Recently, along with thousands of other certified scuba divers and people who are curious about our sport, I attended SCUBA Show 2013 in Long Beach, California. My role was to help represent California Diving News in our booth and give a seminar about diving with big animals. In addition, on Saturday evening I had the privilege and honor of presenting the well-deserved 2013 California Scuba Service award to Dr. Sam Miller III, a longtime contributor to our community in so many ways.
While those activities kept me busy I also managed to make time to walk the aisles of the show floor. What struck me as I took those strolls was the variety of activities that certified divers enjoy. People in the booths were sharing their expertise in underwater photography, videography, technical diving, wreck diving, diving safety, local diving and international travel. Other exhibitors included equipment manufacturers, conservation-minded organizations, dive clubs, entities specializing in activities for kids and disabled divers, and our very own Scuba Chef who shared his culinary insights with the crowd.
For already certified divers, especially those that have attended a previous SCUBA Show and those that have been diving for a few years, the wide variety of diving-related activities come as no surprise. In fact, it is probably the ability to participate in some of those options that drew them to the show.
It struck me that no matter how diverse our interests or how experienced we are, we all started in roughly the same way — with an entry-level scuba certification class.
If you’re not yet certified, a certification class will enable you to dive safely and confidently, and it will introduce you to the underwater world.
After that, there are hundreds of ways to participate in and enjoy our sport. A quick walk around the aisles at the SCUBA Show verified that. Perhaps the idea of creating still photographs or making videos peaks your interest. Maybe you have an interest in shipwrecks and maritime history, or it is the opportunity to observe wildlife and enjoy the outdoors. Are you looking for a career change, a social activity or simply something to do when you travel?
Our sport offers all of this and more. And we welcome newcomers with open arms.
