No Ocean, No Problem: Inland Divers Find Adventure In City Pools

Did you know that SCUBA is an acronym and not a name?

SCUBA stands for Self-Contained Underwater Breathing Apparatus. For many people, however, the experience behind those five letters can seem inaccessible, especially in a landlocked city like Hyderabad.

For people living far from the coast, scuba diving may appear to be an activity that begins only after a flight to the sea. But that first experience does not necessarily have to happen in the ocean.

Scuba diving can also be introduced in a swimming pool, where the beginner can learn how the equipment functions, practice breathing underwater and get acquainted with the basics of diving in a controlled environment. In addition, for people who are afraid of being underwater, shallow water can also be a gentle introduction to open-water diving.

This is the idea behind a Discover Scuba Diving pool experience conducted by the world's largest recreational scuba diving training and certification organisation, PADI (Professional Association of Diving Instructors), at the Gachibowli Stadium Swimming Pool in Hyderabad, in association with Suka Dive Club.

They teach people about the basics of scuba diving including the gear, how to breathe underwater, buoyancy, safety and underwater communication.

For Hyderabad residents, pool-based training can remove one of the first barriers to taking up the sport, which is having to travel to a coastal destination simply to find out whether diving is for them.

Traditionally, learning to scuba dive has meant travelling to a coastal or island destination, adding the costs of transport, accommodation, food and several days away from work, college or school. But training in the city will allow people to continue their regular activities while attending sessions as per their specific times.

Dhruv Sirohi, PADI Regional Consultant for India and Sri Lanka, said the organisation has seen potential in inland cities because diving does not necessarily have to begin in the ocean. The first stage can take place in a controlled environment such as a pool, where beginners can become familiar with the equipment and basic skills before going to the open water.

During a beginner scuba-diving session, participants are introduced to basic equipment, breathing techniques, buoyancy control, underwater communication and safety procedures.

The training and equipment can initially appear complicated to someone experiencing diving for the first time. But Instructors guide them at every step, explaining the role of each equipment and their uses. Even how to breathe and communicate under water with proper guidance.

But the most unfamiliar part of the experience may not be the equipment. It may simply be breathing underwater.

Once underwater, divers also cannot communicate by speaking normally. Instead, they rely on standardised hand signals.

"Once underwater, divers also cannot communicate by speaking normally. Instead, they rely on standardised hand signals. During the training, participants are taught signals for indicating that they were 'OK', reporting a problem, ascending or descending, asking someone to look at them and checking their remaining air supply," said Syed Sufian Quadri, co-founder and instructor at Suka Dive Club.

He emphasised that beginners should communicate if they feel uncomfortable. The training is designed to allow participants to learn gradually rather than immediately being taken into deep water.

Kavya Eluru, co-founder of Suka Dive Club, described the biggest fear among many beginners as the "fear of the unknown". People may not know what to expect underwater, how their bodies will react or how they will manage the equipment. The gradual training process is intended to address these concerns.

One of the common assumptions surrounding scuba diving is that a person must already be an experienced swimmer.

Qadri said that while swimming ability and comfort in water can be helpful, the requirements depend on the programme. The introductory pool experience focuses on familiarising participants with breathing underwater, equipment and basic diving skills under instructor supervision.

Safety remains central to the training. According to the instructors, diving skills are taught progressively, with beginners practising in shallow water before moving into deeper environments and eventually open water.

Sirohi said PADI's standardised training system is intended to ensure that instructors and divers follow the same basic procedures regardless of where the training takes place. This uniformity, he said, helps reduce the risks associated with poor preparation or inconsistent training.

The Discover Scuba Diving experience is not necessarily the final destination for someone interested in the sport.

After participants get comfortable with the basics, they can move on to getting certified to dive in open water and eventually the sea. Hyderabad residents can choose between diving in India and abroad as per their interests, time and budget.

Possible destinations that instructors named include the Andaman Islands, Maldives, Goa, Puducherry, the western coast of India and Sri Lanka, with Thailand also accessible from Hyderabad.

For people who may otherwise have to spend money on travel and accommodation simply to find out whether they enjoy diving, the pool experience offers a chance to try it before committing to an open-water course.

"People don't necessarily have to travel all the way to the coast just to find out whether scuba diving is for them. They can come to a pool, experience breathing underwater, learn how to use the equipment and see how comfortable they are before deciding whether they want to take it further," Quadri said.

The reasons people take up diving vary. According to Sirohi, some arrive because they have always wanted to try scuba diving, while others have seen it while travelling, in films or through friends and want to experience it themselves. For some, the introductory session is simply a way to find out whether diving is something they would like to pursue further.

Sirohi said word-of-mouth also plays an important role in the diving community. People who have had positive experiences generally recommend diving to friends and family, helping us introduce the activity to people who may not otherwise consider it.

For some, scuba diving can eventually become more than a recreational activity.

Eluru mentioned that Scuba diving can unfold opportunities connected to marine biology, scientific research, conservation, underwater photography and filmmaking, as well as professional and commercial diving.

Divers can progress towards roles such as divemaster and instructor, while specialised forms of diving can lead to work in commercial operations, underwater repair, scientific research and marine conservation.

Sirohi said diving can be particularly relevant to marine biology because researchers can observe marine life in its natural environment rather than studying it only after collecting samples. The underwater experience can also encourage young divers to take a greater interest in marine science and conservation.

For younger participants, junior diving programmes can provide an early introduction to the underwater environment in a pool before they progress to more advanced training. Kavya Eluru also sees diving as an activity that can extend beyond individual adventure seekers, describing it as something families can experience together.

According to Qadri, there is also no single age at which a person must stop diving. Physical fitness and medical suitability are more important factors, with medical clearance required in certain circumstances.

Sirohi also highlighted the potential for adaptive diving for people with disabilities. Because divers are weightless underwater, some people with limited mobility can participate with appropriate adaptations, training and support. PADI also offers specialised training for instructors working with divers with disabilities.

Diving can also open the door to an environment that people might not otherwise experience first hand.

Sirohi said seeing marine life and environmental damage firsthand can make issues such as pollution, overfishing and coral degradation more tangible.