A Beginner’s Guide to Scuba Diving

The moment I stepped into the warm and laid-back atmosphere of the beachside dive resort on the southern bay of Koh Tao, Thailand, I realized I was in for a treat. Seeing the large dive boats float on the horizon of the turquoise bay quickly reminded me I was about to embark on a truly unique adventure and fulfil my lifelong dream of scuba diving.

What followed were three incredible days of open-water diving that I'll never forget. Floating through coral gardens alongside barracuda, triggerfish, groupers, angel fish, butterfly fish, and other incredible marine life is a feeling I'd never felt before. It also changed the way I look at travel forever.

After returning home, I wanted to keep learning about scuba diving. I spoke with Jennifer Homuth, a Destination Specialist at Goway and an experienced diver for many years. Our conversation was fun and passionate, and it revealed the following lessons from my time in Thailand and Jennifer's many dives over the years.

Lesson 1: Prep Your Plunge

Ensuring diving is a fun and safe experience means continuous planning and preparation, regardless of your experience level. Obtaining your open-water diving certification takes four to seven training days, including at least one day in a pool. However, preparation is ongoing and continues throughout your diving career.

Going over your gear, dive site, and safety procedures with your dive master is the best way to ensure your dive is safe and calm. It's also an excellent opportunity to share stories with fellow divers from all walks of life.

Lesson 2: Breathe

Breathing is one of the most essential parts of diving. Proper breath control will keep you calm and focused throughout your dive. Your lungs also mimic your Buoyancy Control Device (BCD), a key piece of diving equipment that uses oxygen from your tank to control your buoyancy. A deep breath makes you float, and a big bubble-filled exhale makes you sink. Efficient breathing lets you use less oxygen in your BCD and more in your lungs, letting you dive longer!

Back to bubbles. The sensation of floating weightlessly above a vibrant coral garden, with a mesmerizing trail of bubbles racing to the surface, is truly magical. The rhythm of your breath and the enchanting underwater landscape create a fully immersive and therapeutic experience you won't find anywhere above the surface.

Lesson 3: Just Keep Swimming

I asked Jennifer about some of her most memorable diving experiences, and her stories only reminded me how my diving journey was just beginning, with endless discovery ahead.

"There's a dive in Kona, Hawaii, renowned for manta rays," Jennifer told me. "You literally sit on what looks like a campfire situation—with rocks arranged in a circle—and you stay there while manta rays float by." Jennifer smiled and continued. "They don't pay you much attention, but some get really close to you and tap you as they go by!"

Every dive is a unique adventure and an opportunity to develop your skills while exploring some of the world's most enchanting underwater environments. Jennifer mentioned Iceland's Silfra dive site as one of her bucket-list destinations, and it's easy to understand why. "You can dive down, and you could put one hand on North America and one hand on Europe." Silfra is the only dive site between two tectonic plates in the world, and it's one of many genuinely extraordinary experiences. Whether your niche is vibrant reefs, ancient shipwrecks, or more advanced diving, something magical awaits everyone below the surface.