People spend a lot of money to go to abroad and try scuba diving - probably it's worth the money, but Pondicherry is nothing less! Trust me when I say this, and keep your skepticism at bay!
(Temple Adventures offers Scuba Diving at an affordable rate (Rs 7500) for a two-day dive program, where they'll train you on Day 1, at a pool. There's an instructor you'll guide you about all the rules. On Day 2, you'll taken for your deep sea diving - an experience that's worth much more than the money you pay for it!)
It was a Sunday morning, when I was introduced to the entire team and we had breakfast together at Temple Adventures office in Pondicherry. Post breakfast, we were taken to the post from where we boarded our boat.
In a team of 13, I was the only girl! Of course, that was a reason why all others were cheering for me and supporting my craziness! They took us around 10kms from the shore, and stopped at a place where there was just water all around!
We were supposed to go in turns, as there were 5 instructors and it was the 1:1 program. I was scared to go first, so a batch of 5 dived in, with all enthusiasm - while the rest of us sat on the boat anticipating what they'll get to see.
And then came my turn! The boatman actually makes the diving process easier by pushing you into the water - yes! He actually does that!
The moment I was in the water, and the chills ran through my spine - I felt a strange adrenaline rush. My instructor made me quite comfortable before going down. And then, as we started moving down, I was amazed to see how the things unfolded...
Temple Adventures had created an artificial reef under water, and over the years, marine life clustered around that area. There were numerous fishes that I spotted and their names I don't know! The water was aqua green and everything appeared to be magical. I was in a state of awe, quite literally!
Time seemed to pass by the wink of an eye! I couldn't realize when my 40 mins (the duration for which you can stay under water with the oxygen cylinder provided) got over! My instructor asked me to slowly move upwards, towards sunlight. For me, it was more like coming back to the real world, from the magical.
And as they say, "We dive n0t to escape life, but for life not to escape us."
Some important things to note before you go for the dive: (1) Don't eat much before the dive, although Temple will provide delicious Idlis and Vadas for breakfast! (2) Don't forget to take the sea-sickness medicine. (3) Keep control over your breathing, it'll help you a lot. (4) Your ears might get blocked due to a fall of atmospheric pressure. Don't ignore the instructor's guidance.
Go and experience Scuba Diving in Pondicherry! It's absolutely worthy!