Scuba Diver Australasia Magazine + ALERTDIVER Issue 01/2016 | Page 8

#destinationsdirectory 61 REASONS TO GO DIVING IN 2016 Some people might think that diving is just an excuse for going on fabulous holidays to exotic, far-flung places and mucking about underwater with the fish. And, while this is an undeniable part of the attraction of this addictive sport, there is so much more to it. So the next time you feel the need to justify your “diveaholism”, you can slam that hater with these 61 damn good reasons why you need to get your scuba on this year. 5 6 Adamanse/123rf 1 IT’S A GREAT LEVELLER Low gravity, breath-controlled movement and a silent world means that diving is accessible to almost everyone, no matter what age, size or level of physical ability. Even if you’re wheelchair-bound on land, underwater you may well be able to move freely, and being deaf is actually an advantage! IT’S LIKE FLYING Floating, weightless in the water is one of the most dream-like experiences possible. When you’ve cracked your buoyancy, you’ll even be controlling your position in the water with your breath. How Superman is that? YOU’LL MEET CREATURES YOU NEVER THOUGHT EXISTED From the multicoloured mantis shrimp that will make you think you’ve gone all Purple Haze in the brain, to the red-lipped batfish who looks like a late-night drag act – the ocean will always amaze you. 2 IT’S EASY If you haven’t tried it yet, don’t be put off by that one diver who talks about the time he had to wrestle off a carnivorous turtle wielding nunchuks – he’s probably lying. When taught properly, diving is easy. Just be careful – it’s also addictive. 4 3 IT’S ALWAYS DIFFERENT, EVERY TIME It sounds like a dive-ad cliché, but that’s because it’s true. Every dive is completely different, from the critters you see, to the behavior of the fish, even when you dive the same sites again and again. TAKE YOUR CAMERA UNDERWATER Paul Cowell/123rf Looking for a new creative challenge? If you’ve got your buoyancy under control, pick up a camera, stick it in a housing (if you’ve got the money, you can even get a stylish silver one from Seacam!) and say h V