To dive for: Learning to dive in challenging Hong Kong makes for a stronger skill set
Hong Kong’s scuba community appears to be growing, and local divers say that the city has more to offer underwater than most people may realise
Gliding through the cool, murky waters of the Ninepin Islands near Sai Kung, scuba instructor Anssi Iivari didn’t see anything out of the ordinary – until he came face to face with a metre-long squid.
“It appeared right in front of us for a few seconds, wondering who we were and what we were doing, then took off,” said Iivari, master instructor at Pro-Diver Development. “I had never seen a squid that big in Hong Kong before.”
It was one of Iivari’s most memorable dives in the city. With cooler temperatures and lower visibility compared with its more tropical neighbours, Hong Kong is not a traditional dive destination. Yet the scuba community appears to be growing, and local divers say the city has more to offer underwater than most realise.
Diving certificates issued in Hong Kong by the Professional Association of Diving Instructors (Padi) increased by more than 45 per cent from 2010 to 2015. Those issued to divers with a Hong Kong address – both locally and overseas – also grew by more than 55 per cent.
Although Padi does not provide statistics on the exact number of certified divers, Iivari estimated there were about 25,000 to 35,000 in Hong Kong, 5,000 to 8,000 of whom were active.