Chile : Activities : Sport Diving

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Regardless of your motivation, diving is an activity that requires the right training in both theory and practice in order to acquire the necessary skills to dive safely. Unlike professional and commercial diving, it is not necessary to undergo decompression with sport diving, because the depth and time of immersion are kept within safe limits.

There are two kinds of sport diving: apnea (skin diving) and scuba (using a breathing device). The first is common in recreational diving and fishing; the second is preferred as a sport and for exploration and photography.

History

There is evidence that apnea diving (meaning, to hold breath) was first practiced in Peru around 2,000 B.C and throughout history there have been many efforts to develop systems that would allow men to stay underwater for extended periods of time. But it was in the 1930s that such a system was successfully developed. Most of the elements of today's diving equipment were created at this time, especially the diving device that we now call the scuba. It was Le Prieur in 1933 who developed the precursor to the scuba and many other elements used by the modern diver.

In 1942, the Frenchman Emile Gagnan in association with the recently deceased Jacques Yves Cousteau, (before undertaking his famous adventures aboard the Calypso), invented the autonomous diving apparatus, whose main component is a regulator. This device allows air to reach the diver at a normal pressure, while the air itself is kept at a high pressure in a tank. From its conception, the basics of the equipment have not changed too much. Perhaps the most important new development has been the hydrostatic vest, that allows the diver to regulate his buoyancy at will. 

If the current developments continue along this path, diving in the future will be using gases very different from the air we breathe. These will be mixtures of gases such as nitrox, heliox, trimix, etc, and will allow divers to make longer and deeper dives, with less risks and greater comfort. This kind of diving is already practiced, although it is not yet common in Chile.

Diving in Chile

Chileans tend to look outside their country when thinking about diving, towards Brazil or the Caribbean. However, there are places along the interminable Chilean coast which are very good for diving. From Puerto Montt in the South, up to Arica in the North, we have a coastline that measures 3100 km (1,937 mi), but of course, the best zone extends from La Serena to Arica (city map) due to the temperature of its waters. Of all the beaches on the North Coast perhaps the best one is Caldera, due to its almost tropical microclimate. 

Chilean beaches are easily accessible and generally have similar characteristics: a small sandy bay of approximately 1 kilometer (.6 mi) of extension limited at both ends by cliffs. This is important for your orientation when in the sea. The bottom of the sea alternates between sand and generally large, round stones. 

Once in the water we will quickly notice a great difference with other coasts: the abundance of seaweed and the variety of sea life. The abundance of fauna is remarkable, even near the coast, which is due to the almost total absence of divers. This amount of fauna living in relatively shallow waters coupled with excellent visibility makes for ideal conditions for marine photography.

To gain higher certification levels, better physical aptitudes are needed. If you want to learn to dive, or if you are a diver from outside Chile, seek the advice of a reputable diving center. To dive with compressed air in Chile (tanks or bottles), you need a certificate which you can obtain from Dirección General del Territorio Marítimo (General Directorate of Maritime Territory). To obtain the certificate you need to pass both a theoretical and practical test.

Most of the certification agencies have a minimum age of 12 years. Minors have to obtain special certificates that state certain restrictions according to age.

• Do not touch the bottom since it is destroyed once it is flattened.
• Do not collect starfish, coral, or other species as souvenirs.

Security

• Never dive alone and stay with your group.
• Review and test all your equipment before you start the dive.
• Inquire about the place before you dive.
• Plan the necessary immersion and decompression times.

Stores

• Lonely Planet Chile & Easter Island
• Adventure Handbook Central Chile

More alternatives on texts in our Book section.

Centers and Diving Schools

International Associations

Professional Association of Diving Instructors: PADI
National Association of Underwater Instructors: NAUI
Scuba Schools International: SSI

National Associations & Related Institutions

Related  Institutions

DIRECTEMAR

Divers with disabilities

Aletas Project

With help from Christian Gajardo
E-Mail: cgajardo@scubachile.cl

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