The Healing Power of Scuba
Underwater with a skilled diver
We offer 3 different products:
1. Adaptive Scuba Diving
Scuba diving courses for people with disabilities, where we train you and your buddy to ensure you have a safe and enjoyable scuba diving experience and you go on to explore the oceans with your dive buddy. We believe that “together we are stronger”, and therefore we surround disabled divers with a team or support system.
2. Scuba Therapy
Scuba diving provides a unique environment with many therapeutic effects that can’t be replicated on land. If I can breathe underwater, what else is possible? This is huge for all divers and especially those with the will to do more than ever.
Our Scuba Therapy is for all people with disability and includes working on strengthening muscles, building coordination and stimulating the nervous system, in conjunction with a therapist and support divers. We will improve your stamina and lung function, which boosts your lymphatic system. We put you in our weightless environment using our world class scuba equipment, and we do specific exercises for your diagnosis.
Our divers also tell us the mental benefits of scuba, the silent world gives them a chance to focus and just breathe. The weightlessness of being underwater can relieve physical pain. There is ample worldwide research backing the mental benefits scuba diving can bring.
We have seen autistic children concentrate, focus, gain confidence, do things their parents thought they would never do. We have experienced a child with Spina Bifida being able to stretch out, use muscles he is usually unable to use, and enjoy freedom from his wheelchair.
The cost of this can normally be claimed back though from the “Improved Living” category of NDIS funding. These are regular sessions – like a gym the more regular, ie weekly, people attend, the better, and the quicker they will feel and get results.
3. Scuba Camps
These are day long camps for people with autism or Down Syndrome. It’s a social event that’s packed with fun water-based activities. Participants do get to scuba dive too and absolutely love it. We run camps 3 times a year and also do camps for groups – so a group from a disability support provider can book a camp just for their people.
What's included
For each of the 3 categories, all scuba equipment, personal tuition or therapy, and accessible change rooms with hot showers
What's excluded
Towels, and food and drink.
Why Do We Love This
As well as the mental and physical benefits that Scuba Therapy can bring, accessible scuba diving generally is opportunity for people with mobility impairments to experience time unencumbered by the physical restrictions of the everyday world above water.
What to Expect
Arrive 30 minutes before your session to change into your swimwear and meet your team.
Expect to be finding a new comfort zone and to achieve what was once believed perhaps impossible.
Adaptive Scuba divers – expect to be bitten by the scuba bug and once you are weightless and able to enjoy the peacefulness of being underwater your pains will subside and your spirit will be lifted again.
For Scuba Therapy divers, expect a full session of exercise that cannot be done with on land. Your lungs will get a workout as will your whole body. It’s a holistic approach to healing and a lot of fun. You will suddenly find yourself able to apply what we’ve done underwater,on land and expect to be surprised by these achievements.
Scuba Campers will have heaps of fun all day long – we start at 9am and usually end after 3pm. You will be asked to bring your own food and drinks and we will provide bottled water.
Are We Teaching you to Scuba Dive?
For Scuba Therapy divers and Scuba Campers - we aren’t teaching you to scuba dive but will give you the basics so we can keep you safe whilst underwater.
What medical restrictions or clearances do I need to participate in a scuba session?
As soon as you have requested to attend a session, we will send you our medical form. You fill it in and return it to us, prior to your session. The medical is cleared by our Dive Doctor if he is satisfied you are medically fit to participate in a Scuba Therapy session, diving in a pool to a maximum of 4 meters deep. In compliance with SafeWork NSW, if you are not cleared by our dive doctor after he has seen you and /or your medical form, you cannot attend Scuba Therapy.
What is the minimum age to attend a Scuba Therapy session ?
As per our scuba diving standards and procedures and medical guidelines we keep to a minimum age limit of 10 years.
Where can I do scuba therapy?
Woy Woy Peninsular Leisure Centre or the Wyong Olympic Pool (both 70 minutes drive north of Sydney CBD).
Want to book? Got more Questions? Contact our friendly provider here.
