Word of Life Youth Centre Discover Scuba Experience

24 Teens from The Word Of LIfe Youth Centre in Durban had an unforgettable Discover Scuba Experience hosted by The Calypso Diving Centre based at Ushaka. Three Diving Instructors, headed up by Ernst Van Der Poll, from Dubai volunteered their time to teach these kids how to take their first breaths underwater.

This outreach program was part of Project Ignite 2011.

Here is what the kids had to say!

David Smith – 13 years

I felt excited to actually swim underwater with fish and sharks, but at the same time I was scared because I was cut on my finger the previous day. When we where about to get into the water with all our equipment, I quickly asked if those sharks where attracted to human blood, once the diving instructors said ‘NO”, I was really relieved.  I really enjoyed it. It was life changing, It was so unusual to breathe underwater. I never thought that I would ever go scuba diving and wouldn’t mind having it as my career. Thanks so much!

Phaphama Mdingi – 15 years

Scuba diving was a nice experience to see sea creatures underwater and how things were in slow motion. At first I could not breathe, but I learnt very quickly and when it was time to go out I did not want to end the dive.

Zubennathi Sampeta – 13 years

It was fun – I had the best time but I was scared. I have never done something like this. When I saw fish I was amazed.

Jeremy De Fleur – 20 years

I was scared at first when I heard about scuba diving. And the fact that we had to swim with sharks. When I did end up diving, I enjoyed the experience and I did not want to go home. I wanted to dive some more – when I went underwater it was like a whole new life. I would really like to help marine conservation. I like scuba diving because it could become a hobby and I feel I would really enjoy it as a job.

Maqhawe Mdingi –

When I saw the gold, I wanted to steal the gold in the ship in the aquarium. When first I went in the water with a diving tank on my back, I was sinking. I enjoyed cleaning the mask with spit and I also enjoyed swimming with the sharks and parrot fish.

Jermaine Vanwhye – 12 Years

It was a great experience to go scuba diving. I never ever thought I would be swimming with sharks and fish. I was very scared that day because I thought it would be impossible to breathe underwater. I thought that soccer was the only thing in the world that I would be great at, but I was wrong. I would love to become a scuba diver one day.

Ivan Barnas – 13 Years

It was a life changing experience for me and it opened new doorways for me showed a different part of the planet to me. It was a wonderful experience to breathe underwater.

Jeanno Bussack – 17 years

My scuba diving experience was amazing.

It was out of this world.

It was like never before

I would love to be a scuba diver one day

It was so peaceful underwater and the fish are so lovely.

Wilbur Smith – 21 years

When I first heard about the Word of Life Doing Scuba Diving this year I was so excited because I’ve wanted to go scuba diving for a long time in my life. I knew it would be a great experience, but when I went diving that day it was much more than great – it was out of this world.  Going scuba diving made me, or should I say, gave me the chance to swim with my favorite animal in the world – the shark. Diving was so amazing, I would love to do it for the rest of my life because the three guys that took us diving were such great guys.