There is a new adventure on the coast. Just a year ago, scuba diving was restricted to just one spot at Nethrani island, 19 nautical miles from Bhatkal. It was only accessible to foreigners who frequented Goan beaches. Though Nethrani is still the preferred scuba diving centre for its coral reef, scuba diving will become more accessible according to beach tourism experts.
“We have chosen three spots within the 15 to 20 kilometre radius from the city,” says Yathish Baikampady of Panambur Beach Tourism Development Project. The dives would be at 20 to 25 fathoms deep in the Arabian Sea. It is a one-day outing.”
On the importance of having scuba diving spots close to the city, Ranjit Punja, a world class scuba diving trainer, says, “All scuba diving centres must have a good urban connectivity which we have in plenty in Mangaluru.
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Since this is a lifestyle sport, it has to be well-connected offline and online; there should be fun night life, good dining and stay options.”
The centres in Karwar (Uttara Kannada) Kaup (Udupi) and now in Mangaluru gives a boost to scuba diving in coastal Karnataka. In the past, scuba diving was only available in Goa and in Havelock in Andaman Islands. “It used to be so expensive to go there and each expedition used to cost me a bomb. I am excited that I can dive close to home,” says Anita, a scuba diving enthusiast of the city.
“Scuba diving in Mangaluru will be on two levels — training level and try diving, also called Discovery Scuba Dive (DSD),” says Punja. “Under the DSD model, people can go on an expedition guided by a diver certified by the Professional Association of Dive Instructors (PADI) from Australia.
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