Learning to Dive in Sodwana!

So far, learning to dive in Sodwana Bay has been an unforgettable experience.

To begin, after poring through our training materials in the sun, we completed our online test. After this, we took part in a swim test which consisted of a 200m swim and a 10minute float test. Passing these in a very cold pool is not an experience I’ll forget quickly. It was, however, a lot of fun to experience with my dive buddy.

Afterwards, it was time to begin our practical diving instruction! We started out by learning how to assemble our BCD’s, our buoyancy control devices. These consist of an air tank, breathing apparatus, a pressure gauge, and the buoyancy jacket itself. Getting to grips with the equipment was a lot of fun, and also helped me feel less daunted about putting all of the kit on.

Then is was time to shimmy into our wetsuits, kit up, and jump in the pool. With our 5mm thick wetsuits on, the pool was much warmer!

That first breath underwater is very strange, and very memorable. Placing the regulator in my mouth, we practiced breathing through it before popping our heads underwater. It takes a second to wrap your head around the sensation of breathing underwater, and then it is the funniest experience ever. We took a second to adjust, allowing our bodies to relax into the situation, and then we began a series of confined water dives, during which we practiced many important skills. These include recovering your regulator, emptying your mask if it floods, sharing air, emergency ascents, and a series of surface skills such as cramp release and removing and replacing our BCD’s and weight belts.

Learning these skills made me so much more prepared for our first open water dives yesterday.

Photo by Toby Farman

My first open water dive was incredibly nerve-wracking. We pushed our boat out to sea and hopped in or, if your like me with a serious lack of upper body strength or sea experience, you get hoisted into the boat by some very helpful dive masters and dive buddies. The choppy waters were not so uncomfortable on the boat ride to our dive site, but stopping to kit up was rocky. Being a little bit scared on your first open water dive is definitely part of the experience, but rolling back into the sea for the first time was a lot of fun. Descending along a line, equalising often, we made our way to the sandy floor. We carried a few skills again, and began our first underwater swim. We saw a honeycomb moray eel, and a blue-spotted ribbon tail ray this time around!

Ascending to our safety stop with a foggy mask, then carrying out skills on a choppy surface is not an experience I would recommend- always defog your mask!

Photo by Benjamin Sadd

Our second dive was much smoother. We knew the process now and were ready and raring to go. A few more skills completed, our second swim was amazing and our trainer spotted a sleepy baby shark. At our safety stop under water, which we complete to help adjust to pressure changes, we passed time by practicing bubble rings!

Today we go out on our third open water dive. Fighting through the nerves and nausea, I’m really proud for pushing myself completely out of my comfort zone and going on that second dive yesterday. If you are considering learning to dive in Sodwana, my advice would be DO IT! Be brave, stay calm, and fight against the nervous part of you. It’s 100% worth it.

Title photo by Dan Locke-Wheaton