Getting your ocean-capable watches moist has been a mantra I’ve taken to numerous evaluations. However lengthy have I postponed taking my dive watch, the blue Tudor Black Bay 58, scuba diving.
The explanations are many. Frankly, although, none of them are ok to justify how somebody (a passionate ocean fanatic, at that) who lives 60 meters from the Pacific Ocean doesn’t scuba dive by now.
It’s not you, it’s me…
In reality, you may say I’m a thalassophile — one who loves the ocean. That time period comes from the Greek phrase for the ocean, thálassa (θάλασσα). This doesn’t simply imply somebody who likes a swim throughout summer time. No, I miss the ocean like I might miss an expensive pal once I’m inland for prolonged intervals.
That explains why I gravitate in the direction of ocean-going watches. Lots of my evaluations contain taking these watches out into the native reefs, ocean swimming pools, and “bogey holes.” I genuinely get pleasure from this element of hands-on evaluations as a result of it helps present a distinct perspective of the watch in use. All kinds of issues shift from above to under the water, which may alter my notion or impression of a watch’s design.
PADI Open Water Diver Scuba Diving Certification
Not too long ago, I’ve been specializing in among the long-overdue objects on my bucket checklist. On the prime of that checklist was getting my PADI Open Water Diver Scuba Diving Certification. The PADI certification is a proper coaching course of that takes individuals with no data of scuba diving and, over a number of days (often two or three), supplies them with the fundamental expertise to scuba dive.
This includes hours and hours of principle and studying earlier than even taking over the bodily course. There’s a extremely detailed collection of studying modules that equip would-be scuba divers with the data to then get within the water with scuba tanks strapped to their backs and masks that make them sound like Darth Vader. Scuba diving is a extremely technical, gear-intensive pursuit. It attracts my internal nerd and aligns intently with my love of the ocean. It’s gobsmacking that I didn’t strive it sooner.
Taking the Tudor Black Bay 58
In fact, I wanted to take a watch on this course, which might see me do 5 dives on one in every of Sydney’s northern seashores. This space is filled with marine life, together with large groupers (or “gropers” right here in Australia) which are half as huge as me. The watch I made a decision to take was my blue Tudor Black Bay 58. The explanation for this was comparatively easy: it’s a watch I purchased to mark my thirtieth birthday (although I obtained it once I was 29).
Since I bought the Tudor Black Bay 58 to mark events of private significance, it appeared becoming that this was the watch I’d take. It was additionally genuinely helpful to have an elapsed-time bezel whereas out on a dive.
NATO straps and dive computer systems
Along with the Tudor, I additionally bought a watch-like dive laptop. Particularly, the pc I purchased was a Cressi Neon. This seems not too dissimilar to a smartwatch, but it surely has many of the key options you would wish in a dive laptop. Despite the fact that it was not strictly essential to take a dive laptop on these entry-level dives, I believed it becoming to be sporting one thing that may log my first-ever scuba experiences.
When taking the Tudor, I made a decision to take it off the bracelet and put it on a single-pass NATO strap. Now, the rationale for this was primarily as a result of the strap would forestall me from shedding the watch in case a spring bar failed underwater. The second issue was that it could be adjustable sufficient to go over the 7mm-thick wetsuit I’d be sporting on the dives.
The scuba coaching begins
The precise pool coaching element earlier than the ocean dives proved probably the most difficult facet of the entire expertise for me. Working in a claustrophobia-triggering pool a number of meters down and making an attempt to clear a totally flooded masks sparked the primary and, fortunately, the one second of transient panic I had in the course of the coaching. As soon as I’d had a second try, it was all good. Getting my mind used to the idea of respiration via an aqualung (and never utilizing my nostril to breathe) was a comparatively fast course of. Nonetheless, it nonetheless felt enormously alien in these preliminary moments.
A collection of technical security expertise adopted. By the top of about three hours, we had labored via all of them. Then got here the second of the primary ocean dive. We obtained the ute filled with air tanks and scuba gear and headed all the way down to the seashore for a shore dive. Security checks and a dive plan adopted, and we placed on the gear, working via every element little by little in a deliciously methodical method.
Waddling turtles and stylish geese
The very first thing you may chuckle about is imagining me getting used to the sheer quantity of drugs a scuba diver wears. Think about that full suite of drugs, and now additionally think about me waddling down via 30 meters of soppy sand with out making an attempt to journey up. Frankly, it’s a miracle I didn’t find yourself on my again like an overturned turtle.
As soon as I used to be within the water and had inflated my BCD (Buoyancy Management Machine), I went from a waddling turtle to a sublime…duck? The load was lifted off my again, and I felt immense bodily reduction. I can perceive why I hear divers laughing as quickly as they attain this second simply earlier than a dive begins; it’s a great feeling.
The magic of that first ocean dive
Then got here the underwater world rising towards me as I deflated my BCD and started to sink to the underside. Even for a seasoned swimmer and free diver, there was one thing significantly magical about this second as a scuba diver. I used to be seeing and accessing a completely new horizon, the underwater world. It was actually magical.
The very first thing I did once I reached the underside was transfer the bezel on my Tudor Black Bay to mark elapsed time. The Cressi dive laptop has already sensed the depth and kicked into motion, starting to log the dive. What follows is a repetition of the technical and security workouts from the pool, adopted by a number of extra dives which are increasingly more relaxed every time.
Seeing large groupers with the Tudor Black Bay 58
On these dives, we noticed not simply groupers but in addition 3m-long wobbegong sharks, a turtle, and numerous fish of various varieties. We additionally noticed a stupendous cuttlefish. I can see why divers develop such a love of the ocean and a eager curiosity in holding it protected. In the meantime, the Tudor Black Bay carried out its job flawlessly, remaining extremely legible below the water at a number of depths (although nothing exceeding 18 meters).
On the ultimate dive, we simply did a relaxed circuit and targeted on respiration and having fun with the thriving ocean atmosphere round us. Our managing editor Nacho is a fellow diver, and I can see why he loves this pursuit a lot!
Concluding ideas
Doing this PADI course was an empowering expertise. It has opened up a completely new world, one stuffed with great sea creatures, scenes with shafts of sunshine puncturing deep into the ocean flooring, and a good better appreciation of the ocean atmosphere that surrounds me. Diving is a vibrant group. It’s spectacular how concerned the diving tradition is, and I’ve already signed up for my subsequent dive, which can contain serving to take away plastic particles from the ocean flooring. That is only the start!
Diving can be a world full of drugs, nice individuals, and journey, all of that are proper up my alley. Be ready for some extra dive-related watch stories sooner or later. It’s no longer simply Nacho (and Gerard) who can be heading out on the occasional dive!
