Head to the Desert to Scuba Dive?

You may think of a lot of sights to see when you consider a trip to Dubai, but you may not have considered scuba diving! After all, who heads to a desert climate to deep dive and explore coral reefs?

 

Certification

 

Before you book a flight to the ends of the earth, you will have to become a certified diver. You can take a course in Dubai, but it does require several days of class room training as well as several pool dives and shore dives before you are ready to go it on your own. If you are interested in diving the wrecks and reefs off the coast, here are a few dive certifications you may want to consider in addition to your regular certification:

 

*             Deep Diver

 

*             Wreck Diver

 

*             Enriched Air Diver

 

*             Peak Performance Buoyancy

 

Note: There are diving opportunities at the aquarium that do not require certification.

 

Potential Dives

If you are still on the fence about investing in a full on diving certification, you can experience the wonders of an underwater world at the Atlantis Aquarium. They offer several simple dives in a controlled environment where you can learn basic diving skills while encountering a wide range of wild life such as a Napoleon wrasse, sharks and beautiful angel fish. They also offer diving with dolphins for experienced certified divers.

Diving wreckage is usually high up on the priority list for divers, both new and experienced. Several locations are popular in this area including:

 

*             Inchcape 1- an intact barge purposely sunk in 2001, the ship still sits upright and affords divers an opportunity to see stingrays, moray eels, barracuda and several types of schooling fish.

 

*             Cement Barge- 40 foot below the surface, this barge that sunk in 1971 still contains intact bags of concrete and has become home to a wide assortment of marine life.

On the downside, the west coast diving is usually complicated by poor visibility and a lack of reefs. However, if you travel to the east coast of the UAE, things get a bit better, particularly if you are interested in encountering a whale shark. Here the waters are clearer and there are multiple shallow dive sites perfect for new divers who want to log more dives.

 

Final Thoughts

Dubai is famous for many things, and outdoor activities definitely tops the list. What better way to enjoy this desert climate than by diving deep beneath the ocean waves to encounter fantastic wildlife and interesting wreckage.