| Football players wear them. So do people | | | | visibility ranged from 30 to 40 feet. We were told |
| competing in hockey, baseball, cycling and a | | | | to stay upright to prevent water from entering |
| myriad of other sports. | | | | the helmet. Breathing was normal, but we had to |
| But divers wearing helmets? And being supplied | | | | purge our ears. The helmet weighed 70 pounds, |
| with compressed air via a hose at the water | | | | but with the buoyancy created by the water we |
| surface that connects to their helmets? Who | | | | experienced a weight of just 15 pounds when we |
| would have thought it? | | | | were below the surface. |
| During a recent Caribbean cruise I experienced | | | | Descending the final steps of the ladder to the |
| this interesting twist on underwater exploration | | | | ocean floor 20 feet beneath the surface in |
| during a stop at Coral World Ocean Park in St. | | | | 81-degree Fahrenheit (27.2 Celsius) water, we |
| Thomas in the U.S. Virgin Islands. It is called | | | | began our helmet dive walk. Two scuba divers |
| “helmet diving.” | | | | guided us on the 30-minute trip. An added safety |
| We boarded a bus in St. Thomas and were taken | | | | measure was a chain along the route; we were |
| on a 40-minute drive on the wrong side of the | | | | told to hang on to because the water was fast |
| road – at least what North Americans | | | | moving. Unfortunately, one of our helmet divers |
| consider the wrong side -- to our destination, | | | | had to leave the water after experiencing |
| which they called “the cove.” Among the | | | | breathing difficulty. While it should not be a |
| other attractions at this facility are snorkelling, | | | | problem for most people, those who have |
| scuba diving and encounters with sea lions, sharks | | | | breathing difficulties or who suffer from |
| or turtles, to name a few. Equipment can be | | | | claustrophobia might not want to try it. |
| rented or purchased there. | | | | Of the five of us taking part in the helmet dive, I |
| The helmet diving base is a large round covered | | | | was the only one who scuba dives. It struck me |
| area. After a brief introduction that included | | | | that helmet diving is an excellent opportunity for |
| instructions and the usual signing of a waiver | | | | those who do not wish to go the scuba route to |
| absolving the facility of liability, gloves and water | | | | see some of the underwater world that thrills |
| shoes were provided. We descended a ladder | | | | divers. But in exposing helmet divers to that same |
| three steps into the water, where a white helmet | | | | visual experience – especially in the clear |
| was placed over our heads, resting on the | | | | waters of the Caribbean – it is also a vehicle |
| shoulders. It was the receptacle for the | | | | to attract new people to scuba. |
| compressed air that was pumped down from the | | | | I would highly recommend helmet diving to |
| surface. | | | | anyone thinking of getting into scuba diving, or to |
| The helmet, which featured a clear mask, was | | | | those who just want a glimpse into a diver`s |
| large enough to enable us to wear our glasses. | | | | world. |
| That was a bonus in clear water where the | | | | |