Submerge into a new world
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Did you ever dream about visiting another world? Mars or the Moon are still quite hard to reach for the average person, but what if I told you there is a new world, that’s not so hard to access and you could learn how do it right here in Stirling? The Stirling University Sub-Aqua Club does exactly that. It introduces you to the underwater world. Are you ready to discover a world so close to ours, yet so different from everything you are used to? Let me show you what is waiting for you and why Scotland is (surprisingly?) one of the best places to do scuba-diving.
What’s there to sea?
Have you ever thought about what’s there to see under the sea? A lot of people have the impression it’s just looking at fish that motivates divers. Some might say they could just as well do that in an aquarium. Let me assure you there’s so much more to it than looking at fish. From the moment you submerge the only thing you will be hearing is your breath from the tank. A peaceful quietness lets you really focus on what’s around you. You will see coral or rock formations, unlike anything you’ve ever seen on the surface. You will see friendly lobsters or shy octopus living together with each other, hiding between coral. While you watch all life on the ground beneath you a friendly fish will pass alongside you, giving you a look, just as curious as your own. And of course, there are many human-made artefacts that the sea is slowly making its own.
Me diving a dive side called Imperial Eagle. Picture was taken with my GoPro 4.
Why Scotland?
Yes, it’s true, if you think about scuba-diving what comes to mind first is the Carribean or Southeast Asia. However, in the industry, Scotland has a great reputation for being a unique place worldwide to do some excellent diving. Not only does it offer a unique wildlife and of course plenty of cute seals to see. But most importantly, Scotland is one of the best places in the world to do wreck diving. There’s a unique and vast variety of some of the best preserved shipwrecks in the world in Scotland. Up in Scapa Flow, a whole German fleet of 72 ships scuttled in 1919 and of those 7 remain in very good condition to dive.
Is scuba-diving safe?
Scuba-diving is a very safe sport if basic safety measures are followed in their appropriate manner. While it may seem overwhelming at first, the course is designed to teach you all the essentials in a clear and understandable manner and you will be accompanied by certified professionals who help you in the training and on your first dives. Fear of diving can be compared to the fear of flying, it is very unlikely, but still associated with a great risk. Statistically much fewer people get hurt if compared to snowboarding, volleyball or even bowling. (Don’t believe me? Read more here.)
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How do I get started?
If all that sounds interesting to you, sign up for the Sub-Aqua Society and start your licence with the next course. You will have theory lessons each Thursday from 18:30 – 20:00 and you will go to the university pool right after to put what you learnt into action. After a few weeks of training, you will have a full licence that allows you to dive everywhere in the world and that will last a lifetime.
Join our Facebook group and get in touch with all the other members. This is also where dive trips for all experienced divers are being organized and you will see that there are dive trips almost every weekend. As soon as you are certified you can join for trips to the Scottish West Coast or start getting in touch with members to get involved in trips that will last a few days, some go as far as Malta, others to the beautiful dive sides of Scapa Flow. You can follow the Facebook page, Instagram and Twitter, but at the moment no one is really taking care of these channels so to get the most of it, join the Facebook Group and with it the fun. We are looking forward to seeing you there, once a diver you’ll have two worlds to discover for the rest of your life.
