Discover Scuba Diving with Cebu Dive Tribe: A Sunday Full of Gratitude, Connection, and First-Time Joy (Nov 23, 2025)

Saturday: Diving Beyond Barriers

Last Saturday, Cebu Dive Tribe sponsored Dive Beyond Barriers, a beautiful event that gave persons with disabilities (PWDs) the chance to experience Discover Scuba Diving.

We provided all the tanks for the PWD participants and their guides — and we documented everything with photos and videos, on land and underwater. Watching them breathe underwater for the very first time was powerful. Some of them were non-swimmers, yet they managed to glide and smile underwater like it was the most natural thing.

It reminded us that diving truly is for everyone.
If they can do it, anyone can.

A Curious Visitor at the Shop

Later that afternoon, a foreign guest — Elena, an Australian — passed by our shop. She said she had been eating lunch at a nearby restaurant overlooking Kontiki, and noticed how happy the divers looked when they came out of the water.

Her words were simple but meaningful:

“I want to try scuba diving too… everyone looks so happy.”

She left her number, and we messaged her that evening after our dives.

The challenge?
She was flying out at 10 PM the next day.

So we scheduled her early: 7:30 AM.
A shallow DSD dive, done by 9 AM, still within the safe guidelines since the dive is shallow, short, and controlled.

We were honestly excited — a first-time diver who found us simply because the ocean made her curious.

Sunday Morning: Preparing for Her Dive

We arrived at the shop at 6:50 AM, still sleepy but energized by the purpose of the morning. I brought bread, and we set up the shop to welcome her properly.

I planned to brew coffee…
but she arrived early at 7:10 AM.

So I immediately shifted gears — prepared all her equipment, checked the regs, tanks, weights — while SugbuDiver briefed her about Discover Scuba Diving. I was so busy I didn’t even get to take photos or videos of the briefing.

Before entering the water, I reminded her:

“Drink more water — breathing dry air underwater can make your throat dry.”

Just a simple tip, but important for beginners.

Discover Scuba Dive – A Gentle Introduction to the Sea

We entered the water at 8:30 AM.

• Max Depth: 4.6 meters

• Dive Time: 22 minutes

• Reason for shallow depth: She had difficulty equalizing

Each time we reached around 4 meters, she signaled ear pain. So we stayed shallow, calm, and slow — letting her enjoy the underwater world at her comfort level.

And even at shallow depth, she saw:

🐠 Clownfish
🐟 Razor fish
🐡 School of catfish feeding
🌿 Sea grass patches full of life

She surfaced with a tired smile, saying:

“I enjoyed the experience.”

She's working in Manila for two weeks and flew to Cebu just to explore — so we felt truly grateful that she found us, out of all dive shops.

She washed up a little and returned to her hotel.
We asked if she could leave a review… and she left us a 5-star rating. Another blessing.

A Simple Day at the Beach… Turned into Sharing Pizza

Since it was Sunday and the weather was good, we decided to just stay at the beach. Family members of Sugbu Diver came over, bringing food. It felt like a small family outing.

Then a message came.
It was Elena:

“I’m at a nearby restaurant… would you like to have pizza with me?”

We happily accepted.
She was so grateful for her DSD experience that she wanted to treat us.
Moments like this remind us how diving connects people from different worlds.

Sharing the Ocean with Family

In the afternoon, we still had tanks with excess air (only 50 bars used in the morning), so SugbuDiver treated her sister, niece, and cousin-in-law to a short scuba session — their first time underwater.

Their reactions?

• Her sister (non-swimmer): moved gracefully underwater, amazed at herself

• Her niece (initially scared): huge smile when she resurfaced

• Her cousin-in-law (super excited): came up almost shouting with joy

This is why we dive.
This is why we teach.
This is why Cebu Dive Tribe exists.

Every person who tries diving comes out of the water happier than when they went in.

Reflections from the Tribe

Looking back, this weekend wasn’t about big achievements or deep dives.
It wasn’t about perfect weather or perfect shots.

It was about:

✨ The joy of first-time divers
✨ Sharing the ocean with PWDs
✨ A foreigner touched enough to treat us to pizza
✨ Families smiling underwater for the first time
✨ Community, kindness, connection

At Cebu Dive Tribe, we always say:

The ocean has a way of changing people — even in just one dive.

And last weekend, we saw that again and again.

Here’s to more dives, more stories, and more people discovering the magic beneath the waves. 🌊💙