The World of Scuba Diving

Scuba diving is a type of underwater diving in which an individual makes use of a scuba set to breathe underwater. A scuba set is an independent breathing device that provides oxygen to the diver. Scuba diving differs from other forms of underwater diving in that the scuba set allows a diver to stay underwater for an extended period of time.

The term SCUBA arose during World War II. It is an acronym for self contained underwater breathing apparatus. Although scuba began as an acronym it is now considered proper to use it as a standard word. People partake in scuba diving for numerous reasons. Some individuals begin diving because of a love for the beauty of the underwater world. Others are passionate about marine life and studying the ocean's ecosystems. Some people get into scuba diving because they are thrill seekers. They want to explore and experiencing things that most people don't. These people are actually drawn to diving because of the element of danger involved.

There are many different types of scuba diving available. The most common, by far, is recreational diving. Recreational diving is all about having fun and enjoying yourself. After achieving open water certification there are many other specialties of diving that may interest a person. These include cave diving, ice diving, wreck diving, night diving and altitude diving, along with many others.

Commercial divers dive for a living. It's their job. The majority of commercial divers started out as recreational divers and realized they loved diving so much that they wanted to dedicate their life to it. Commercial divers participate in salvage operations, create maps, conduct surveys, carry out underwater maintenance, and work in many other diving related fields.

Military diving is very similar to commercial diving but includes tasks such as underwater mine clearing, military research and underwater surveillance. Military divers use the majority of technical advances in diving equipment.

Scuba diving is an activity for everyone, from children as young as 8 years old, to senior citizens in their eighties. It is necessary to be in decent health and not have any serious medical conditions, but one does not have to be a super athlete in order to dive. As a result of all the technical advances in scuba equipment diving is now safer than ever before. As long as scuba diving is performed responsibly it is actually safer than riding a bicycle on a city road, or being a passenger in the front seat of a car. So what are you waiting for? Get out there and learn to scuba dive.