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You may never have contemplated taking up
scuba diving in your life, but let us take a look at some of the reasons why it is worth
mulling over, especially now that you are here going to come to Phuket.
Firstly, we should address the one aspect of diving that puts off any
number of people from signing up for a course. "I'm terrified of sharks! " is
the norm. |
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Well, there are few areas in the world where
sharks big enough and aggressive enough are willing to seek out humans, and Phuket is
definitely not one of them.
However, if you were really lucky you might just come across one of the gentle leopard
sharks that roam these waters, though they are more likely to make a fast exit when they
see you coming. |
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Your dive instructor will teach you what to
look out for before you even enter the water, so trust him or her and you will soon expel
all your negative illusions of deep sea monsters.
In terms of safety, you may be interested to learn that the worldwide
body PADI (Professional Association of Diving Instructors) has recently released |
| figures which show that diving is statistically
safer now than football, baseball, basket-ball, badminton and, paradoxically, swimming,
believe it or not. |
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"It's very expensive, isn't it?"
is another echoed lament. Prices for dive courses are pretty much the same the world over.
Dive boats in Phuket cost as much as those plying the Caribbean or
RedSea. Similarly, registration of divemasters and company fees do not fluctuate from
country to country. |
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So yes, it is not the very cheapest of
recreations but when was the last time you experienced weightlessness or found yourself in
a "real" fantasyland as far removed from the world's problems as is humanly
possible?
Most professional dive operators offer an introductory course which
usually involves a free swimming pool dive. To explain a little further, the experience is
called "Discover Scuba Diving" and includes an introduction to the pleasures of
diving in one of the hotel's swimming pools. |
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From here you will, if you have not already
lost interest and few people do, experience another dive going straight into the sea from
your nearest beach. The price of this introduction is around 2,000 Baht but the fee is
usually waivered if you stop after the swimming Pool phase . However, few people, having
had a taste of what diving is all about, will stop at this stage. The majority instead
will be keen to carry on and book further dives during their stay here.
"But I'm not a good swimmer! " many will say. Fear not. The
fact is that you don't need to be a particularly good swimmer if you wish to dive. While
breast-stroking on the surface of the water might compare with jogging on land, scuba
diving is more akin to taking a leisurely stroll and stopping occasionally to study
something on the way. |
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Now, if you don't need any more convincing
that this is a safe and exhilarating way to spend part of your holiday, go along to your
nearest dive center and have a talk with the instructors. Make sure you visit a
professional operation and ask to see the qualification certificates of those who are
going to teach you. Learn to dive properly with the professionals and you will have no
need to worry about anything. |
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