Scuba Diving

By Bro Gary Huerto (37)

If Superman has super power, I consider Scuba Diving as my special power. I can breathe underwater and can swim with the fishes. Of course, I can breathe with the help of Self-Contained Underwater Breathing Apparatus (SCUBA). There are so many reasons why I love diving, but to enumerate some:

1) It is the most peaceful place to be. Diving is a great way to get away from all the noise, the traffic and the troubles in the world. As soon as you descend into the waters you hear nothing but your own breathing under water. No talking, no phones ringing, all communication goes via hand signals. When you’re below the surface you completely forget about what’s happening on land, and what keeps you busy. For that hour you are under the water it’s just you and your thoughts. 2) You can swim without restrictions. Snorkeling is a great way to have a glimpse of what’s going on under water. Though not being able to breath underwater requires you to come back to the surface every time to gasp for air. This limits you, as you cannot stay underwater for too long and so you can’t go too deep either. Scuba Diving allows you to move freely underwater and makes you feel you are part of the marine life. Another great thing is that diving is the closest thing to flying. Hardly having to deal with gravity makes you feel like you’re weightless and flying into the blue.

3) The people you meet. Just like Freemasonry, wherever you dive, you will always be in great company. It’s great to hear how other people have experienced that dive and you will often find yourself sharing your stories before and after the dive. Many

friendships have started during fun dive, even marriages originated from meetings like this! You all share the same passion for the ocean and feel bonded with one another. No matter what you do for living, what your car looks like or what kind of friends you have, diving makes you feel connected and equal.

Becoming scuba diver takes me to many places not only in the Philippines but around the world. But the Philippines has the most beautiful places to dive. There’s Coron and Tubbataha in Palawan and Anilao in Mabini, Batangas to name a few. The ocean is a magical place! As soon as you submerge, your eyes will access a whole new dimension filled with marine life and biodiversity overall! Bright coral reefs, flashy invertebrates, curious marine mammals and an unbelievable array of colorful fish. Each dive you take will be totally unique and trust me, there's no greater feeling than seeing a new species for the very first time. Whether you’re looking at some wild dolphins dancing, listening to whales singing or swimming next to sea turtles, diving is something that will always surprise you. Weightlessness, the wonderful sense of not having any weight. A very common phenomenon for a scuba diver! A scuba diver exploring the ocean can be compared to an astronaut space walking! Being able to control your buoyancy will give you a great comfort which enables you to freely dive and experience a real sense of weightlessness.

I have been diving for almost 15 years already. I took my open water course in Davao by accident. I was on a 5-day business trip but I was able to finished the business schedule for 1 day. Nothing to do, I decided to be a tourist for the rest of my trip and accidentally brought me to Sta Ana Wharf. I saw a dive shop there and I was surprised that the dive instructor was a Danish citizen. He invited me to try scuba diving, and the rest is history.

At present, I am active in teaching scuba diving enthusiasts in Anilao. It is a great way to impart the love and care for ocean and marine lives. It is also a great way to release stress after many days of office work. Brethren, in this 7,700 plus islands surrounded by the sea, I invite you to dive with me. #