Some say they might be interested in Scuba. Many claim it is on the ‘Bucket List’. They are just too busy to work on it now. A small percentage of people actually end up doing it. This is common with many things, not just scuba diving. Some talk the talk – some walk the walk. Life is too short to wait to do the bucket list. Live the list now! Scuba has so many benefits to those who claim they are so busy… Let me explain. Everyone wants some rest and relaxation. Yes, there is a lot of scuba gear to handle. However, it becomes second nature, eventually. It’s not a problem, in fact, if you travel most dive resorts make the “lugging” of the gear easy for you. Obviously, they are working for tips but you are on vacation. Once you drop below the surface of the water the view is breath taking and you almost forget you are “lugging” all that gear. You are almost motionless underwater – like astronauts in outer space. This means no gravity. The main reason we sit in a chair or on the couch is to escape gravity. But now you are seeing things most people only dream of seeing. If that isn’t rest and relaxation, I don’t know what is! Most people get excited to see amazing things. In fact, most workaholics I know that scuba dive work harder and more efficiently with their time knowing they are taking time to go see something they enjoy and/or are looking forward to. This is not only on vacation in the Caribbean or some place warm throughout the world, but right in our own back yard. Even if we have to drive 5-8 hours to get there it is something worth going for. Diving locally is cheaper than leaving on vacation somewhere randomly on a Saturday morning to go scuba diving. Got the social bug bite? No matter who you are, unless you are a ‘hermit’, you typically have a social group of friends you enjoy conversing with on occasion. With scuba divers, you get a wide range of expertise, experiences, etc. This makes for interesting conversations. Even myself, as a very experienced worldwide traveler, I am always interested in hearing someone’s dive story. It doesn’t matter if it’s new diver, it helps me relive some of my own experiences, or a seasoned diver – which gives me greater hope I will be able to experience the same types of diving. Some of these conversations can go on forever. I’ve developed great relationships and friendships out of scuba diving. I would bet almost anything that most of those relationships will last a lifetime. In a nutshell, everyone has their reasons for diving. The biggest thing for those who want to give it a try, is that there are many benefits that come about, even if it is just for the rest and relaxation. Don’t put off till tomorrow what you can do today. Time will definitely pass by. I remember people on several occasions, one with a wheel chair, would come into the dive shop and talk about all the opportunities that they had in their lifetime to go scuba diving, but they never did. I remember one gentleman that came in, had to be in his eighties, and walked the whole showroom floor. It took him close to an hour. Every couple of feet he walked, it seemed he drifted into space. My guess is he was reflecting on the all the chances he had in life and for one reason or another he no longer had the chance to go scuba diving any more. Scuba diving has no age restrictions, but medically it can hold you back. Typically, as long as you are comfortable and your doctor is OK with it, you are OK to scuba dive. Every one of these customers that came in stood across from me asking me to share my dive stories with them. It is amazing the attention they were giving me, like they were reliving the same experience themselves’. Life is too short. Make plans to get in the water, Today! Butch Zemar