CoralRealm University - Feature

Making the transition from just "being underwater" to really "seeing underwater"

What's the difference?
There's a big difference between the act of "looking around" and the act of "seeing." Looking around is a quick process involving a visual sweep of an environment -- taking in the big picture. Seeing, on the other hand, takes time and concentrated focus. It involves studying details and applying some problem-solving skills. And for divers of all experience levels, a sure-fire way of injecting more excitement into every dive is learning to see more -- becoming more knowledgeable about marine life.

The desire to understand
As a beginning diver, the sensation of being underwater provides a sense of excitement and recreational satisfaction. Looking around at the scenery is a quick process and is usually secondary to worrying about equipment and becoming accustomed to the physical sensations of diving. As a diver gains more experience, he/she begins to relax and spend more time studying the details of marine life. It's at this point, that a diver usually develops a desire or need to understand what they are seeing. For instance: why does this creature look like it does, what is it doing, how does it reproduce, what does it eat and what other relationships does it maintain?

Continual education is the key!
Understanding the marine environment comes from continuing education -- looking up information about new marine creatures we saw on our last dive or researching marine life we're likely to encounter on future dives. Most experienced marine life explorers use a combination of these two, educational techniques. Accidentally discovering something we've never seen before on a dive is thrilling, of course. But actually researching a species' distinguishing characteristics, habitats, feeding and reproductive behaviors, and defense mechanisms BEFORE A DIVE can significantly enhance our discovery powers! Knowing where to look -- a coral rubble zone, under a rotted log, on a soft coral, on a sea fan, on the back of a crab -- allows you to discover more on every dive.

More discoveries on every dive
Over time, you'll be surprised how spending a little time before and after every dive can enhance your total diving experience. Rather than simply looking around, you'll find you've learned to see more on every dive. You'll certainly develop a new level (new depth) of interest and appreciation for our wonderful coral realm.

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