I blame it on the Disney flicks I grew up watching. If there’s one character I want to become, It would be Ariel…free as a bird (fish, I mean), and friends with the coolest sea creatures ever. I’d even imagine my own rendition of “Part of your World,” with matching, “But I love him!” dialogue with Daddy. Ahhhh…only in my wildest dreams. The closest I’ve gotten to getting my mermaid’s tail would be snorkeling in Boracay. I just love the cool salt water in my skin and seeing the schools of fishes in psychedelic colors. What more if I could go deeper? What amazing things will I get to see?
But before any deep sea adventures, I have to do some home work first. A chat with diving instructor, Daryl Abueva enlightened me with the basics and the technicalities behind scuba diving. Like me, he started with snorkeling. He says, “I got into diving March 2003 in Cebu when a friend brought me to Moalboal, two hours away from Cebu City. First he taught me snorkeling then I got interested. After a month, I took scuba lessons and got certified. When I came back here in Manila, I took the advance course and rescue course… I became a dive master in 2005.”
 
Daryl brings his students to open water dive sites in Anilao, Batangas because it’s a marine protected area and where wonderful sea creatures await every diver. Daryl also shares that it’s also a great destination for underwater photography. (I’ve never been to Anilao… looks like I’ll now know where to go when I’m feeling the beach bug).
  
What does it take to be a certified diver? According to Daryl, a student diver gets his/her certification after answering the knowledge review of the open water diver manual, taking the quiz and the exams. The student must also finish five pool sessions and must meet the performance requirements for every skill. Four open water dives follow, which will be conducted in Anilao.
Having my own “Ariel” experience isn’t as simple as I thought. Who says being a heroine was easy, right? See ‘ya below sea level!
Want to be a scuba diver? Contact Daryl Abueva for a complete course on scuba diving. Click here. |
