Nothing Compares To You

DM Nicky’s experience of diving lockdown due to Covid-19

“It’s been seven hours and fifteen days, since you took your love away” sang Sinead O’Connor in her famous song Nothing Compares to You.

Well it’s been four hours and 28 days since I last got out of the water and diving stopped, following the Covid-19 lockdown in Spain. I was expecting to write my second blog about how my Divemaster Internship with Paradise Divers was progressing. Instead, everyone’s world has been turned upside down and we are all trying to stay safe and stay at home.

Whats Happened?

In the world there are more than 6,600 PADI Dive Centres and Resorts across 186 countries and territories, the vast majority of which have had to temporarily close due to the suspension of movement and tourism. There are potentially 137,000 individual PADI Professionals normally employed full or part time in the dive industry who currently are not able

Diving Lockdown Blog Tenerife

to work and are facing uncertainty over their futures. And up to 6 million active recreational scuba divers worldwide who can’t enjoy their favourite pastime. And those problems pale into insignificance when we consider the loss of life across the globe.

Diving Lockdown

The corona virus has made the world hit the pause button and temporarily concentrate on new priorities. This has brought out the best in many people and the worst in a few. It has reminded people of the importance of being connected, help those less fortunate and be kind. It has shown how unnecessary the false world of ‘celebrity’ and ‘extreme wealth’ is as it is our key workers, health professionals, shop assistants and transport operators who are keeping the world going. With regard to our world of diving, it has shown the resilience of the dive community. Divers do not want the industry to be decimated, so are sending messages of support to local Dive Centres and where possible, trying to reschedule trips instead of cancelling. Things will slowly return to normal, the ocean will be waiting and maybe our appreciation will be greater after our enforced break.

Be Kind

So perhaps this blog does tie in with my first one after all. The need to be kind, to share, to support and to be there for each other. Until the world returns to normal, what can I do to stay positive in these uncertain times? Well I’ve learnt a few things already… Don’t try replicating a dive in the bath! It takes forever to get kitted up and it really is no substitute for the real thing.

Use this mammoth amount of free time to catch up on things often neglected – talking to family and friends, reading a book, finally sorting through all those fish photos sat on memory cards! Start to plan for the future – where will that next dive trip be, either locally or across the world. Dive Centres will reopen and are going to need our support to get those 137,000 professionals back into work! Perhaps use the time to learn something new – PADI are currently giving a 25% discount off certain courses, (click here for more info) so the theory training can be completed now at home and the practical part booked in once things return to normal.

The Future is Bright

Try to keep as fit and active as possible within the restrictions of lockdown. My internship will restart in the future and I’m going to need to be able to fit into my wetsuit again! Hopefully I will be able to write another blog soon about my Dive Internship and continuing adventures with Paradise Divers!