Throwback Thursday: Scuba Diving Lessons

By Kin Enriquez -


For this week's Throwback Thursday, we'll go back to May 2008 when I got my first scuba diving lessons.

I've always wanted to get a license back then, and one day I went to Glorietta mall and there was a trade show for scuba diving. I talked to one of the instructors who have a booth there, and I got his contact info. I managed to convince James, a friend of mine, to sign up too, and a few days later we met Mark Genuino, the instructor, for some introductions and instructions, as well as get some gear. We met again on that weekend to do our first pool session!

Practicing my finning 

The first pool training was done in a Scuba World facility in Makati, although the subsequent ones were done in Greenhills. There were five of us taking lessons. 

I was pretty much confident about the lessons, I have taken a skin diving class for my college PE before - so I thought my finning was OK, I know a bit how to equalize, and I'm familiar with some of the hand signals - but I am still excited with learning new things. 

Scuba mimes

We learned how to prepare and use the Buoyancy Control Device (BCD),and other devices such as the regulators and the pressure gauges, and being able to breathe underwater for the first time is quite a experience. We have the mantra, "breathe continuously," but I have the tendency to breathe too fast. 

Mask removal exercises

I was able to do all the exercises, with a few minor hiccups - one literally when I swallowed water during a regulator removal exercise, and another when we are about to surface and I inflated my BCD and kicked hard to ascent. I got warned not to do it again as I might get 'bends' if I ascend too quickly. 

Descending to the bottom of the pool

The first session was a blast and it's an unforgettable experience for me. It was tiring and you'd get sun-burned, but great nonetheless. We had two more pool sessions after the first  before we had our exam and checkout dive in Anilao, for the license: 

Our checkout dive. That's me with the yellow fins
Mark still gives scuba diving lessons (I got mine for about PhP 12,000 including the license). You may contact him on Facebook if you're interested.

Comments

  1. UnknownJune 9, 2013 at 3:24 PM

    Wow. What a throwback. So you don't do scuba diving anymore? That's sad . . .
    Ed of CrazyScuba.com

    ReplyDelete
  2. Kin EnriquezJune 9, 2013 at 7:38 PM

    Thanks. I haven't dived in a while but I plan to this year. Might need a refresher though.

    ReplyDelete

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