School children experience scuba diving with Free Try Dives in Tobago

The Association of Tobago Dive Operators (ATDO) recently hosted a free try diving afternoon for school children from all over Trinidad and Tobago.

A group of approximately 60 children learnt the basics of the sport at the YMCA in Black Rock on the Caribbean island of Tobago which is a popular destination for scuba diving holidays.

The free event was part of last month's Underwater Tobago Festival and the children were able to experience the sport for the first time.

The president of ATDO, Alice Darwent, stated: "We are very grateful to the management of the YMCA for allowing us to host this always popular event at the pool. The event was a real success with children of all ages taking part. This has now become a key feature of our annual Tobago Underwater Carnival and we wish to thank the Tobago House of Assembly for supporting this event. We hope some of the children will go on and become scuba divers so they can discover more about Tobago's rich underwater world."

The Tobago Underwater Carnival takes place every year and highlights the destination as a hotspot for scuba diving holidays. During the week-long event, visitors can take part in activities, scuba diving adventures, tours to local diving sites, competitions, beach BBQs and evening entertainment.

Tobago is the smaller of the two islands of the Trinidad and Tobago and is just 26 miles long and six miles wide. The Caribbean island boasts beautiful palm-fringed uncrowded beaches, warm turquoise waters, coral reefs, protected forest reserves, a sunny tropical climate, and a number of luxury Caribbean hotels and beachfront resorts.

Unlike many other destinations for Caribbean scuba diving, Tobago's waters are not as crystal clear due to the mixing of the Orinoco River with the Atlantic and Caribbean saltwater inflow but this means that there are plenty more species to discover during scuba diving holidays.

Tobago is famous for its Buccoo Reef which features colourful coral gardens and unusual crystal clear waters and this diving site is best explored whilst snorkelling because of its shallow depth.

While scuba diving in Tobago, divers can explore an array of sunken shipwrecks that are home to hundreds of marine species such as sea turtles, angel fish, barracuda, sting rays, trumpet fish, sharks and vibrant coral sponges.