A smack of bright yellow jellyfish cut through the blue depths leaving a trail of ripples behind. Scuba diver Jinal Niser had never seen this spectacularly colourful aquatic creature even in the seas of Thailand from where she got her certification.
As she emerged from an 18-metre-deep dive in the sea off Visakhapatnam coast on Sunday, she was visibly thrilled. “This is the first time I had seen a jellyfish and such clear waters in Indian seas, The jelly fish followed me and it was such a delightful experience. The sea here is spectacular. I had not seen such visibility even in Goa,” said the 30-year-old marketing professional from Mumbai. Ms. Niser had come all the way to the city to experience the thrill of scuba diving, an activity that has become popular over the past two years, and is now attracting adventure lovers from across the country.
During this ongoing season (October to February), nearly 200 tourists and local people experienced the fun of scuba diving in the city. “Many tourists from Hyderabad, Delhi and other northern cities like Indore have come to Vizag this time to explore the waters and do scuba diving here,” said Balaram Naidu, Director of Livein Adventures. Mr. Naidu has been offering scuba diving courses in the city for the past two years.
“In summer, the sea is rough and visibility is less. So the best time for scuba diving is from October till March,” Mr. Naidu added. While the Andamans, Puducherry, Lakshwadeep and Goa are some of the scuba diving destinations in India, it is only now that Visakhapatnam is standing out as a place for scuba diving, thanks to the rich aqua-marine life and clear water visibilities. Livein Adventures has a team of PADI (Professional Association of Diving Instructors) certified instructors taking the diver under water. With diving depths ranging from 14 metres (for first-time divers) to 40 metres (for certification), the experience offers a stunning peek into the depths of the Bay of Bengal with the duration lasting up to an hour. The different types of dives offered by the team here are deep dive, navigational dive, videography dive, peak performance dive, fish identification and drift drive.
“The aquatic life is very friendly and do not harm unless provoked. Under the sea bed in Vizag, we have spotted several species like the electric ray, colourful nudibranch and coral blankets,” explained Mr. Naidu.
With the support of A.P. Tourism, water sport activities have got a fillip. Kayaking and speed boat rides have been taken up apart from scuba diving. To reach out to tourists across India, Livein Adventures has tied up with all the leading online travel agencies to popularise water sport activities in the city. Its website www.liveinadventures.com also provides a list of activities that can be booked in advance.
