Achilleon Diving Center

There is a tribe of people that live on water on the coasts of Malaysia, Indonesia, and the Philippines knowns as the sea gypsies. The world record for holding your breath underwater is 24 minutes. This is without equipment and is crazy to think about because most people will struggle at 30 seconds.

Now we regularly go around 45 minutes underwater with SCUBA diving equipment and are able to live a short time in what could be considered a different world.

Achilleon Diving Center is a Certified diving center where beginners and advanced level divers can go to explore Corfu’s underwater treasures.

Did you know SCUBA is an acronym for Self-contained underwater breathing apparatus?

I had been planning to try Scuba diving all summer. However, it was one of the busiest summers we have had in a while so I didn’t find anytime. Achilleon Diving Center closes October 31st and we were getting close. So I finally marked a day on the calendar, made the reservation and was ready to try this new experience on the 26th of October.

I was a little nervous because not only have I never been scuba diving before, but I have never been snorkeling.. I know.. Crazy, I live on an island and I have never been snorkeling.

I am in the sea every chance i get but without the snorkeling mask and the fins.

insiders tip- go snorkeling with fins and a mask a couple times before scuba diving.

Why do I say this?

Swimming with fins is a bit awkward in the beginning so is always breathing through your mouth. While you are scuba diving you also have to focus and learn other things so it would be very convenient not to have to get use to breathing and swimming differently as well.

Anyways, we got our wet suit on, the instructor went through all the proper rules and precautions of our scuba diving lesson. She was very professional and very clear. Then we go to walk into the sea and put the fins on there otherwise it would look a little weird walking on land with fins!

Once we get into the water, our instructor goes through a couple more things we need to know for this upcoming lesson. After an overall 30 minutes lesson, we were off. My first impression seeing all the fish all of the sudden so clear and them not being afraid of me was fascinating. As I said, it takes a little bit to get used to breathing and for me who for the most part breathes through my nose it felt like a while. Slowly but surely it was nothing, second nature.

Meanwhile, we were not even that deep but were seeing some small octopus and plenty of fish. Again the fish were swimming next to us as if we were one of them.

The next thing was getting used to swimming with the fins. Because during scuba diving they teach you not to use your arms while swimming only legs. Since it takes up too much energy, however, once again I am used to the opposite. So I am focusing on getting use to swimming only with the fins and to my luck it doesn’t take tong. There is the situation that it is a little difficult to stay at one depth, either you are elevating or sinking, but no need to worry because they teach you how to resolve this and also help you if you are having any trouble.