Decompress underwater

Courtesy Photo | Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class Zach Carver, intelligence specialist, swims along the ocean floor of Phillips Dive Park at U.S. Naval Station Guantanamo Bay. Phillips Dive Park is one of the more popular spots for SCUBA diving at the naval station. (U.S. Navy photo by Chief Intelligence Specialist James Twichell)  

GUANTANAMO BAY, CUBA

04.02.2010

Story by Petty Officer 2nd Class Zachary Harris 

Joint Task Force Guantanamo Public Affairs

For service members stationed at Joint Task Force Guantanamo, life can be hectic. Long working hours, arduous assignments and a hot climate can add up to equal an extremely stressful life.

For those looking for a way to relax that doesn't involve the abuse of alcohol or sitting in a dark room all day long, scuba diving may be just the ticket, especially when the waters of Guantanamo Bay offer one of the most pristine environments on Earth. While it can be costly, $280 for the Basic Open Water Course, books, certification card and rental equipment, the dividends it pays are well worth it.

Chief Intelligence Specialist James Twichell agrees that the price can be unsettling.

"A lot of people have a problem with the initial cost of getting into diving. The gear and classes aren't cheap, but the price in [Guantanamo] is a lot lower than back stateside," Twichell said. "After you [pay initial costs] and get your own gear it's a pretty inexpensive sport."

Twichell also said the local dive shop is not out to scam the service members stationed here.

"Go see [the divers] at Ocean Enterprises," Twichell said. "[They] will take great care of you and make sure you walk out of there with the best gear, and the right gear that fits you and your budget."

The Basic Open Water Course is designed to familiarize newcomers with the sport of diving and the skills they will need to stay safe and secure while underwater. It includes classroom training as well as sessions in the Marine Hill pool to make students comfortable with the new environment.

"During the pool sessions we focus on skill development," said Army Capt. Sarah Cleveland, certified scuba instructor. "In the open water dives, we evaluate skills and go on tours to allow students to relax and enjoy their diving experience."

For Cleveland, instructing is about more than just an extra paycheck.

"It is fun for me as their instructor to see [students] develop their skills and abilities as they go through the process of learning something new," Cleveland said. "The excitement is contagious as they wrap up their final open water dive, knowing they will be able to explore our underwater environment on their own."

The waters here offer a variety of sights that provide new divers a diverse array of underwater environments to explore.

"The diving here is unparalleled and we are truly spoiled," Twichell said. "No matter if you are diving at Phillip's Dive Park at the mike boat watching the fish swim in and out of the wrecks, Windmill Beach with those great grass beds for shell hunting or "the slot" with its spectacular reef system that leads you to an awe inspiring wall dive."

The tranquility that one can experience immersed in the underwater world can have a therapeutic effect as well.

"Diving allows [service members] the chance to get away in a confined environment," Cleveland said. "It is healthy to have activities to occupy our free time during a deployment, it's one of many options, but I think it is one of the best."

Perhaps the greatest reason to dive here at Guantanamo Bay is the sense of community one can feel when they participate in the sport.

"If you dive, you truly understand how easy it is to develop a passion for the sport, and meeting a new diver is like meeting a new member of the family," Twichell said. "All the new divers out there should find a good group to dive with; it makes the experience just that much better."

• Date Taken: 04.02.2010
• Date Posted: 04.13.2010 16:50
• Story ID: 48096
• Location: GUANTANAMO BAY, CU