Scuba diving increasingly popular among teenagers
KUALA LUMPUR: Scuba diving is becoming increasingly popular among teenagers who like to take part in challenging activities and extreme sports.
Diverlogy Ventures (DiverGen) founder Mohd Yusof Mansor, 45, who is also a certified Professional Association of Diving Instructors Open Water Scuba instructor, said many parents today are more open to making scuba diving their recreational activity of choice because they feel that it is something interesting and beneficial for their children to learn.
“For the past seven to eight years, I have seen this activity becoming an option among parents who want their children to experience something new. Today the involvement of teenagers in scuba diving is very encouraging.
“Most parents who have diving licences want their children to take part in scuba diving not only to experience the beauty of underwater life but also to engage in activities that can help raise their physical fitness and breathing system,” he told Bernama recently.
Mohd Yusof said his son Adam Harris, 15, who is also his dive buddy, was exposed to scuba diving activities when he was eight years old.
He said scuba diving was considered as an extreme sport because it required a lot of courage to explore the underwater world, armed with only an oxygen tank to help divers breath underwater.
“Although it is a challenging activity, if we learn the method and safe way to scuba dive, the risk of accidents can be reduced. This is why all prospective divers are required to take a diving course.
“We usually open scuba diving courses to youngsters from the age of eight. They need to have basic swimming skills to make it is easier for them to follow the courses that we run,” he said.
On the cost of attending such courses, Mohd Yusof, who started DiverGen in 2017 at the National Sports Council Complex in Setiawangsa, said for a start it would cost around RM1,400 to RM1,500 to obtain a junior open water licence.
“The cost usually includes boat transportation to the island and accommodation. Those who take an open water course will usually do three pool sessions before being taken to the island to complete another four sessions to finish the course.
“After they obtain a licence, and if they want to go diving in future but could not afford to buy their own dive gear, they can rent it on the islands that offer scuba diving,” he said.
Mohd Yusof, who also provides a scuba diving equipment rental service, said seeing the youngsters who had attended diving courses organised by him becoming good diver gave him a deep sense of satisfaction.
“So far, there have been more than 20 teenagers who have taken scuba diving courses with us…hopefully more teenagers will take the transition to the endemic phase as an opportunity to learn and get a scuba diving licence,” he added.