If you are like all other divers, you most certainly wish you could dive more. Unfortunately, the demands of life like work, family, and other adult responsibilities make it nearly impossible to find time to escape underwater. Divers who are lucky enough to live near the ocean where their next dive is just down the street have it a bit easier than divers that live in landlocked regions. However, either way, you are much more likely to dive more often if you get involved in your local diving scene. We have come up with some of the best ways you can get involved with local diving today!
Connect with Your Local Training Center
If you have not connected with an SSI Training Center in your area, now is the time. Divers who stop into their local dive center regularly and get to know the staff are more connected to what is going on in their local area. Your Training Center will know where the dive sites are in your area and can give you details on how to access them and what you will see. They may even organize diving events you can attend and meet other like-minded divers. If you do not know where your nearest SSI Training Center is, check out the SSI Center Locator here.
Join a Dive Club
Dive clubs are a popular way for divers to connect and spend time together. Joining a dive club is an excellent way to get involved in your local diving scene because where there are divers, there is diving. Being involved in a dive club will allow you to connect with active divers in your area, be invited to diving events, and hear about diving opportunities. Some of the most active divers are those involved in their local diving community, even when dive sites are scarce.
Find Local Dive Sites
No matter where on earth you live, chances are there is some local body of water to find. All you need to do is research where you could dive, if you are allowed to dive in it, where the best entry/exit points would be, and any possible precautions like limited visibility or currents. There is a whole world of diving possibilities out there. Look for rivers, lakes, quarries, large streams, reservoirs, or springs in your local area. For a map of current dive sites in your area, check out SSI’s MyDiveGuide.
Extend Your Dive Season
Diving local may mean that warm days are only during the summer, and to stay involved with local diving throughout the year, you will need to do a few things to extend your dive season. If temperatures drop in the fall, invest in a thicker wetsuit or drysuit if needed. Does your local dive site ice over in the winter? How about embarking on a new adventure and learning to ice dive? Sometimes diving locally requires just a bit of creativity.
Lower Your Expectations
Of course, every diver loves seeing colorful reefs thriving with life in warm, clear waters. However, most divers also love the pure peace and tranquility that being suspended underwater brings. If you crave that quiet solitude, then you do not need every dive to be postcard-worthy. By lowering your dive site expectations, you will open yourself up to many more diving opportunities because chances are, your local diving will not have fantastic visibility, abundant aquatic life, or warm water. However, being ok with this fact will allow you to spend much more time underwater.
So, what are you waiting for? Get out there and start exploring your local bodies of water. Equip yourself to dive in your area’s conditions. Visiting your local Training Center is a great place to start. Get out and get diving today!
