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After a big response, we’re pleased to announce the winner of our #DiveWithMe contest – 24-year-old diver Theresa Torp! When she found out she’d won, her currently non-diving friend Anna immediately came to mind. The two have good times ahead! Theresa's dream is to swim with a whale shark. © Theresa Torp#DiveWithMe winner Theresa Torp and her friend Anna Sofie Starup have won an all-paid week-long trip to Atmosphere Resorts & Spa in the Philippines. The resort has a beautiful beachfront location on the island of Negros Oriental near Dumaguete. Anna will have the opportunity to complete a four-day open water diving course at the resort, and join her friend on some incredible dives. We asked Theresa about diving and why she picked Anna to join her. Congratulations! Feeling excited? I can’t wait to experience the Philippines! The country has been at the top of my bucket list for as long as I can remember, and who knows, maybe I’ll get lucky and experience my first meeting with a whale shark as well!Theresa (left) and Anna (right) will travel to the Philippines this summer. © Theresa TorpSo, who is Theresa Torp? I’m an occupational-therapy student and live in Denmark. When I’m not studying, I’m working my ass off as a sales assistant to save money for scuba diving and exploring the world whenever school “lets us off the hook”. When did your journey as a diver begin? Four years ago while travelling in Brazil I met the most amazing and inspiring people; a marine-biologist and a dive-instructor who didn’t consider scuba diving as just a hobby, but as a whole lifestyle and a big part of who they are. I was extremely fascinated about their way of living, and I’m pretty sure they’re the reason that scuba diving has become such a big part of who I am today.© Ulrika Kroon / Atmosphere Resorts & SpaYour most incredible dive experiences? Every dive has it’s own story and it’s own memories, but some of my most memorable have been exploring the Cancún Underwater Museum, playing chicken with a huge and scary tiger shark at Cocos Island, rubbing a playful manatee’s belly in Crystal River, exploring enormous shipwrecks at Key Largo and kissing dolphins in the Bahamas. My greatest dream come true was diving side by side with hundreds of schooling hammerhead sharks at Cocos Island, about 550 km from the shore of Costa Rica. © Bo Mancao Who is the lucky friend joining you? I met Anna Sofie at the first day of high school and we quickly became inseparable! A couple of years ago she moved to the other side of the country, but we stay in-touch and I still consider her as one of my dearest friends. When I heard about this amazing #DiveWithMe competition, she was the first and only person who crossed my mind! Not only will we get an opportunity to catch up in the most magical setting, I will introduce her to scuba diving, my biggest obsession. Even though I’ve experienced a lot of incredible dives, I’m certain that nothing could ever be compared to sharing it with her! © Bo Mancao What would you like to show her underwater? That’s a difficult question as I’m looking forward to show her everything the ocean has to offer! I’m also really looking forward to show her the stunningly beautiful colours of the Coral Triangle and who knows, maybe I will get to share my first meeting with a whale shark with her – that would be a big dream come true. Is she excited about the trip and learning to dive? I’m not sure if I’ve ever seen her more excited! Anna is one of the most joyful and adventurous people I’ve ever known and I’m sure that she’ll turn out to be an amazing scuba diver and dive buddy. Just as I’m sure that this trip to the Philippines will turn out to be an adventure of a lifetime!Lead image: © Ulrika Kroon / Atmosphere Resorts & Spa

For divers, nothing quite beats the experience of a wreck slowly coming into view as you descend into the deep. There is a sense of wonder at the fallen grace of a once great ship, and a feeling of awe at the loss of life. They are also often fantastic dive locations, having evolved into artificial reefs, attracting abundant sea life. Here are seven of the best. U.S.S. Kittiwake, Grand Cayman Great for: wreck rookies One of the most popular and accessible wreck dives around the world, the 76.6m long Kittiwake was purpose sunk off Grand Cayman’s Seven Mile Beach just a few years ago. It’s also been stripped clean of hazards such as doors and hatches. All five levels of the ship can be penetrated, depending on the certification you have. Rainbow Warrior, New ZealandGreat for: Politically motivated divers When French secret agents sunk the Greenpeace vessel in Auckland harbor in 1985, it caused a huge political scandal. Two years later the ship was scuttled at Matauri Bay in the Cavalli Islands to serve as a dive wreck and artificial reef to promote marine life. At a max depth of 26 m the Warrior is now home to a huge variety of aquatic life and is a world renowned dive site. Bell Island, NewfoundlandGreat for: Adventurous divers Bell Island is one of the few locations in North America that was under attack by German forces during the Second World War. In 1942, U-boats raided the island twice, sinking four iron ore carriers and destroying a loading wharf, killing more than 60 men. “Today, divers visiting Newfoundland’s rich waters can dive these remarkable wrecks that have transformed into stunning and colorful reef structures,” says underwater explorer and Suunto ambassador Jill Heinerth. Check out the video she created here: ‘Badewanne’, Gulf of FinlandGreat for: Undiscovered wrecks Numerous wrecks lay on the Gulf of Finland’s sea bed, from 17th century merchant ships to battleships and submarines from the first and second world wars. During the latter, German sailors dubbed the Gulf of Finland ‘badewanne’ or bathtub. Today it’s the name of a team of Finnish explorers, scientists and historians dedicated to finding and preserving lost wrecks such as Torpedoboot T18. But if you’re hoping to dive there yourself, bad news: the team does not release the site locations to preserve their integrity. Chepstow, EnglandGreat for: Underwater attractions How can a lake on the border between England and Wales be home to a great bucket-list wreck dive? That was our question too. But after watching the video below from freediver Daan Verhoeven diving through a sunken plane, we think you’ll also want to add this venue to your list. The lake is home to a number of attractions, including a Landrover, Royal Navy Wessex Helicopter Mk3 and a British Aerospace Jetstream 200. There’s also a gnome garden if you’re into that. HMS Hermes, Sri Lanka Great for: Sea life Lying at a depth of 53m off Sri Lanka’s east coast is the Royal Navy Aircraft Carrier HMS Hermes, the first ship to be designed as an aircraft carrier. It’s a unique dive. She lies on her port side with many features still intact, including her tower and thanks to clear visibility you can also expect to see large tuna, grouper and jacks. Watch a video of a dive here: The Yongala, Australia Great for: Visibility, sea life and features At 109m, the Yongala is Australia’s largest and most intact historic shipwreck and offers incredible diving within the world heritage Great Barrier Reef Marine Park. She sank off the coast of Queensland during a cyclone in 1911, killing 122 people, a racehorse called Moonshine and a red Lincolnshire bull. With no telegraph facilities, she could not be forewarned of a storm. Expect to see abundant sea life including manta rays, sea snakes, octopuses, turtles, bull sharks, tiger sharks, and of course, some beautiful coral. Lead image: This photo, “USS Kittiwake”, is copyright (c) 2013 to KatieThebeau and made available under an Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 2.0 license.

So, you’ve been diving for a while now and have noticed that you’re itching for something new or more challenging – that’s a sign it’s time to take your diving to the next level. We talk to 25-year-old technical diver Gemma Smith – the first woman to dive the ancient Antikythera shipwreck – about how to step up your diving. © Nina Baxa Before Gemma Smith started diving when she was 17 she’d been into a number of extreme sports. “Then I discovered scuba diving, and that was that!” she says. We caught up with her a day before she set off on an intense three months of diving, including cave diving in Florida, mine diving in Newfoundland and shark diving in the Bahamas. Here are her 7 pointers for how to take your diving to the next level. It’s not just about depth or difficulty Even though I'm known as a technical and re-breather diver some of my best dives have been on a single tank and in 10 m of water! Diving with silversides in Grand Cayman was truly out of this world, yet I never went below a few meters. Having said that, cave diving is where my heart is. When you're on a re-breather 2 km into a cave, gliding along on a DPV (diver propulsion vehicle), I'm not sure anything can top that. “Some of my best dives have been on a single tank and in 10 m of water!” Build your motivation One of the things I like most about diving is there’s always something new you can challenge yourself with. As long as you have the motivation and dedication to pursue different avenues and try new things, you'll never get bored and never feel like you're not improving. © Nina Baxa Patience and hard work are mandatory The first thing to remember is to be patient. Taking your diving to the next level won't come quickly, it won't be easy, but it will totally be worth it. You've got to be prepared to give up a lot, and to work hard. © J. Dan Wright It’s all about the people You will also need to make the effort to meet people. The diving world is really small, and – especially with the expedition scene – it helps if you know the guys involved. You need to try to stand out, and that requires effort. Spend the money and train with the best people out there. I've trained with some truly amazing instructors; Martin Robson, Rich Walker, Paul Toomer, Ian France. The things I learned from them have allowed me to take my diving to the next level. “Spend the money and go to train with the best people out there.” Change in outlook Changing how you see your diving is really important if you want to take it further. I love my diving, and I'm so glad I've chosen it as my career, but nonetheless it's my job, and I treat it as such. I don't see it as my hobby. © J. Dan Wright Make an investment You also need to realise that if you want to advance your diving it will require a big investment, both financially and in terms of time. I always compare it to university. I chose not to go, but I've invested the same time and money in diving. You need that mind-set I think if you want to succeed. “I always compare it to university. I've invested the same time and money in diving.” Practice, practice, practice Practice. On every single dive you need to practice skills, preferably two. So many people do courses, and then never practice any of the skills they learned. Have fun, enjoy it, but take it seriously. It's the only way to improve.© J. Dan Wright

Photographer and full-time traveller Brad Holland takes over and hosts Suunto’s @suuntodive Instagram account for a week starting today. Follow and enjoy Brad's photography! “I am happiest when I don’t know what day it is, what time zone I am in or how long I’ll be there. Home is where my gear is... which stays in world tour status from the West Pacific to Mexico, the Middle East and Africa with work bases in Yap, Micronesia and Central America,” says the photographer who originally comes from Los Angeles, California. Brad shoots a Canon 7D MkII and Ikelite Underwater Systems combination and favors his wide-angle lenses. His photographic missions include telling people about Yap, a small island state in the Pacific that nobody knows about, supporting local marine research and conservation projects as well as a volunteering on a typhoon disaster relief operation in the remote outer islands of Yap State. “Everything else falls under good times and living in the moment,” Brad declares. Brad can be found leading photo dives at the Manta Ray Bay Resort, shooting the local culture in Yap or on travel adventure somewhere in the world throughout the year. @bradlifestyle will be taking over @suuntodive Instagram account for a week starting April 5th. Follow and enjoy Brad's photography!

ダイビングの認定を取得したものの、「水中でまだ余裕がない」「中性浮力が安定しない」「周りのダイバーについていけるか不安」と感じる人は少なくありません。 初心者のうちは、すべてを一度に完璧にしようとする必要はありません。大切なのは、自分の経験とコンディションに合う環境を選び、信頼できるインストラクターやガイド、バディと一緒に、一つずつ経験を積むことです。 元記事では、ダイビングの楽しさを伝えることに情熱を注ぐプロダイバーのマルコが、初心者へ向けた心得を紹介しています。その内容をもとに、安全に長くダイビングを楽しむための7つのポイントとして再構成しました。 ダイビングの楽しさを教えることに情熱を注ぐマルコ。© atmosphereresorts.com 目次 1. リラックスして、ゆっくり動く 2. 他人と比べず、自分のペースで学ぶ 3. 経験に合った環境とダイブプランを選ぶ 4. 体調と基礎体力を整える 5. 器材は段階的にそろえ、操作を理解する 6. バディやガイドと事前に話し合う 7. 継続して潜り、ログで振り返る 初心者がSuuntoを選ぶときの考え方 まとめ｜焦らず経験を積むことが上達への近道 1. リラックスして、ゆっくり動く ダイビングは、激しく身体を動かすことを目的としたスポーツではありません。水は空気より抵抗が大きいため、急いで手足を動かすほど疲れやすくなり、呼吸も乱れやすくなります。 水中では姿勢を整え、必要な動作をゆっくり行いましょう。呼吸が速くなったり不安を感じたりしたら、無理に先へ進まず、ガイドやバディへ合図して状況を共有します。 水中では、リラックスしてゆっくり動くことが大切です。 2. 他人と比べず、自分のペースで学ぶ 中性浮力を早く身につける人もいれば、マスクに水が入ることへ慣れるまで時間が必要な人もいます。得意なことや不安に感じることは、一人ひとり異なります。 周囲と同じ速さで上達しようとせず、苦手なスキルをインストラクターへ率直に伝えましょう。質問しやすく、焦らせずに練習時間を取ってくれる指導者やダイビングショップを選ぶことも重要です。 © Bo Mancao 3. 経験に合った環境とダイブプランを選ぶ 認定を取得した直後から、深い場所や流れの強い海へ挑戦する必要はありません。水深、流れ、水温、視界、エントリー方法など、環境が変わると難易度も変わります。 ダイビング前のブリーフィングでは、最大深度、潜水時間、残圧の確認方法、折り返し条件、安全停止、はぐれた場合の手順を確認します。少しでも不安があれば、エントリー前に伝えましょう。計画を変更したり、その日のダイビングを見送ったりする判断も、安全なダイバーに必要なスキルです。 新しい環境や高度なダイビングへ進むときは、適切な講習と指導を受け、認定範囲と経験に合う計画を選んでください。 4. 体調と基礎体力を整える ダイビングに特別な競技力は必要ありませんが、器材の運搬、水面移動、ボートへの乗り降りなどには基礎体力が役立ちます。日常的なウォーキングやスイミングなどで、無理なく身体を動かす習慣をつくりましょう。 寝不足、体調不良、強い疲労、飲酒の影響などがある状態で、無理に潜るべきではありません。健康上の不安や服薬がある場合は、自己判断せず、ダイビング医学に詳しい医師や所属する指導団体の基準に沿って確認してください。 © Bo Mancao 5. 器材は段階的にそろえ、操作を理解する ダイビングを始めた直後に、すべての器材を購入する必要はありません。まずはレンタルを活用し、自分が続けたいダイビングスタイルや、身体に合う器材を知ることから始められます。 マスクは顔との相性が快適性に大きく影響するため、早い段階で自分に合うものを検討しやすい器材です。その後、使用頻度や目的に応じて、フィン、スーツ、BCD、レギュレーター、ダイブコンピューターなどを段階的に考えます。 自分の器材でもレンタル器材でも、使用前に操作と装着方法を確認してください。生命維持に関わる器材の整備や修理は、メーカーの指示に従い、認定サービスセンターや専門店へ依頼します。 6. バディやガイドと事前に話し合う ダイビングでは、バディやガイドとの意思疎通が欠かせません。初めて一緒に潜る相手とは、経験本数だけでなく、最近潜った時期、使用する器材、コミュニケーション方法、不安な点を共有します。 基本のハンドシグナル 残圧を伝えるタイミング 適正な距離と位置 エア切れ時に使う器材と手順 はぐれた場合の行動 ダイビングを中止する合図 「初心者だと伝えるのが恥ずかしい」と考える必要はありません。自分の経験や不安を正確に伝えることは、バディチーム全体の安全につながります。 © Bo Mancao 7. 継続して潜り、ログで振り返る ダイビングスキルは、講習を修了した時点で完成するものではありません。無理のない環境で継続して潜り、毎回一つずつ課題を振り返ることで、少しずつ余裕が生まれます。 ダイブログには、最大深度や潜水時間だけでなく、使用した器材、ウエイト、水温、スーツ、視界、流れ、空気消費、うまくできたこと、次に練習したいことを残しましょう。 ブランクが長くなった場合は、いきなり以前と同じ条件へ戻らず、リフレッシュ講習や穏やかな環境から再開します。 ▶︎関連記事：「ダイビングのオフシーズンにやるべき7つのこと｜体力・器材・スキルの準備」 ▶︎関連記事：「ダイビングログをもっと活用する方法｜Suuntoアプリでダイブデータを振り返る」 初心者がSuuntoを選ぶときの考え方 ダイブコンピューターを選ぶときは、見た目や機能数だけでなく、水中で必要な情報を読み取りやすいか、操作を理解しやすいか、自分が目指すダイビングに対応しているかを確認します。 Suunto Nautic Sは、コンパクトな形状で、スキューバダイビングやフリーダイビングに必要な水中機能へ重点を置いたモデルです。 Suunto Oceanは、ダイビングに加えて、GPSスポーツウォッチとして日々の運動や睡眠、回復も記録したい人に適しています。 Suunto Nauticは、大型AMOLEDディスプレイを備え、レクリエーションから将来のテクニカルダイビングまで見据えたい人の選択肢です。 どのモデルを使う場合も、ダイブコンピューターは講習、バディシステム、適切なダイブプランの代わりにはなりません。使用前に取扱説明書を読み、表示、警告、ガス設定、充電、操作方法を陸上で確認してください。 © atmosphereresorts.com まとめ｜焦らず経験を積むことが上達への近道 初心者ダイバーにとって大切なのは、難しい環境へ急いで進むことではありません。ゆっくり動き、自分のペースで練習し、体調や海況に合わせて無理のない判断をすることが、安全な上達につながります。 分からないことや不安なことは、インストラクター、ガイド、バディへ早めに伝えましょう。毎回のダイビングをログで振り返り、一つずつ経験を積み重ねることで、水中を楽しむ余裕が少しずつ広がっていきます。 水中で必要な情報を、分かりやすく手元に 目的や経験に合ったSuuntoのダイブコンピューターを確認し、次のダイビングに備えましょう。 Suuntoのダイビング製品を見る

The famous Scuba Diving Girls Margo Sanchez and Stephanie Adamson are long-time champions of exploring the ocean. The Californians constantly share images and clips of themselves diving with playful seals, baby rays, turtles and sharks. Who better to ask how to start scuba diving? © scubadivergirls.com What do you say to someone thinking about diving for the first time?Just go for it. There is so much to see and experience with scuba diving. Don’t be afraid of all the gear, you will quickly get used to it and be empowered by it. There is really nothing that compares to this experience and you will not only love scuba diving, but also you will fall in love with a world unknown to you now. “When you find a connection with the ocean and its inhabitants, it is a feeling you cannot ignore.” What do you wish every newbie diver knew? Have fun! Diving will bring so much joy to your life so remember to enjoy it. Make sure you find dive buddies who enjoy the experience and enhance your experience. It is important to follow your instincts and don’t let others intimidate you. Click to see the new Suunto Zoop Novo Blue*! © scubadivergirls.comWhat path do you recommend?Depending on your experience in the water, it may be good to try out scuba first. There is a class offered by most dive shops and independent instructors called Discover Scuba. This allows you to get in and get some instruction and try out the equipment before committing to a full certification class. But if you know you are ready, then it is time to sign up for an open water diving course. “There’s nothing more memorizing than watching a shark glide by silently and unexpectedly or a seal who comes to pull on your fin as you frog kick your way through a kelp forest.” What are the key steps to becoming a diver? Finding a good instructor that you feel comfortable and safe with is the first step. Learn the skills and safety procedures during class and practice as often as possible. Even after you are certified, you should continue to practice the skills on a regular basis, as this will make you a better diver. Get as much time in the water as possible. Find buddies who are more advanced than you so that you can learn from their techniques. Don’t be lazy when it comes to your equipment care and maintenance. Your equipment is your lifeline. © scubadivergirls.comWhat are the important things to remember? Safety should always be your first priority. It takes many dives before you are skilled enough to deal with the many issues you can experience under the surface. Understand your limits and never dive beyond these limits. If you want to do more advanced dives, take the classes to certify in that discipline first and even then be sure the diving is within your physical capabilities. When diving a new place find a local dive expert to guide you. Be sure you understand your gear. Diving should be super fun but always be sure safety is your primary focus. *Suunto has just released the Zoop Novo Blue, a dive watch perfect for beginner divers or people seeking new adventures. Click here for more info about this simple to use dive computer.