Scuba, originally was not a word, it was an acronym that stood for ‘Self Contained Underwater Breathing Apparatus’. Overtime, as people used references to Scuba gear or going Scuba diving, it became accepted as a word. A Scuba diver is a person who dives into the water carrying their own oxygen supply in compressed air tanks. A scuba diver moves along by fins attached to their feet. Scuba diving participants should be in good health and not suffer from such afflictions as high cholesterol, diabetes or asthma.

Scuba divers and the seas are greatly affected by the environment. Scuba divers more than most people are aware how small changes in the world can mean big changes in the underwater world. To keep the treasures of the seas as pristine as they are it is necessary for divers and tour operators of dive trips to be ecologically responsible. This may mean limiting the number of divers on a dive trip as well as the number of dive trips.

One award that is given to ecologically aware dive operators is the ‘Environmental Achievement Award’. Project AWARE is the sponsor of this award. Project AWARE is a nonprofit organization that is dedicated to the conserving of underwater environments. The award is presented to honor diver operators all over the world who display a commitment to protect the underwater environments within their business operations and their community.

The recipients of this award not only lead dive trips but give divers the opportunity to make a difference in their ocean world. The volunteers on these dives do underwater cleanup of marine debris and marine debris prevention. They can donate their time doing coral reef conservation efforts and monitor the condition of the coral reefs and collect data.

The eco-friendly tour operator that receive this award not only do their best to conserve the underwater environment that is related to their business but conduct education opportunities in their communities. Children who may never dive are still interested in learning about their environment and their impact on it. Educational opportunities currently include an art contest called ‘Sharks Rule!”. This is an art contest for children from 3 to 12 years that is designed to increase their awareness of the underwater world.

Scuba divers like many people do like some competition and skill competitions are a great activity that are designed to be fun and test and develop the skill level of the participants. These competitions can include underwater orienteering, obstacle courses, light salvage, memory courses and treasure hunts. The consistent winners of these competitions are invited to compete at high levels to further test and develop their skills.

Underwater photography is another subterranean activity that requires skill development and can be competitive. The quality of pictures depend not only on the equipment used but on the skill of the divers. They must be able to maintain their buoyancy while waiting for that perfect shot since excessive movement could provide a distraction to the wildlife be photographed or can adversely affect the ecology of the environment as could happen in a coral reef.

Awards for Scuba related activities are as varied as the species of fish in the ocean but should not be the driving force of a scuba diver. The fun and beauty of a dive is an award in itself.