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Scuba Diving

st like the Caribbean Islands are popular for the possibility of scuba diving in their emerald waters, in Patagonia you can also practice this activity, in water that comes from glaciers and snowdrifts mostly, see-through and very cold.

It is an extraordinary trip, where all senses are extra sharp and you can enjoy of a different side of Patagonia, completely opposite to the one in the surface, with vegetation and animals that are unique and different; and you can see the ships that met their death here, over a hundred years ago, and that are asleep now under the water, surrounded by seaweed and animals. A singular and forbidden world to our species that allows us to visit only with the proper training and equipment.

Not everybody can scuba dive, though, and you need classes to take the jump and go underwater. You also need to be over 12 years old, because most tourism companies do not let children dive. You also need a certification provided by the General Direction of Maritime Territory if you plan to dive with compressed air. Finally, you need to be in good shape physically and psychologically. Everything else is love for the water.

When it comes to equipment, you will need: mask, isothermal suit, snorkel, bottle, depth-meter, clock, decompression tables, regulator, knife, booties, hydrostatic vest, pressure gauge, flashlight and globe.

In Chile, the main points where people go scuba diving are in the north, from Arica to Valparaiso. However, in Patagonia you can practice this sport in Pucon, in the Magellan?s Strip in Punta Arenas, and in Tierra del Fuego in the Argentinean city of Ushuaia.

Scuba diving can be done all year round, especially in the cities in the north, but in Patagonia the best time is in the December-March period. This is when the sun is at its best and makes it possible to see up to 15 meters deep. You should know that the average temperature of the water in the Magellan?s Strip, for example, is of mere 2°C, and that the exact place where you can dive will depend on the direction of the wind.mountain