World Beneath the Waves
A new Club course opens the door to an underwater wonderland.
The reason I love the sea I cannot explain—it’s physical. When you dive, you begin to feel like an angel. It’s a liberation of your weight.”
That’s how famed explorer, filmmaker and scuba pioneer Jacques Cousteau described the appeal of descending into the ocean’s depths.
This month, Members will have the opportunity to experience that sensation for themselves through a Club-organized diving program. The PADI (Professional Association of Diving Instructors) open water diver course includes a day’s training at the Club followed by two days of ocean dives in Izu.
And certified divers who haven’t strapped on a scuba tank in a while can take a PADI ReActivate refresher course at the Sky Pool.
Members Sean Corrigan, a keen diver since the age of 19, and Tim Neely, PADI’s vice president of sales and marketing in Japan, explain what the sport means to them.
How did you get started in diving?
SC: As a young boy, I was fascinated by books and shows about ocean wildlife and stories of lost treasure ships. The ocean was such a great mystery to me. When my father offered to sponsor my certification so that we could become dive buddies, I jumped at the chance.
TN: I started when I was a student at the University of Nebraska. I felt that it would open up a world of possibilities to gain skills and become confident and capable to explore our oceans at depths that most people only see in photographs.
How was your first dive?
SC: My open water certification was on a snowy April day in a Pennsylvania quarry. I had second thoughts as I was suiting up. However, shortly after, my dad and I went diving in Key West, Florida. While exploring an old tugboat wreck, a 500-pound goliath grouper joined us. It was a fantastic adventure that we still talk about today. I have been hooked ever since.
TN: It was cathartic. Breathing underwater and getting buoyancy control allowed me to feel like I was able to fly.
What has kept you diving?
SC: The people that I’ve encountered and the adventures keep the sport fun for me. Some of my best friends in Japan are people I met through diving. I’ve also taken up underwater photography, which has forced me to become a better diver and allows me to share the underwater world with non-divers.
TN: Diving is the ultimate experience that provides balance in the lives of many. Leaving the office on a Friday with the knowledge that you’re off on a two-day dive is a wonderful way to maintain perspective.
What has been the standout moment underwater?
SC: One of my recent favorites was 20 miles off the coast of North Carolina on the Caribsea World War II wreck. When my dive buddy and I dove to the ship, we encountered over 200 sand tiger sharks hovering around the structure and surrounded by clouds of baitfish.
TN: Gaining buoyancy control underwater. With a little practice, your comfort level goes up and you can literally ascend or descend by exhaling or inhaling. It’s the closest thing to flying I know!
PADI Open Water Diver Course and PADI ReActivate Course
July 9 | 12–5pm
Words: Nick Jones
Top image by Sean Corrigan: Divers in Chuuk Lagoon, Micronesia
