Have you ever wanted to breathe underwater, swim with fish, or play hockey at the bottom of the varsity pool?
Since 1962, the Hart House Underwater Club (HHUC) has offered high quality scuba diver training courses leading to scuba certification with the National Association of Underwater Instructors, and an amazing schedule of outings for members to explore the depths.
The summer dive season is fast approaching in Tobermory, where students can be certified and then go on to explore various Ontario locations like Brockville and Kingston.
For the past 14 years, club instructor Rebecca Metcalfe has organized and acted as the trip leader. She is currently busy organizing the upcoming diving adventure to the Caribbean in May.
Diving develops many skills, both physical and mental. Aside from the proven fact that the water itself can reduce stress, diving is a relaxing experience as your body improves its circulatory and respiratory systems. Slow, deep breathing is important in scuba diving to optimize air consumption and bottom time.
With this physical benefit is the added soothing effect on the diver’s mind, which promotes a calm attitude. Underwater is a weightless environment, and drifting through it can give you a feeling of peace and contentment.
“I took the Scuba Diver course with HHUC in the Fall of 2010 with my girlfriend Tammy (now wife). We were both impressed with the club’s approach to safety, community and how friendly everyone was,” says club president Jason Grenier, now in his third term in the position.
“Our training continued with the club with Tammy becoming a Divemaster and I just finishing my Instructor course this past January,” adds Grenier. The principle of volunteering is very important to the club as they seek to share the underwater world with as many people as they can.
The club has more recently begun offering an excellent opportunity to try out scuba diving for one night which guides students through an intro class and then suits them up for their first experience in the Varsity pool.
Grenier finds that the experience communicates another important value of the club; “When people get to see and experience the underwater environment they typically develop an appreciation for just how remarkable and precious it really is. My involvement with the HHUC has been the most beneficial co-curricular activity that I’ve been involved with at U of T,” he says.
