What To Do When You Can’t Go Diving
Here is a blog to give you some ideas of what to do when you can’t go scuba diving during COVID-19.
Getting over those COVID-19 Blues
Having a ‘dry spell’, can’t go scuba diving? Stuck indoors? Feeling like your gills are drying out? Maybe it is personal illness, family or work taking over your free time or a global pandemic.
During periods when you can no longer go diving what can you do? Here are a few ways to cope & get through dry periods when you can’t get in the water.
Watch Ocean Documentaries
One great way to while away the hours when you can not get out in the water scuba diving is to watch some of the amazing nature documentaries. The list is endless on streaming services like Netflix & the likes, some of the most popular lists include Oceans, Mission Blue, The Blue Planet, Chasing Coral, South Pacific, Planet Ocean & A Plastic Ocean.
If you have watched everything on the streaming services 2 or 3 times and are still in isolation you can then look for some old classics. A few of these old classics to watch (with an open mind) can be found online streaming services or available on DVD. They are a great vision into diving of the past.
Movies & TV series like The Living Sea (1995), The Living Oceans (1979), Ron & Valerie Taylor’s Inner Space (1973). Also The Silent World (1956), The Undersea World of Jacques Cousteau (1966) & Into The Deep (1994), Oceans (2009).
Most of these documentaries and many more can be found online and through streaming services with some searching.
Find Scuba Diving Books
When was the last time you read a book? Reading books or magazines has a number of benefits, including mental stimulation, stress reduction, knowledge & memory improvement.
There are many different topics & styles of books that you can cover whilst staying dry. Maybe you would like to brush up on your fish life knowledge with popular ID books like ‘Reef Life: A guide to Tropical Marine Life’, ‘Reef Fish Identification; Tropical Pacific’ or ‘The Shark Handbook’.
Perhaps you would like to brush up on your dive theory & can re-read your PADI course manuals. There are also some other theory based books like ‘The Complete Diver’ & ‘The Certified Divers Handbook’.
Other good reads & popular diving related books include ‘Shallow Diver’, ‘The Last Dive’, ‘Deep Descent’ & ‘Pirate hunters; Treasure, Obsession, and the Search for a Legendary Pirate Ship’.
Research Your Next Diving Adventure
Being isolated & dry is a great time to look into where your next dive adventure will be. If its not already on your list Phuket, Thailand should be on every divers ‘must dive’ list. Here in Phuket Aussie Divers Phuket offers some amazing certified divers day trips to the likes of Phi Phi, Racha Islands & King Cruiser Wreck.
Along with the diving liveaboard boats operating in the amazing Similan Islands. If you speak to any seasoned diver they will probably mention Richelieu Rock as one of their dream destinations. Richelieu Rock is best done as a 3 or 4 day liveaboard trip which will include Similan Islands, Koh Bon, Koh Tachai & Richelieu Rock.
Other than the diving here in Phuket, whilst doing your research. There are also many other tourist activities to do with your friends & family who may be traveling with you.
Have Your Equipment Serviced
Being stuck & out of the water is the perfect time to have your local dive centre visually inspect &/or service your dive equipment.
Most manufacturers recommend that scuba equipment gets serviced every 12 to 24 months. If your equipment is sitting around not being used why not take it into your local dive center for an inspection & test.
This not only supports your local center it also give you the comfort of knowing once you are ready to head back into the water your equipment is all in good working order.
It is also a good idea to have a look over your mask, wetsuit & fin. Make sure they are well rinsed and stored correctly.
Study Online For Your Next PADI Course
Why not take this time out of the water as a chance to study for your next PADI Course?
Almost all of the PADI courses now offer online eLearning for the theory compone’nt of the course. Thinking about the next level course like PADI Advanced Open Water or PADI Rescue Diver? Maybe its the professional level course like the Divemaster or IDC program that you are interested in.
As Phuket is a tourist destination why not get the theory out of the way prior to coming to Phuket. You can study the theory in the comfort of your own home & will then have more time for the fun stuff like diving etc once in Phuket.
With the PADI eLearning the programs are interactive with reading, videos, quizzes & exams all available to do online. Our team at Aussie Divers phuket can provide this theory for you & offer assistance online if you have any questions or issues about the theory.
Once you arrive in Phuket you would then just have a quick quiz to complete with your instructor.
Conclusion
As you can see there are many activities that can help you get through a dry spell. Including tv, movies, books, studying & looking after your dive equipment. Aussie Divers Phuket staff are also available for a chat via email & facebook if you have any questions.
Lastly dont forget that it is recommended to do some form of dive refresher if you go 6-12 months or longer out of the water.
At Aussie Divers Phuket we have a range of options to get you back into the water if your gills have dried out. Feel free to contact us at [email protected] for more details.
Contact Aussie Divers Phuket for all your Scuba Diving needs
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