uncensored, which has 35,000 members – all mostly dive shop owners, completely irreverent and as crude as hell.

It was a real revelation.

I asked why the members dived. All they had to do was pick a number.

1 Adrenalin Rush?            8 %

2 Love the Ocean             29% (a lot of them dive in quarries)

3 Social scene                    6%

4 Feel good                        4%

5 Just love diving              51% (many women chose this)

6 Other                                2%

These percentages speak for themselves. The answer was primarily love of diving and love of the ocean. Many expanded on these- they love the solitude, the silence, the lack of demands, and the freedom of personal space. They love to be part of the ocean, part of the movement to save the planet, part of the unity of divers with a common goal.

PADI advertises scuba diving as a means to Go Places, Meet People Have fun, and only 5% of these guys chose that as a reason for diving. So, it looks as though the social scene is not a big priority, yet many of our divers love it. The camaraderie, the snacks and drinks, the new connections- all good. But its more than that. Once you are a diver, you have seen and felt things other people can’t understand. The only people who do understand are other divers.

The anticipation of the sense of euphoria is my strongest reason to get out there despite the rough seas, cold days on land, early start- once you are in the water, the magic happens. We belong in the ocean, weightless and wet and warm and looking at beautiful things.

I have made a video exploring the reason why we dive, and it comes down to the feeling of excitement when you see a creature you have never seen. Or shot an event you have never watched before. Or watched as a terrified newbie slides down the rope into the ocean and first truly enjoys the magic. But it’s a deeply felt atavistic return to our primal roots.

So far as feeling good is concerned, I will never forget the guys I interviewed who dive for a living. All looking to be in their 30s, unlined, vital and vigorous. Yet Colin Ogden of Amory Diving (Nitrox breather) was in his 60s and looked around 45, Barry Coleman, 56 (dives on a rebreather) and looks 25. See: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rebreather_Association_of_International_Divers

I realized then that the beneficial effects of breathing oxygen under pressure is in fact virtually un researched. Many small beauty places sell an hour of breathing pure oxygen as a pick me up. There are plenty of rumours that ageing movie stars sleep in hyperbaric chambers. So clearly breathing oxygen under pressure has some benefits. As far as I’m concerned, under the ocean is the best place to be.

If you want to breathe oxygen under pressure, it helps to live on a tropical island, which is why I live in Mauritius – safe, virus free and plenty of clean air and of course plenty of Nitrox. Once you guys are free to travel it’s a great place to come.

• Words: Jill Holloway
• Copyright: Ocean Spirit www.osdiving.com
• Images: Ian Haggerty