The Week Junior - UK (2022-06-11)

24 The Week Junior • 11 June 2022

Do something

Scuba diving

HOW, WHAT,

WHERE?

S

cuba diving is a world of underwater adventures and fun.

If you enjoy swimming in pools and the sea, it will give

you the chance to see wonderful things.

Scuba diving lets you move and breathe below the

water. Unlike snorkelling, where a mask and basic breathing

tube helps you swim just under the surface, special

breathing equipment allows you to spend time

several metres down. It requires training,

instructions and strict safety guidance

from qualified divers, but once you

have been taught you can begin

exploring deep down.

The equipment includes a

cylinder, which is the tank of air you

carry on your back and a regulator,

which has the tube and mouthpiece

through which you breathe. A wetsuit

keeps you warm in the water and fins go

on your feet to help you swim. You also wear

a clever type of vest called a buoyancy control

device (or “BCD”) to manage how deep you go in the water

by increasing or decreasing the amount of air it contains.

You can begin with a taster or beginner sessions. This

will be in a swimming pool and you’ll have the chance to try

out equipment and the feeling of breathing in the water.

Miranda Krestovnikoff loves diving in the coasts around

the UK. She is a marine and wildlife expert,

author, television presenter and ambassador

for the Professional Association of Diving

Instructors (PADI).

“Diving in the UK can blow your

mind. It’s hard to believe that you can

see seahorses, play with grey seals

and even find sharks in our chilly

waters,” she tells The Week Junior.

“Our coastline is littered with ancient

shipwrecks, and it’s interesting to learn

about their history. Diving doesn’t have to

be deep down though, and you never know

what you’re going to see.”

There is lots of kit

to keep you safe.

Explore an exciting underwater world when you go...

What about snorkelling?

Snorkelling is a great way to have

fun in the water, and could well

encourage you to try out scuba

diving. With the help of an adult,

go to the British Sub-Aqua Club’s

website at bsac.com to find out

more about diving and snorkelling,

and how to find a club near you.

Say hello to a

curious seal.

SCUB

A^ FA

CT

The^ wo

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a”^ stan

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for^ “sel

f-conta

ined^

underw

ater^ br

eathing

appara

tus”.

How old must I be?

To start a PADI Seal Team course for

young beginners you must be aged

eight or older. You don’t need to

have any diving experience but you

must be a confident swimmer and

be comfortable in the water. There

is also the PADI Bubblemakers

taster course you could try.

GE

TTY

IM

AG

ES^ ·

AL

AM

Y

“I LOVE DIVING

HERE IN THE UK”

“When I go under the

water in my scuba

gear, it is the best

feeling because it is

relaxing and you can

see wrecks, sharks,

dolphins, fish, seals

and other marine life. You can dive

all over the world but I love diving

in the UK, even though it’s a bit

cold, as I can see all my local

wildlife. This is why I want to spread

the word about how much fun it is.”

Name:

Miranda

Miranda takes

the plunge.