Top Five Reasons to Scuba Dive

Five local scuba divers in Missouri, United States have revealed the top five reasons why scuba diving holidays aren't just for young and fearless divers, but for any kind of enthusiast as scuba diving is a sport which anyone can enjoy, whatever the age and level of ability.

The Views

Owner of the Mermet Springs diving destination in Southern Illinois , Glen Faith, has enjoyed many scuba diving holidays with his wife.

Image by modelmeemaw, on Flickr.

"Two-thirds of the world is covered with water. If you don't know how to dive, what have you missed out on?" he said. "I can't wait until my sons are old enough to dive. Hopefully I can travel with them once a year and let them experience the things we have. I can't wait to hold my son's hand in the water and see a 12-foot shark pass us by."

Kevin Spaeth, a lawyer from Cape Girardeau, has enjoyed scuba diving in the Caribbean, Mexico, Florida, and Belize.

"The underwater critter life is amazing, especially in the Caribbean," he explained.

Fellow lawyer and diving partner, John Heisserer, added: "Diving makes the difference between hovering above the water and actually interacting with the critters in their own environment."

Cape Girardeau diver, Mark Hasheider, noted: "It's the difference between looking into an aquarium and actually being in the aquarium."

Adventure

Jay Wolz, also from Cape Girardeau, took an introductory scuba diving session over a decade ago and has been addicted to the underwater sport ever since.

Image by hopemeng, on Flickr.

"I was intrigued by it. I think it was being able to do something that could literally kill me if I didn't do it right," he explained. "It's kind of a thrill to conquer something that can be dangerous. It's a lot of fun, too. Once you become accustomed to being underwater, and breathing and getting your buoyancy right, it's a different world."

Save a life

Hasheider, an assistant fire chief in Cape Girardeau, has always been a keen recreational scuba diver and he also leads the local diving team, using his skills to train others and to assist in dive rescue and recovery jobs.

"I enjoy being tasked. That cranks it up a little bit. I like the adrenaline rush," he said.

Image by : Darek Sepiolo, on Flickr.

Health Benefits

Many divers agree that age and level of fitness has little impact on the ability to enjoy scuba diving. "Once you're in the water, you're weightless. If you have a bad knee or hip, once in you're in the water it takes all the stress off your body," said Faith.

Hasheider added: "The water resistance, swimming motions, and the gear and weights needed for diving can actually help you stay in shape." "Divers should be good swimmers", agreed Spaeth, " But they don't have to be "superathletes"."

Relaxation

"Diving is the most enjoyable, relaxing thing I've ever done in my life," Faith commented. "There are no cell phones, no Internet, no bosses. It's just you and your diving buddy in the water. You're completely relaxed, and all the stress from every day is gone."

During scuba diving holidays, divers can forget about their worries whilst enjoying some of nature's most breathtaking sites, and marine species at their own pace.