Guide to Scuba Diving in Nigeria
Have you ever watched a movie and seen lots of people swimming underwater? Have you ever wondered what that activity was called or why they were doing it? Well, what we mostly watch in movies and believe to be a stunt is simply scuba diving.
Many people believe that the name scuba came from the definition of the term – scuba diving. Scuba diving is an actual underwater swimming activity involving the use of self-contained underwater breathing apparatus (SCUBA).
This activity is mostly practised by youths and elderly people. This does not mean that teenagers cannot engage in this exciting activity. Doctors always advise youths to engage in this activity because it helps to boost one’s awareness and concentration. This is easily achievable because when you are swimming underwater, you have to continuously keep your balance by coordinating your legs and arm movement. And you also have to ensure that you do not harm the fish swimming alongside you.
Difference Between Diving and Scuba Diving
In Nigeria, it is quite easy to confuse the two terminologies, but they are two different things. Just like a fish and a tadpole are not the same, diving and scuba diving are not the same either. With scuba diving, special tools are used differently from diving. Scuba divers are never taught to hold their breath while diving, whereas actual divers are taught to hold their breath before they dive.
In Nigeria, however, people believe that scuba diving hasn’t found its way to our territory. That false information has led many people to travel outside the country to learn the skill. But in Nigeria, we have organizations like ScubaLagos, teaching Nigerians everything they need to know to dive safely and have fun while at it. We feel obligated to inform you that you will have to pay a small token to be able to scuba dive in Nigeria. But it is the same all over the world. Nigeria also gives the same fee or something even lower than most scuba diving firms around the world.
Some of the best locations to scuba dive in Nigeria include;
1. IKEJA:
Ikeja is a city in Lagos, and it has lots of beautiful water bodies. Due to the robust water bodies in the city, many Nigerians are fond of engaging themselves in fun water activities. Some of these activities include; fishing, boat rides, canoeing, etc. The location is known to be a huge tourist attraction spot. In Nigeria, lots of people are influx into the city for different activities. Due to this, organisations like ScubaLagos go to extra lengths to ensure that the pieces of equipment needed for scuba diving are made available. This way, scuba divers don’t engage in diving instead of scuba diving.
2. ABUJA:
Abuja is the capital of Nigeria. The luxurious city is known to host lots of beautiful water bodies. Spoiler alert! Lots of organisations that train people in this sport are located in Abuja. The calm, natural breeze in these locations helps boost one’s confidence and ease the stress from the mind of the scuba divers.
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3. ILE-IFE:
This city is in Osun State. The water bodies found in this city cover large hectares of land. These water bodies are filled with lots of fish of different species. These species are as beautiful as they are enchanting. It makes it easier for scuba divers to be able to learn and explore the different species of fish that are present in Nigeria.
4. CALABAR:
Calabar is a city in Cross River State. Some of the activities water lovers can engage in when in this beautiful city include; water hiking, canoeing, boat rides, etc. With such a large portion of water scattered around the city, it is a great place for scuba diving and attracts many professionals scuba divers. Hence the organisations that conduct training at these stations are numerous, and they come with sophisticated equipment. So you can expect the best experience from this location.
Other locations that you can go to and experience the best of scuba diving include;
1. Iseyin in Oyo state
2. Benin city in Edo state
3. Abeokuta in Ogun state
4. Osogbo in Osun state
5. Ikare in Ondo state.
The benefits that come with scuba diving in Nigeria are an enticing feeling. Unfortunately, most Nigerians travel out of the country just to get this feeling, but this should not be the case because Nigeria has many locations where scuba divers can go for scuba diving.