First Scuba Diving Experience in Aliguay Island
Never in my entire existence that I will have my first scuba diving experience. With just 5% of Earth’s ocean have been explored and charted, my anxiety tells me that there could be something out there. The rest of the oceans remains mostly undiscovered and unseen by humans. That is one of the many reasons why I’ve been struggling on wether to try diving or just leave it as a dream.
Truth be told, I have a deep passion for the ocean and underwater world. I want the chance to explore more. With the full support of Dakak Aqua Sports and the expertise of its professional diving instructor, Mr. Elmer Yongco, I was finally able to experience and see the underwater landscape through scuba diving at Aliguay Island, Dapitan City.
Although I think everyone should atleast attempt to try scuba diving, I also know that it isn’t for everyone and that is okay.
My expectations on my first diving experience
I have to be honest that I got really excited after knowing that I would be trying scuba diving for the first time because I think it’s kinda cool. Seeing a lot of breathtaking underwater photos made me think that it’s worth a try and I had to cross it out on my bucket list. What held me back was my fear, overthinking, and bad judgement about scuba diving. Aliguay Island being a beautiful island in Dapitan City helps me ease my anxiety and fears.
I was excited to see fishes, sea turtles, sharks (maybe), coral reefs, and all other water babies we’d probably associate with underwater. Little did I know what I was in for.
I got only excited on the beautiful parts and not the terrifying ones. But hey, don’t get me wrong! I would still recommend you to try scuba diving and see it for yourself.
Learning Scuba Diving gears and skills
Before any first time divers go underwater, there will be of course an orientation and you need to learn first the basic skills of scuba diving. With so many stuff to remember, the only thing that you don’t want to forget is to “NEVER HOLD YOUR BREATHE!”. It’s just crazy how your mind tells you otherwise.
Having a professional PADI instructor who’s very passionate on what he does makes my first scuba diving experience easier to do even during the times when I’m still learning the skill tests. I received good remarks from him and that has somehow encouraged me to pushed it through.
Despite clearing all the tests, I was still terrified and I couldn’t care less about being certified anymore. My anxiety started kicking in and moments before descending, I have been constantly visualizing myself getting drowned and bursting my lungs.
Scuba diving is taught in baby steps. From learning how all dive gear works and familiarize you with safe-dive techniques to diving skill tests. It is important that you put your mind and focus on what the diving instructor will teach you.
Life lessons from diving
This scuba diving experience has taught me a lot about myself and my fears. It’s far beyond my comfort zone and somehow, it has changed my outlook in life. This intro dive has brought numerous lessons and realizations.
Unlike other first timers who hate it the first time around, I am one of the few people who becomes more interested about diving. Not just because of its coolness as a sport, but I love the positivity it has given me. It’s like giving me more power and control as a person.
One of the most beautiful lesson that diving has taught me is that there’s no other way to face your fear except to really face it.
Lesson 1: Go with the flow, but with awareness
During your first scuba diving experience, do not try to control or fight the underwater environment. You’d be expose to a while new different world. Rather, learn how to adapt with it. Enjoy the scenery of fishes and corals. The more tense you are, the more likely you are to panic and mess up. It is normal to forget hand signals, skills and other instructions for the first time around, but please bear in mind about that one thing to never hold your breathe.
Lesson 2: Control your breath, control your mind
When you’re like me who sometimes has uncontrollable thoughts and anxieties, all emotions including fears impact how I breath. Scuba diving is all about breathing and mind game. During my first time diving, I literally forgot how to breathe because my mind told me that I couldn’t breathe underwater. That’s why by being aware and gaining control over it, you can also gain control over your mind.
Lesson 3: There’s no other way to face your fears, except face it
I’m not the best person to say this as I have my own fears that I can’t even face myself. But when on your first scuba diving experience, acknowledge and accept your fears. It’s normal to be scared and to me, one of the things that made me fell in love with diving for the first time is no one judges your fears. You just have to learn to slow things down and dive at your own pace.
Experience scuba diving in Aliguay Island
Aliguay island is a small island in Dapitan City located about an hour boat ride away from Dakak Park and Beach Resort. Since Dakak is the only diving center in Zamboanga del Norte with a certified Professional Association of Diving Instructor (PADI) member, I highly recommend you to take the PADI Discover Scuba Diving Course to get the feel of scuba diving.
Scuba Diving Rates in Dakak Aqua Sports
You don’t need to travel far to get into your first scuba diving experience because in Zamboanga del Norte, there’s a diving centre that offers various scuba diving packages for beginners and licensed divers.
Dakak Aqua Sports is a diving centre in Dakak Park and Beach Resort, Dapitan City that has an in-house professional PADI instructor. Below are the published rates of their scuba diving packages.
DIVING
All rates are per person
- Introductory Course/Pool Session Only – ₱1,700
- Discover Scuba Diving (1hr & 30mins; includes pool session + boat dive in open sea + diving guide) – ₱3,250
- Open Water Course (3-4 Days) – ₱16, 000
- Advance Open Water Course (2-3 days) – ₱15,000
- PADI Rescue Diver Course (3-5 days) – ₱20, 000
- Pdi Rescue Diver Course + EFR (3-5 days) – ₱25,000
Scuba Diving for Licensed Divers
All rates are per person (Scuba Gears not Included)
- Coastal Dive (with boat, diving guide, and tanks) – ₱2,500
- Island Dive (min. of 2 persons) with boat, diving guide, and tanks – ₱3,000
- Wreck Dive (with boat, diving guide, and tanks) requires Advance Dive Certification) – ₱1,700
- Night Dive (with boat, diving guide and tanks) requires Advance Dive Certification – ₱1,700
Scuba Diving Gear Rentals
- Full set diving equipment (BCD, regulator, wet suit, mask and fins) – ₱800
- Basic Diving Gear (BCD, regulator, wet suit) – ₱750
- BCD (Buoyancy Control Device) – 300₱
- Regulator (with depth gauge/SPG and octopus – ₱300
- Wet suite – ₱200
- Fins – ₱150
- Booties – ₱150
- Weight Belt – ₱150
- Weight/Pounds – ₱150
- Full Foot Fins, mask & Snorkel – ₱250
The intense anxiety that I went through during my Discover Scuba Diving Course was worth it after receiving my certificate of completion with a PADI stamp given by the best diving instructor of Dakak Aqua Sports. Hey, this certification is not a scuba diving license. If you want to get licensed, you may reach Dakak Aqua Sports on their Facebook Page or you may call them at 0915 318 5238.
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Renz (@rasimpao)
Nice! Isa to sa mga gusto kong gawin this year! I save ko to for future reference. Thanks! 🙂
Jowjow Mojos (@FoodFlings.PH)
Grabe! I have always wanted to try this but you know, open sea, a lot can happen, parang I feel trapped without nowhere to go. Pero this article gives me the curiosity again to try it!
Mumshie Nica
Omg! That was such a great experience. I agree with you that this is not for everyone like me, but I still hope to experience it someday. But before that, I should learn first how to swim. lol
Misskhae
It sound unbelievable but there are lots of people na hindi marunong lumangoy but can scuba dive 😀 May fins kasi kaya up and down lang sa paa, keri na. HAHA
Blair Villanueva
Thanks for this update sis! We are planning to take a scuba diving course when we get back to the Philippines, coz it is VERY EXPENSIVE here in Australia. I want to learn so that I could freely enjoy the beauty underwater without a guide.
Misskhae
You want to get certified, too? OMG Yes! I’ve heard nga that you can go diving without a guide when you’re a scuba certified. That’s nice! 😀
Hyejin
Such a great experience. I admire you for conquering your fear. I would love to try scuba diving too kaso hindi ako marunong lumangoy at takot akong malunod hahaha.
Misskhae
Hindi din naman ako gaanong marunong lumangoy pero as long as you know how to flip your feet up and down, kering keri na. Kalaban mo lang sa scuba diving is anxiety! HAHA
Christianforemost.com
This blog makes me wanna go out and try it right now. Really wish i could see better though. My eyes are blurry so wont be able to see the corals or fishes when i go diving so parang sayang lang huhu
Misskhae
Um, I know na there are people na may glasses who tried scuba diving and okay naman daw. Medyo mahirap lang since may tendencies na napapasukan ng tubig yung mask mo so ayun lang. 😀
Danica Airelle Marasigan
So brave and adventurous of you to cross out scuba diving off your list! Am glad that your adventures are still ongoing despite the lockdown. Here in Manila, we really cant do that. Haha.
Looking forward to reading more leisure travel and activities of yours in the coming posts! Stay safe
Misskhae
Oo nga medyo nakakagalaw din talaga kami for leisure travel dito sa province since wala din ibang magawa bukod sa dagat at bundok 😀 Still, we’re following health protocols naman. Marami din need na requirements bago maka adventure.
Wendyflor
wow! this is one thing I never thought about trying. it scares me. i did snorkeling in the middle of the sea but that’s about it. i admire you for conquering your fear.
Misskhae
Mamsh, I also never thought that I have tried this. Parang surreal parin sakin since grabe ako mag overthink. Kala ko malulunod ako. Hahaha but now, I wanna do it again.
Polly Amora
Congrats on your first Scuba Dive experience! PADI Open Water na next, YES? I had mine in 2016 and seryoso, nakalimutan ko din yung hand-signals except 👌. Hahaha! Ikaw ah, puro ka gala jan sa Zamboanga while kami dito sa NCR… Nevermind. I enjoy following your adventures – naiimagine ko kasali ako sa trip. More please?! 😄
Misskhae
YESSSS OMG! I always get sooo excited whenever I know someone who tried scuba diving and talk about PADI certifications and stuff hahaha I am set on my PADI Open Water na omgg! Sabi ng instructor ko okay lang daw kahit di memorize hand signals basta hinga hinga lang so ako din di ko naman tanda hahahaha
Karla Nina Mallannao
Appear! First time ko rin mag-scuba dive last March and ang saya!!! Gusto ko ulitin kaso lockdown happened again. And ang cute nung sayo, may pa-certificate hehe
Misskhae
Diba ang saya kahit parang ako kinakain na ng overthinking ko. Tipong kahit nakakahinga lang naman ako, my mind said no! HAHA yess may certificate and it’s legit hahaha
Kat&Beyond
Scuba Diving is on my top 5 bucket list! ugh this pandemic is making my list shorter and shorter. Wishing you the very best in your future adventure.
Misskhae
You don’t have to make your list shorter. Pause lang yata tong pandemic. I’m sure magagawa mo rin lahat yan in the future. Sabi nga nila, trust the process. Thank you! I appreciate it 😀
Ivan Jose
Wow, you’re so lucky. I’ve always wanted to try scuba diving but I’m a bit hesitant, well nervous, with the fact that I’ll have to submerge.
Misskhae
Same thoughts! Kasi diba when you think about it sa ilalim, dapat di makahinga so your mind tells you not to breathe. Scuba diving is just a matter of fighting your own fears talaga. Kaya now, parang gusto ko na gawin ulit. Hahaha