Explore the ocean with scuba divers in Oman

T-Mag Wednesday 30/August/2017 18:07 PM
By: Times News Service
Explore the ocean with scuba divers in Oman

Deep sea diving can be a life changing experience for many. The whole world that lies beneath the calm blue surface of the ocean is an unadulterated, untouched universe where you might find your own nirvana. Dive into an adventure with PADI (Professional Association of Diving Instructors), the world’s leading scuba diving training organisation.

Diving as a sport gained popularity in the 1880s when a number of swimming associations started holding amateur plunging events either as a separate activity or as part of any swimming event. However, if you go way back in time, free deep sea or underwater diving was done for hunting and gathering food and other valuables including pearls, corals, and more. Diving since then has undergone tremendous changes over time, from high diving being practised among a small group of enthusiasts to it being a full-fledged activity now as it has seen a number of variations that lets you dive deep into the ocean and discover and learn more about the underwater aquatic life.

It is said that scuba diving emerged out of necessity when a Greek soldier, way back in 500BC, jumped off a broken ship and used a hollow reed to breathe underwater for hours. Many years later, Alexander the Great found a place to hide underwater by creating his own diving bell using a barrel.

Today it isn’t just a recreational activity but is also equated to being a meditative experience by many. Either for survival or for recreation, there clearly was a need for a device that could help people breathe underwater, which was invented in 1940s and since then there has been no looking back.

Unfortunately, there is one thing that hasn’t changed as fast as the evolution of the sport itself in all these years and that is the prevalent gender gap that has always existed within the diving community.

And the solution to that is what PADI came up with. PADI or Profession Association of Diving Instructors is the world’s largest recreational diving membership that conducts and organises various events to push you into water throughout the year. Two years ago, on international women’s day, they started the PADI international women’s dive where women from different countries across the globe come together to jump into the vast blue oceans leaving everything behind. This year it was held in Oman and I’m not wondering why.

So why should you be a part of the PADI Women Dive?
Girl Power
There are tons of female swimmers who have been performing exceedingly well in games such as Olympics and Asian Games. However, for a very long time it was a male dominated sport with nearly 90 per cent men in the field. In fact, there weren’t even enough gear that were made for women. The main aim of the women’s dive is to help close the gender gap, which it is doing by encouraging women to participate in diving events.

Gang of Gals
If human beings are social beings, then women are supremely social beings. You can’t deny how much we love meeting new people, interacting, and having great, fun conversations with interesting women. Attending the Women’s Dive Day, even if it is not as a participant, will give you an opportunity to meet and interact with a lot of women who might share the similar likes and interests as you do. PADI International Women’s Dive is not just about diving. A lot of events have a good amount of time set aside for interaction and socialising and some events even bring women together for other activities including yoga, underwater beach clean up and more.

At Home
While the events organised at PADI gives you an opportunity to travel to new places and experience the underwater life in different oceans, you must not forget that PADI has a number of events that will help you experience the local waters like you have never done before. You will be surprised by the amazing diving locations that are there where you live but you were just not aware of it.

It’s Dive Time
Do you even need so many reasons to get into the water and have a great time? Go into the waters and get diving. —[email protected]

What is PADI?
Proffessional Association of Diving Instructors (PADI) is the world’s leading scuba diver training institution. With more than 6,400 PADI Dive Centres and Resorts, and more than 133,000 individual PADI Professionals who have issued more than 25 million certifications around the world, you’ll find PADI diver courses and scuba diving services nearly everywhere.

Bassel Chammaa
Events and Marketing Manager
Muscat Hills
[email protected]
+968 9798 2474