Want to take on the underwater world of Scuba diving but you’re not quite sure how? Well, first things first, you have to have the right gear because without that you won’t get far, or anywhere at all to be honest. Yes, when it comes to Scuba diving it’s all about the gear. Plus, being all kitted out and geared up makes you look like a total pro – you know what they say, the first step to success is looking the part, and you’ll definitely look the part trust me!

Having the right Scuba Diving gear allows you to visit and fully experience the underwater world of Cape Town by making it possible to breathe, see and move comfortably while below the surface. It will transform you into the ultimate aquatic creature ready to explore and discover all the scuba diving wonders of the Cape Town ocean. So, what exactly will you need? Well let’s dive a little deeper and see:

• How will you get to discover all the cool underwater creatures and explore the incredible submerged world if you can’t actually see it? Well, this is where your mask comes in. This piece of equipment might seem simple, but wow, it might just be the most important. A good scuba mask will make all the difference to your experience, trust me!
• Snorkel: its snorkel time! When people first go diving they often ask the question of do they really need a snorkel? Having a snorkel attached to your mask is more than a comfort issue – it is a safety issue. A snorkel makes it way easier to breathe on the surface without having to lift your head every time to get air, the fact is you want to spend as much time with your head below the surface, a single second to catch your breath can be the difference between seeing something spectacular and not. So its best you put that snorkel on. A snorkel also allows you to conserve energy which is especially important in rough water conditions.
• Fins: Time to put your fins on! When moving through the water you want to do it as smoothly and effectively as possible, you want it to be relatively effortless right? Well fins do exactly that! Plus, when scuba diving, some of the gear can become relatively heavy, having the right fins will make sure you and your gear are never left behind and allow you to move from one point to another with complete and utter ease.
• A regulator not only makes you look like a total scuba diving pro it’s also essential for breathing underwater. And trust me, while underwater, there’s nothing more important than breathing! If you think about it, breathing underwater is pretty remarkable, and it all happens because of the regulator. The scuba regulator is a great invention that delivers the air from your scuba tank to you. They say you’ll never forget the first breath you take underwater through a regular – a truly thrilling experience.
• Scuba tank: It’s all about that scuba tank! These are high pressure cylinders that hold a large volume of compressed gas. It can truly be seen as your life line while underwater, and is therefore an absolute ESSENTIAL!
• Wetsuits, Dry suits & Bodysuits: Yes, there’s more than one suit! It’s called exposure protection because while scuba diving you’re not only exposed to water’s cooling ability but also to things that can scrape, cut or sting. Because water temperatures vary from really warm near the equator to icy cold in some areas, there are three basic styles of exposure protection – the wetsuit, dry suit, and body suit - you choose your wetsuit style and thickness based on the water temperature. It is therefore incredibly important that you choose the right one for you! Wetsuits get their name because you still get wet while wearing one. Your body quickly heats the thin layer of water that gets in and you’re insulated from the cooler surrounding water by the wetsuit material. Dry suits keep you dry by creating a seal at your wrists and neck. Dry suits therefore keep you more comfortable in cooler surface temperatures and in a brisk wind. Body suits have little or no insulation, so they’re intended either for very warm water diving, or as an extra layer under another exposure suit. They also provide good sunburn protection.
• Yeah, now we’re getting to the cool stuff! Also known as a Submersible Pressure gauge, your SPG displays how much air remains in your tank so that you can end your dive well before you get too low. Trust me, this is important, you never want to be the person that runs out of air, knowing how much you have left in the tank is everything!
• Dive Computer: Yes, Scuba diving requires a computer too! A dive computer allows you to monitor a variety of information like depth, time, and previous dive info. It gives you real time dive info while in action, pretty impressive right!
• Weight System: This is the one time where putting extra weight on is not a bad thing at all, it’s actually needed. Most people float, which is great if you like to stay at the surface, but that’s not what we’re after! Scuba divers want to descend and need a weight system to help them offset this tendency to float. However, you want just the right amount – the correct amount and proper distribution of weight will allow you to fine-tune your buoyancy.
• As with everything else, safety comes first. Some scuba diving safety gear include: Dive flag and float – This is used to signal other boats that there are divers below the surface, signal lights and flashes, signal mirror, delayed surface marker buoys, inflatable signal tubes, whistles and horns.
• There are also a variety of other scuba diving accessories and add-ons you can get. Some of these include: A dive light, dive knife, underwater photography and video equipment, dive watches, sidemounts and rebreathers.

Well, now that we have you all geared up and ready to go it’s time to take the underwater Cape Town world by Scuba Diving storm!