Diving community: Scuba Diving for everyone!
It was March 2019 when we got involved by Francesco Di Lorenzo‚ owner of the Isola del Vento sailing school at Isola delle Femmine‚ into a school sports program for disabled children. The school involved in the program was the “Alcide de Gasperi”‚ a school we already knew well for our Scuola d’Amare lessons we had given there the past two years. The program involved three water sports: sailing‚ kayaking and scuba diving.
About a year ago‚ Rino and I followed the Disabled Divers International (DDI) Diving Instructor Training Course‚ which was our first contact in teaching scuba diving to disabled people. It might sound strange to think of scuba diving and disabilities‚ but actually‚ scuba diving may be just one of the sports that can be adapted to almost any kind of disability. From blindness‚ to cognitive disturbances‚ to individuals with multiple paralyses; Scuba diving has shown numerous advantages for all of them as a social and physical rehabilitation‚ allowing them to interact in a near weightless state‚ with many feeling that the normal obstacles and restrictions their disability gives them on land‚ disappears in water when given the right equipment and training.
“Obviously‚ because of my disability‚ I need assistance. But I have always tried to overcome the limitations of my condition and lead as full a life as possible. I have traveled the world‚ from the Antarctic to zero gravity.” Stephen Hawking
The DDI Instructor Training Course had left us both with a great smile of gratitude and some very nice ideas for the future in for developing more programs for our diving center involving disabled persons. Unfortunately‚ we hadn’t had any opportunity yet to do so. So‚ when we heard about the water sports and disabled children program of Francesco‚ of course we were very excited to be able to take part in it!
On May 10thwe started off at 08:00 in the morning at the picturesque harbor of Isola delle Femmine with 5 children‚ all diagnosed with some form of disability; cognitive disabilities‚ ADHD‚ autism and dwarfism. All 5 children were accompanied by another non-disabled classmate and their personal support teacher. Not knowing what to expect from the children‚ we decided to start off slowly by teaching about snorkeling on dry land. We varied our theory lessons with fun practical sessions in which the children had fun trying on scuba equipment and showing off their finning techniques. The highlight was how they all got to challenge each other in a snorkel clearing match from a water basin in who got to splash out more water than the others!
One week later‚ we had our second lesson day with the children. Meeting point: the swimming pool of the Hotel Sirenetta at Isola delle Femmine. This time‚ it was going to get serious! The morning started off heavy for the children‚ with some difficult theory lessons about diving physics and diving physiology and equalization techniques‚ but the kids did showed their best and all was very well understood! The level of attention rose even more as we started to explain scuba diving equipment. All children got to try out scuba diving equipment on dry land‚ from equalizing a scuba diving mask‚ to breathing from a regulator or clearing it from water that entered.
After a small break we all jumped in! And this is where the magic actually happened. Some children had a natural gift and as soon as they got their mask and fins on and a regulator or snorkel in their mouth they sailed away. Others were a bit more uncomfortable or scared at first. After some great personal care and attention from Enrico‚ our very competent PADI divemaster‚ these kids succeeded in convincing themselves step by step they took to get into the pool‚ overcoming their fears and fully trusting the reassuring words of divemaster Enrico.
“Through sport we can make people understand that something seen as a defect‚ like an amputation or a disability‚ becomes something we are proud of.”Beatrice Vio‚ Italian Paralympic multiple times gold winning fencer.
I am not sure how to describe into words the way these children let themselves slide into the water; the smiles that appeared on their parents or grandparents faces‚ witnessing these scenes from the border of the swimming pool; their classmates cheering for them; their personal support teachers amazed. Maybe the best way to express myself is just by saying: “We have such a great job working in the world of diving!”
Esther
