Scuba diving can be a life refreshing experience but if done the wrong way, it can scar the adventurous spirit forever. Unfortunately, there are many mediocre service providers in Goa, that have abandoned the care that goes into providing a good experience, all for some extra money.

But there still are some dedicated people that work extra hard to provide top-tier experience. Luckily, I chose one of these and made my 25th birthday, an epic one.

The scuba season in Goa ends in mid-May and reopens after October, because of India’s heavy monsoon season. I went to Goa in the last week of April and the scuba enthusiasts had already started leaving. This became a blessing for me as the scuba schools were dedicating their time to the few customers that came in.

While choosing the right place to pick, I conversed with many locals and they suggested that I research well about the place before going, and so I did. What I found was that most adventure sports providers had bundled numerous water sports including scuba, eventually reducing the quality and time spent on each activity. Many activities at low prices attract many people, but most of them end up regretting their decision.

After a lot of research, I chose a PADI-certified provider, that was run by an ex-navy guy. The beginner course included a 45mins pool training session which was held the day before the dive. And a full 45 min dive the next day near some scuba spots near Grande Island, Goa.

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The Training:

The day I went for training, I discovered that only 2 people were diving that day which gave me a rather exclusive experience. Learning the basics of scuba is rather easy if you are a bit familiar with swimming. It is very crucial to learn the signs, as they are the only communicational tool available underwater. A 45 min pool session was more than enough to get used to the equipment and to get comfortable being underwater.

The Dive:

For the dive, we took an hour-long boat ride to reach the dive spots near Grande Island. The good luck favored me, the weather and the waters were clear, a perfect morning for a good ride.

After wearing all the gear, sitting on the gunwale, and being ready to dive into the deep waters the situational tension hit me like a big wave. All of a sudden, my heart began to race and I felt the panic of the moment. Until now I was just sitting on a boat and enjoying the blue waters, but it was time to jump. My instructor, Sinjini, was already in the water waiting for my jump and screamed 3..2..1.

I grabbed my mask and rolled backward, my heart was pounding, the saltiness of the water touched my lips and I started to breathe heavily. Sinjini saw my uneasiness and asked me to put my face in the water and look at the fish, and so I did. The motive was to distract me, and in a couple of minutes, I felt normal being in the water. Then I laid on my back and Sinjini pulled me towards the anchor.

We grabbed the anchor and started pulling ourselves towards the bottom, I was amazed at how clear the water was. As we went deeper, the water became clearer, and I started seeing the shipwreck and the coral reef that had surrounded it.

As we swam parallel to the sea bed, I became very comfortable in the water and started moving around on my own. Sinjini started guiding me through the spots that had the best flora and fauna. I found my curiosity re-emerge from somewhere long forgotten and the beauty was undeniable. The vibrant colors were mesmerizing and those 45 mins felt like hours to me. Moving around so deep in the water was very physically demanding and by the end, I felt very exhausted.

As we swam upwards, I could feel the pressure easing on my body, ear drums opened up, my lungs felt more full and so did my soul. I climbed back on the boat, while Sinjini, went back into the water. And I got some time to myself on the boat, sitting there staring at the endless ocean, I was reflecting on the beautiful and emotional experience that I just had.

I hope that everyone that chooses Goa for their scuba dice has a similar if not greater experience. So make sure to research beforehand and happy diving.