The joy of imparting your passion for the underwater world is fulfilled by creating new, responsible and environmentally aware scuba divers. As a PADI instructor, teaching entry level scuba courses is very crucial because this is when you make a difference as to how people will view scuba diving, change misconceptions if they have any, and influence their behavior underwater. I just certified my first divers Laurie and Craig at Atmosphere Resorts!
For me, teaching people the skill to scuba dive is as important as to teaching them how to interact with the underwater world responsibly. I liked seeing how the students progress from one skill to another and how their level of comfort grows.
It was lovely to see their reactions while exploring the underwater world during the tour portion of the open water dive. Especially how they strive to keep their buoyancy, which can be difficult for new divers to avoid coming too close to the bottom or a coral patch.
It is very important to keep one’s buoyancy because the coast of Dauin is rich with bottom dwelling cryptic animals that are difficult to see with untrained eyes. Examples of which are the scorpionfishes (see picture) and its family, the blue ringed octopus, catfishes and eels. Some anemones and hydroids can really sting if you touch them, as well as some shells and sea urchins.
Do not forget that every time you bump the bottom, you might have accidentally destroyed a house – it could be of the goby and its partner shrimp who just recently worked hard burrowing a shelter for the night.
Improve your buoyancy! Take PADI’s Peak Performance Buoyancy specialty course with Atmosphere Resorts. To our newly certified divers: Congratulations, more happy diving and see you in the blue!
