If you don’t know what to do on the weekend with your significant other, then it’s time to think about scuba diving. After all, regardless of when and where you met: in the gym, at the university, or on one the site, relationships at any age need to be developed and made brighter and more exciting for both. Moreover, this leisure pursuit will improve your health, because water procedures and activity are a great way to make your body even stronger and more enduring.
The exhilaration of going underwater
Perhaps you enjoy swimming, or you might have tried snorkelling? But nothing compares to the thrill of being immersed in a whole new dimension, surrounded by fabulous scenery and the diverse range of flora and fauna you’ll discover. Scuba diving is pretty much the closest a human can get to flying. No matter where you happen to be in the world, as you glide weightlessly through the waters, unimpeded by gravity, you’ll feel a bit like those astronauts you see in footage taken in the space station. Except you’ll have limitless horizons on all sides.
Diving teaches teamwork
One aspect of this sport that will instil a sense of apprehension is the risk factor. But there are stringent rules to guarantee safety, and nobody would be allowed to enter this environment without having been properly trained by a highly-qualified instructor. Crucially, this is not a solo sport. You dive as part of a team, with signals to learn so you can stay in constant communication with your diving partners. This shared involvement is another reason why scuba diving is perfect for a couple. Each time you dip below the surface, you’ll be reliant on each other, establishing levels of trust you couldn’t possibly develop anywhere else.
A couple is discovering a new way of communication
People who have been together for some time will often be intuitive about their other half. Because of the events they have encountered together, they will instinctively know how their loved one is going to react to specific situations, or even what they are likely to be thinking when confronted with different issues. This ability to second guess the other is fine-tuned by the strength of trust underlying their relationship. During scuba diving, all these elements come to the fore with even more intensity. Before entering the water, you will have learned the appropriate hand signals. You can also use a writing board to scrawl quick messages. If the conditions are a little murky, you’ll just have to stay close, relying on some of that intuition as you keep a close eye on each other’s progress.
Time for just the two of you
There are many pastimes couples can enjoy together, whether that’s going out to social events, or arranging a weekend break. Nothing compares to the prospect of scuba diving together. When you breach the surface, you’ll be able to see the boat that took you to the dive spot, possibly the shoreline beyond where beaches are busy with holidaymakers. Once you sink into the undersea lair, a feeling will come over you as you’ve never known before. The only noises will be the gently lapping currents and the sound of your rhythmic breathing. As you drift through these waters, experiencing the wonders of your surroundings together, it will seem as if you are alone in your own fantastical universe.
You learn to solve problems together
Prior to diving, it is important to complete a medical checklist. This is a critical precaution. Of the small number of issues that can arise, many can be attributed to underlying health reasons rather than anything to do with the dive itself. Another factor that can impact safety is decompression sickness – an age-old phenomenon nicknamed ‘the bends.’ In short, this is caused by too much nitrogen being absorbed from the compressed air tanks: surfacing too quickly will cause nitrogen bubbles to form. But this is a classic example of one of the many aspects of diving you will learn together, during training. You can discuss these risks at length, long before climbing into a wet suit.
Diversity in your relationship and exciting leisure time
Relationships thrive on excitement and diversity. It’s easy enough to fall into a familiar routine, where neither of you is feeling inspired. The prospect of embarking on a diving expedition will quickly bring your mojo back. Planning the trip will be enough to banish the blues – after all, the possibilities are endless. There are scuba diving resorts from the Arctic seas around Iceland, to the azure Caribbean, the Great Barrier Reef to the Red Sea, each location introducing different seascapes and mesmerizingly beautiful wildlife. Each dive will bring new adventures.