Boracay Helmet Diving/Reef Walking
After island hopping, we wasted no time and met up again with our guide.
We signed up our names for the helmet diving/reef walking and together with a group of three women, we were taken by a small speed boat to a floating station facilitating the activity.
First off, there was a briefing about the equipment. The helmet weighs 25 kilos above water but gets lighter as you descend. It will weigh approximately 2 kilos or almost nothing upon reaching the bottom. Aqua shoes and similar type of footwear is also provided.
The guide said that it's pretty safe even for non-swimmers (like me!) because we'll just have to breathe normally and that the water will not get inside our helmet. What's important is we equalize the pressure as we get lower into the sea. It's the same pressure that you feel when you're on a plane.
There's three ways to equalize the pressure: first is just by swallowing normally, second is by moving the jaw, and lastly (if the first two doesn't work) is placing your hand inside the helmet, pinching your nose and sneezing with your mouth closed. You will then hear a pop in your ears.
We were accompanied by two divers who took our pictures/video and ensured our safety. Naturally, we can't speak and hear each other underwater so they taught us basic hand signals to indicate if we're okay, not okay, thumbs up (if you want to go up), thumbs down (go down), move closer, and stop.
Time to go!
My BF went in first and I followed shortly. I was trying to be calm because I tend to feel claustrophobic when underwater. Surprisingly, I didn't feel an inch of anxiousness. True enough, you just have to breathe normally and equalize the pressure and that's it.
Time for picture-taking!
Finally, here's the video:
We signed up our names for the helmet diving/reef walking and together with a group of three women, we were taken by a small speed boat to a floating station facilitating the activity.
First off, there was a briefing about the equipment. The helmet weighs 25 kilos above water but gets lighter as you descend. It will weigh approximately 2 kilos or almost nothing upon reaching the bottom. Aqua shoes and similar type of footwear is also provided.
The guide said that it's pretty safe even for non-swimmers (like me!) because we'll just have to breathe normally and that the water will not get inside our helmet. What's important is we equalize the pressure as we get lower into the sea. It's the same pressure that you feel when you're on a plane.
There's three ways to equalize the pressure: first is just by swallowing normally, second is by moving the jaw, and lastly (if the first two doesn't work) is placing your hand inside the helmet, pinching your nose and sneezing with your mouth closed. You will then hear a pop in your ears.
We were accompanied by two divers who took our pictures/video and ensured our safety. Naturally, we can't speak and hear each other underwater so they taught us basic hand signals to indicate if we're okay, not okay, thumbs up (if you want to go up), thumbs down (go down), move closer, and stop.
Time to go!
My BF went in first and I followed shortly. I was trying to be calm because I tend to feel claustrophobic when underwater. Surprisingly, I didn't feel an inch of anxiousness. True enough, you just have to breathe normally and equalize the pressure and that's it.
Time for picture-taking!
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| Yehey! Hindi na takot! hehehe |
Finally, here's the video:
For helmet diving/reef walking, I think we paid Php400.00/pax and that's already inclusive of the CD with the pictures and the video.
hi sis, just droppin by, hope u don't mind =)
ReplyDeletenice article about helmet diving.. am really hoping to do this when i'l come back to Boracay by the end of the month.. a lil bit scared coz i don't know how to swim.. haha.. but when i read your artic, na excite na ako to really do this, hopefully (hindi ako matatakot if im finally there)..
hi sis, thanks for dropping by :)
ReplyDeleteyup, don't worry pag andun ka na..mawawala yung fear mo. hinga ka lang naturally at mag-equalize ng pressure ;)
hehe. super excited sis! sana lang talaga carry ko.. anyways, thanks! =)
ReplyDeletehad fun looking at your pics :) Never tried helmet diving before. Is it as scary as the one with the diving gear on?
ReplyDeletesis, what do you mean by 'as scary as with diving gear on?'
ReplyDeletei enjoyed reef walking the most among all the activites in boracay.
ReplyDeleteastig no, mura pa! Ü
btw sis, u have contact no. pa ng guide nyo? pwd mahingi?
ReplyDelete@chyng: thanks for dropping by :) yup, enjoy naman sya.
ReplyDelete@LLYNGO (haba eh hehe): our guide's name is Randy. If I remember it correctly, BIA yung parang name ng agency(?) nila. here's his number: 0939-3050228. tell him you were referred by katrina torres
hehe.. haba nga.. btw, im mai. salamat =)
ReplyDeletehehe.. haba nga.. btw, im mai. salamat =)
ReplyDelete@chyng: thanks for dropping by :) yup, enjoy naman sya.
ReplyDelete@LLYNGO (haba eh hehe): our guide's name is Randy. If I remember it correctly, BIA yung parang name ng agency(?) nila. here's his number: 0939-3050228. tell him you were referred by katrina torres
hehe. super excited sis! sana lang talaga carry ko.. anyways, thanks! =)
ReplyDeletehi sis, just droppin by, hope u don't mind =)
ReplyDeletenice article about helmet diving.. am really hoping to do this when i'l come back to Boracay by the end of the month.. a lil bit scared coz i don't know how to swim.. haha.. but when i read your artic, na excite na ako to really do this, hopefully (hindi ako matatakot if im finally there)..
Hi, Where did you sign up for the dive?
ReplyDeleteThey just had a small table along the beach where our guide took us. I think it was near the beachfront of Red Coconut. Can't really remember. Sorry :(
ReplyDelete