You clicked because of the picture yes? I told you marketing works. Before you accuse me of any type of objectification, the long time friend in the above waters is a founding member of D&C and gave express permission for the pic’s use. So there.

I wanted to write a thoughtful post about why we dive and how it ties in with a meaningful life but I guess I’m not that guy, I’m really not that deep. Sorry? Instead you get a tongue in cheek list and some pictures.

Warning: very light reading ahead. If every minute of your time needs to be productive you may want to sit this one out.

You might have guessed it, I love diving, here are some reasons why, in no particular order.

1. You meet cool people.

Whether it’s on forums like r/scuba, on dive boats or in dive bars, you meet some excellent humans that smell of wet suit. Sure you’ll run into the occasional bag of dicks, but it’s a lot more occasional among divers. At least this is what I like to believe. Divers are just a friendly bunch. Especially if you buy them a beer.

2. It’s great for the environment.

You save water by not showering as often. It’s also a good excuse for smelling of algae at the office.

3. The glamour never ends.

5 a.m. pick ups on weekends, bad coffee and cold waters. If you’re really lucky and you play your cards right, you could even dive from a pedal boat.

4. Scuba is super wallet friendly.

You’ll get to spend all the extra cash you save on other stuff, like your car.

5. Beauty.

Never enough beauty (and mystery) in our lives. Underwater both surround you.

5. b) More beauty.

5. c) Still more beauty.

6. Adventure.

6. b) More adventure

6. c) All sorts of adventures.

7. You travel with Old Friends

Nothing else needs to be said. It’s among the best things in life.

8. Travel with new friends.

9. Travel first class.

It’s technically first class if there’s only one class on the airplane right?

10. Room service and food.

Dinner delivers itself straight to your room. Now that’s fresh.

10. b) Eating local.

Had to fend off local cats from that one.

10. c) Still eating local.

A bucket of tasty, tasty conch in Turks and Caicos.

10. d) State of the art cooking gear.

11. Exclusive airports

There was a crashed plane at the end of the runway. The plane hit a cow. I’m not kidding.

11. b) Exclusive airports getting work done.

12. You get to see things from different angles.

13. The crab dance.

Bored at her safety stop, one day Clo invents the crab dance. Soon it becomes a thing. So if you see us doing our 3 minutes@15 don’t worry, we’re not having seizures.

14. You develop your mental powers.

You practice tipsy zen stoicism so that you don’t scratch yourself silly.

15. You end up in interesting places to nourish and refresh your self.

16. You learn about history while preparing dives.

The USS Vandenberg was once the largest artificial wreck in the world. That title now goes to the USS Oriskany, which is the carrier Senator John McCain flew from during Vietnam. The Vandie was a missile tracking ship in the Atlantic during the Cold war. It is a great dive and a reminder of a different era, one we can be quick to forget.

17. Did I mention friends?

18. Log books, beers, and again, friends.

Yes please.

19.  Moments of sheer wonder.

It’s part of what makes life not just worth living but stunning.

20. Seeing all kinds if critters.

21. And finally, it’s as close as I can get to actually looking for the Grail.

It sounds silly but it is true. Adventures, camaraderie, touching the wonderful even the numinous, scuba diving is the closest and most concrete way I have found to look for and approach Mystery, or what I think of as “The Grail”.

But also buddies.

Maybe that’s the Grail?