Scuba diving means many different things to many different people. As someone who has been scuba diving for years, I still use it as an escape, a free moment and so much more. Having recently lost my loyal companion of over 8 years I was, to put it mildly, pretty distressed. Things happen in life that you have to face and deal with and some of them can be incredibly difficult to the point of gut wrenching. I have only cried twice underwater and this was one of those moments.

When I am scuba diving, even if I am leading a group of divers, or teaching a class, no matter what is going on in front of me, all I have is the sound of bubbles and the water around me. It is an eerie sense of calm and I love it. For many years I have used the water as a way to, maybe once escape, but more so now, play out thoughts in my mind, arrange my day, prioritize and many other things. Scuba diving allows you to do that. For some people it may be skydiving, or bungee jumping, maybe hiking in the woods, who knows, but my thought process, happens underwater. You see, no matter, how large a problem can seem on the surface, when I am underwater, and start playing out scenarios and thinking, it seems so much more straight forward and easier. It’s not so big after all, and the sheer fact that I am making these decisions underwater makes it seem even better.

So back to my recent hard time. I know even at this point, 3 weeks after the fact, I am still in my own way mourning and will be for a while, but having had that time to think on it and work through it whilst underwater has helped me deal with it. You cannot come up from any dive, without feeling lighter and happier. Damian, my dearest and wonderful pup of 8 years, who never failed to greet me with a wagging tail after a dive trip, is now chasing cats and iguanas in another place. I am still bubbling on with a new scuba pooch by my side and happier knowing that just by blowing those bubbles underwater, I can tackle the world head and face anything that is thrown my way!

So, thoughts for you....What does scuba mean to you?