MARINE CORPS AIR STATION IWAKUNI, Japan -- While stationed in Japan, service members and their families can explore a country covered with natural and man-made attractions that date back thousands of years. However, some of those attractions happen to be covered with water, and can only be seen with scuba or snorkel equipment and a little bit of adventuresome spirit.
The underwater world of Japan may have as much to offer as that above, and because of that, it attracts thousands each year to the freshest sashimi bar in the entire nation. No reservations are needed, just the will to go and some assistance from the Station's Scuba Locker.
The Scuba Locker opened for the season March 25 and offers a variety of services for certified divers, those who want to become certified and those who just want to snorkel.
"Once it gets a little warmer, the water around here is great for snorkeling, especially around Oshima Island, so we provide rental service for people to come and check out snorkeling gear, or if they are certified they can check out scuba gear and go diving on their own," said Ron Holback, Marine Corps Community Services Scuba Locker dive master. "The Scuba Locker also provides an opportunity for people to get their certification at a very reasonable price."
The most common class offered is the open water diver class, explained Holback. This class offers individuals the basic knowledge they will need to enjoy the underwater world.
"For the certification courses, the youngest we teach is 10 years old," he said. "As far as snorkeling gear, anybody can use that. We have gear small enough for kids that are 5 years old."
There are also advanced classes for those interested. They are held based on demand for the class, Holback noted. As for the open water classes, they are held a few times each month.
"We run a very intense course over one week and students come away with their international certification card that is good for the rest of their lives," Holback said. "So when they go to Guam, Australia or Thailand, they can take advantage of the nice diving there."
Classes are held at the Main Gym in the indoor pool. The final dives are held in the ocean and transportation is provided.
"The classes are fun and they are very focused on teaching you everything you need to know to be a safe diver," said Anthony Lamouria, scuba class graduate. "The best part about scuba diving is the freedom to go beyond another barrier. It builds appreciation for a different and beautiful world."
The classes are comparable to a school setting, Holback added. Although students will learn a lot of knowledge in a short period, it's not strenuous.
In addition to the classes, for those who are not completely convinced they want to learn to dive, there are discover scuba clinics available.
"We do a Discover Scuba clinic, which is for people who are interested in scuba and who want to check it out to see if they want to take the class," Holback said.
"We do Discover Scuba on demand and it's free."
For some, this clinic is all it took to give them enough of a good taste for the sport.
"I set it up for one of our physical training programs on a Wednesday afternoon," said Connie Wright, Discover Scuba participant. "I have often wanted to learn to do scuba and I though it would be a prime opportunity to see how I would react."
For those who are already certified, but have been out of the water for a while, there is another service provided specifically for them.
"We also do the scuba tune-ups which is for people who are certified, but haven't been diving for a while," Holback said. "It's for those who are rusty on their skills and just want to get a refresher."
The scuba locker has 20 sets of gear for rental and 116 tanks. People usually checkout gear for three or four days. Individuals with their own tanks can get them filled at the scuba locker. The hours of operation for the scuba locker are Monday, Thursday and Friday 5-9 p.m.
The next available open water class is May 13, but Holback added that spaces fill up fast. For more information on classes, fees and rental services call 253-6058.
"Different people enjoy scuba for different reasons," said Holback. "Some are into it for adventure and some like the solitude gained from being underwater. No matter what your reason for going, we're looking forward to a good season."