How scuba diving is conducted for beginners or nonswimmers in Andaman?

The geographical location and Archipelago of Andaman Islands offer equal opportunities to develop and evolve diverse marine life. Commercial fishing is officially banned by the Andaman authorities to safeguard marine life that’s why thousands of marine species are identified in the natural ecosystem. 

The Andaman Islands are tropical rainforest that covers 80-90% of land and the breading ground of numerous species of plants, trees, and wildlife. Andaman has become popular for its watersports activities over the time due to its variety of marine life, crystal clear water bodies, colorful coral reefs, and white sand virgin beaches.

Thousands of tourists yearly visit the Andaman Islands to explore its vibrant marine life and spend their quality time in the lap of nature. Scuba diving is the most prominent watersport to witness the colorful marine life beneath the sea surface. Swimming is not a pre-requisite to try scuba diving in Andaman, even beginners or nonswimmers can easily do it. 

Simple steps to conduct scuba diving for beginners or nonswimmers

1. Choose a recognized scuba diving agency

Many scuba diving schools operate daily where you can book your scuba diving activity. But getting the best that stands out from others as per your requirements and offering the best diving experience is a matter of a little search. A well-established and professional scuba dive agency may charge a little higher price but ensures you have a wonderful dive adventure in terms of quality and safety.

Qualities of a recognized dive school

• Ensures proper safety and quality dive time 
• Choose the best dive sites in the area
• Prefer boat dives or deep dives (12 meters) to explore magnificent marine life
• Adequate shallow water training time (up to 90 minutes) to make you confident and comfortable for actual diving.
• Maintain ideal guest and instructor ratio in a boat to avoid hustle and bustle
• Guest and instructor ratio 1:1 during actual dive
• Onboard support staff and first aid medical facilities
• Take you to the deepest point depending on your comfort level
• Use of latest GoPro cameras to capture your photos and videos

2. Shallow water beachside training

Upon choosing a professional dive agency, the next step is to go for shallow water training on your dive date. Before you go for the training process, it is mandatory to fill up a medical questionnaire form to ensure your medical fitness and wear scuba dive suits at the dive shop.

Shallow water training is the crucial part just before your actual dive. The training process makes sure that you learn and practice basic scuba diving skills that are mandatory during your actual dive. The training process is conducted under the supervision of dive instructors at the chest-level water that allows up to 90 minutes of training time.

You get to learn the following skills during training time

• How to equalize underwater ear pressure?
• How to breathe in and out through a regulator?
• How to release water from the eyes and nose covering mask?
• How and when to use underwater hand signals?
• How to put on the regulator and release mouth water in case the regulator is accidentally removed from the mouth underwater?

3. Actual dive via speed boat

After the successful training process, the next and final step is the actual dive at the predecided dive site. After training, you will board a standby boat to take you to the dive site along with the dive crew. On arrival at the dive site, you will make a backroll entry from the boat into the water. Personal instructors will assist you during the process and one cameraman will capture the moment in the form of a video of your backroll entry.

Your personal instructor will check that your scuba diving equipment is properly worn and in order and ensure you learned underwater hand signals. Then the instructor will slowly descend into the water and keep a repetitive check to ensure your comfort level and make sure you are enjoying the dive. The dive instructor will take you to multiple habitats of soft corals where exists adequate marine life. Additional cameramen will capture eye-catching photos and videos of the activity.

Note: Swimming is not required to try scuba diving. Dive instructors will not let you swim even if you know how to swim because it will disrupt the diving process and you will get tired after 5-10 minutes.

Scuba diving in Andaman for beginners or nonswimmers is the most exciting and adventurous watersport when strict diving norms are followed. Upon completion of the actual dive, we will take you back to the dive shop and transfer your photos and videos instantly to your mobile phone or Pendrive.

Which is the best place for scuba diving in Andaman?

Havelock Island (Swaraj Dweep) is the most prominent location to experience the best scuba diving in Andaman. The Island offers more than 25 dive sites suitable for all divers as per their skill and experience levels. The marine biodiversity of the Island is unmatched in terms of coral reefs and creeks, sea dwellers, underwater sandy patches, underwater visibility, and shallow water dive points ideal for snorkeling as well.

Apart from marine life, the Island comprises some of the best beaches including Radhanagar Beach (sunset), Kala Pathar Beach (Sunrise), Elephanta Beach (watersports), Jungle trails, mangrove trails, beachside villas or resorts, popular seafood cafes and restaurants. The minimum population of the Island offers you a sense of isolation and closeness to nature. 

Which is the best dive site for beginners or nonswimers in Havelock?

Tribe Gate and Turtle Beach are the top 2 best dive sites for beginners or nonswimmers to witness the best scuba diving in Havelock. The dive sites are known for boat dives or deep dives up to 12 meters and offer enchanting marine life. 

Tribe Gate: It is an oval-shaped big reef located between the channels of John Lawerence and Havelock Island. The dive site rests approximately 2 kilometers away from the shoreline of Havelock Island. Tribe Gate is popular for its multiple species of fishlife that float individually as well as in groups. The reef starts from 3 meters and goes up to 14 meters to the sandy bottom. You can also spot multiple habitats of colorful sea anemones and soft corals. The dive site is ideal to spot fishlife in terms of species, size, colors, and shoal of fish.

Turtle Beach: The dive is located approximately 12 kilometers away from the training point and rests 800 meters away from Elephanta Beach. The dive site is popular for its live stag horn corals. You can also witness unique species of fishlife that can be spotted at Turtle Beach only. The reef of the dive site starts from 2 meters and goes straight 10 meters deep to the sandy bottom. The dive site is ideal for snorkeling activities as well.

Note: You can also spot turtles, manta rays, lobster, coral reef snakes, and other rarely spotted sea dwellers are usually spotted at both dive sites.

Who is eligible for scuba diving?

People who fall in the age group of 12 to 50 years and are mentally or physically fit enough are eligible for recreational scuba diving. People between the age group of 51-55 years can also go diving provided they produce a fit to dive medical certificate duly signed and stamped by a general physician. Check the medical form in detail to ensure your medical fitness for scuba diving.

People with the following medical or health issues are not eligible for diving.

• Ear problems, breathing problems, blood pressure, asthma, diabetes, sugar, infection
• Taking prescription or medicine on a daily basis
• Migraine, headaches, seizures, stroke, significant head injury
• Back problems, hernia, ulcers, diarrhea
• Chest surgery, heart surgery, collapsed lung
• Mental and psychological issues

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