Scuba diving no longer only for the rich

Beauty beneath the surface

(Courtesy of Stephen Wong)

By Winnie Ngan

Imagine yourself slipping below the water’s surface, drifting through aquamarine waters into the silence of the undersea world.

Beneath, schools of fish glide lazily in the current. Above, the sun sparkles, its rays bouncing off the waters.

This is the world of scuba diving, one that Stephen Wong, 39, fell in love with when he first started scuba diving at age 9.

“I love marine creatures. There are many rare and special marine species in Hong Kong,” said Mr. Wong, who took his love a step further by becoming a professional marine photographer.

“But there are very few divers in Hong Kong. Also, there are very few job vacancies in my field. There are no diving magazines in Hong Kong. Information about the ocean is inadequate.”

The popularity of scuba diving among Hong Kong people has grown in recent years.

According to Rommy Cheung, chairman of the Hong Kong Underwater Association, the number of scuba divers rose by 4,000 this year. The increasing popularity of the water sport has led to a decrease in diving equipment prices.

Nowadays, $4,000 is enough for basic equipment and an introductory course.

“Scuba diving used to be a symbol of status and wealth because a huge investment in equipment was a must,” said Mr. Cheung.

“Scuba diving is no longer for the rich only. It has become a common recreational activity,” he added.

Basic scuba diving equipment includes a mask, a snorkel, fins, a wetsuit, a tank, a pressure gauge, weights, a regulator — which is a mouthpiece with a hose attached to the tank — and a buoyancy controlling device, which is an inflatable vest.

To promote underwater activities, the Hong Kong Underwater Association was established in 1967. One of its goals is to popularize scuba diving.
The association promotes marine safety and addresses common misunderstandings about scuba diving.

Mr. Cheung refutes the claim that scuba diving is dangerous. “Accidents can happen in any sport. In fact, the accident rate (for scuba diving) is the lowest among the 16 most popular sports,” Mr. Cheung added.

Basketball, tennis, volleyball and swimming are a few examples of the 16 most popular sports.

Moreover, according to Divers Alert Network, a non-profit medical and research organization, fatalities and diving injuries are rare. The causes of injuries to scuba divers are usually “unsafe behaviors” and “hazardous conditions”.

Examples of “unsafe behavior” include taking medication or alcohol before a dive and not performing safety checks.

“Hazardous conditions” may include strong currents, handling dangerous marine animals and cave diving.

Mr. Wong, the scuba diving enthusiast and marine photographer, advised that while marine organisms are curious about human beings, they do not attack people without reason.

“They swim around the unfamiliar out of curiosity, and give signals to unwelcome strangers. If they still feel uneasy, they may try to give a mild hint with their fins,” said Mr. Wong.

“Cases for sharks attacking human beings are rare. Unless they are unable to find any food, they will seldom have an interest in human beings,” he explained.

Sharks may attack because of territorial defenses, mistaken identity for some other form of prey and also chemical attractants such as blood in the water, movement and noise. Large sharks such as the great white, tiger and bull sharks are the most dangerous.

Nevertheless, there are potential hazards in scuba diving, according to Dr. Ronson Chi, an honorary assistant professor of Family Medicine at The Chinese University of Hong Kong.

She categorized the potential hazards into physical, chemical and biological hazards.

Common physical health hazards are caused by change in pressure during descent, ascent, and at any stage underwater.

Chemical hazards are mainly due to the intake of toxic gases, whereas biological hazards include being attacked, bitten and infected by poisonous marine organisms.

Mr. Wong agreed that scuba diving may sometimes affect a diver’s health.
His wife once suffered from ear barotrauma, a condition of discomfort in the ear caused by pressure differences between the inside and the outside of the eardrum.

Mrs. Wong continued to dive. She later suffered from Bell’s Palsy.

Bell’s Palsy is caused by the abnormality of the facial nerve that leads to sudden weakness or paralysis of the muscles on one side of the face, making the face look asymmetrical.

“My wife has symptoms like painful ears, difficulty in closing one eye, loss of taste and production of tears,” said Mr. Wong.

“In fact, diving should be stopped at once with any symptoms of illnesses.
“Small things can accumulate, resulting in great trouble,” he warned. Besides safety consciousness, professional training is also essential for scuba diving. One should get certified before diving.

“Proper use of the diving equipment cannot be overlooked,” said Mr. Cheung, head of the underwater association.

Another essential element for scuba diving is to understand the marine habitat well. This is especially important for marine photographers like Mr. Wong.

“Being able to locate marine creatures is the first step after all,” he said.
“Preparation work is needed before diving into the ocean. This not only protects the photographer, but also reduces damage to the natural environment,” he added.

According to Mr. Wong, being a marine wildlife photographer is not easy.
“Skill in scuba diving is a must. A marine photographer needs to be physically fit and well- equipped,” he said.

Weather is another important factor in scuba diving. Changes in weather affect underwater conditions, and sometimes scuba divers are not sure what kind of marine species they may encounter.

“In this sense, luck could also be an important factor,” Mr. Wong added.

Above all, Mr. Wong thinks that passion for the ocean is most important.

Mr. Wong said, “Professional photographers shoot for a living with responsibilities, while amateur photographers shoot for leisure with their hearts. This makes a great difference in their work.”

Mr. Wong hopes his photos can convey a message to the public. “I hope my photos can show our future generation the treasures we have in the ocean now. I wish more people will be able to appreciate the beauty of the ocean.”

(Courtesy of Stephen Wong)

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