Scuba community thrives in Utah

There are places in the Top of Utah that are seen only by the people courageous enough to strap on scuba gear and dive deep into water.

“Since 70 percent of the world is underwater, we’re really missing out,” said Tina Powell, an instructor at Dive Utah in Ogden who enjoys helping others see the unique fish, coral and beautiful terrain, and hear the unfamiliar sounds of the submerged environment.

One wouldn’t think scuba diving would be very popular in Utah, given the lack of ocean waters and coral reefs. However, there is a thriving scuba-diving community in Utah, composed mostly of people who want to travel to other parts of the world to dive but need a place to become certified and train before heading out.

Such is the case for Sheila Bass, of North Ogden, who is traveling to the Turks and Caicos Islands in the Caribbean in September and wanted to get her diving certification.

She had only one hurdle to overcome when she signed up for the course this month: her fear of scuba diving.

“I expect to overcome my fear since there is always the fear of the unknown, but as I learn more, the only unknown will be the sharks,” Bass said.

Bass snorkeled in Hawaii some years ago and learned that snorkeling is a lot of work, as she was constantly fighting the current on top of the water. Additionally, much of the coral she could reach with her snorkeling gear was dead from tourists touching it.

She’s looking forward to scuba diving to deeper spots, where the coral is alive with beautiful colors.

For scuba divers, one of the biggest draws is the feeling of being free and weightless, like an astronaut, and seeing beautiful fish and natural terrain.

For die-hard scuba divers between trips, diving can be done in the Top of Utah. Some of the favorite spots nearby include Bear Lake and Tony Grove. For those who want to drive a little distance, Blue Lake by Wendover, Lake Powell and Flaming Gorge provide opportunities.

A unique place to dive is the Homestead Crater, in Midway, where the water is a balmy 90 degrees in a natural hot springs cavern that can be accessed only through a limestone rock tunnel.

One of the disadvantages to diving in Utah is the lack of visibility, as divers can see only about 20 feet in freshwater.

The lakes in Utah are generally cold, but that’s OK for John Boynton, one of the owners of The Dive Shop in Bountiful, because his favorite place to dive is “anywhere I can get in the water.”

Anyone can dive, says Boynton, who has taught all ages in his certification courses, including 14-year-olds who saved up their lawn-mowing money, college students, husbands who bring their reluctant wives along, and even a 70-year-old.

Boynton enjoys bringing the wonder of scuba diving into their lives through the certification courses and dive trips his shop sponsors.

“The most fun part is watching their reaction when they come to the surface,” said Boynton. “One guy I took to Fiji, who had just been certified, when he came up after a dive said, ‘I can describe this dive in four words: phe-no-me-nal.’ It can be scary, but then it can be a huge adrenaline rush when you see something you don’t see normally.”

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