SCUBA DIVING WITH TERESA BOWDEN – Doncaster Bowling Club

 

I discovered scuba diving 20 years ago at the Great Barrier Reef and I was hooked. When you look at the sea from the shore, you might marvel at the colours and the movements of the waters, but there is so much more under the surfaces. For the first five years, I mainly dived in the Coral  Sea, often on Liveaboards where you do up to five dives a day whilst living on the boat.The visibility underwater was awesome and the corals were healthy. Then in the last fifteen years I have dived only overseas. Up to now I have dived in twelve countries including Palau, Tahiti, Hawaii, East Timor, Fiji, Vanuatu, Indonesia, and the Philippines. I have logged over 860 dives. There are many weird and wonderful things to see underwater. The big creatures like manta rays, turtles and giant clams. Then there is the world of tiny critters like Pygmy sea horses and nudibranchs (sea slugs) which come in a great variety of colours and forms. It is the little critters that I now want to see. They are more abundant in warmer waters, hence that’s why I go overseas. Seven years ago I took up the challenge of underwater photography. After each trip, I’ll make a DVD and video from my photos. I also research the names of the critters recorded and that increases my knowledge of them. There is more effort and preparation for a dive trip than a normal land holiday. I must carefully check my dive equipment and gear, the camera and the dive computer. Travelling can be tiring also, because the places I go to are quite remote—-a flight, a car ride and a boat ride. I must be in top health, and make sure I don’t forget anything, as shops are few and far between. I love scuba diving. I feel privileged to be amongst this weightless, silent, colourful world. I am in my meditation bubble. I hope I can keep doing it for a while longer. One thousand dives is my goal!…..Teresa Bowden.