Scuba diving is becoming a popular holiday sport. Reporter KELLY SMALE finds out what all the fuss is about.

WHEN I think of scuba diving I imagine being surrounded by tropical fish in warm crystal clear water.

So when I found myself at the side of a swimming pool in Catford, I was unsure what to expect.

Having never snorkled before, let alone scuba dived, I was a little nervous so I dragged along my boyfriend Dan Cook to take part in the lesson with me.

I had been invited by the Meridian Sub-Aqua Club, which was formed in 1981 and is based at St Dunstan’s College, Stanstead Road, Catford.

The club is one of the 1,100 branches of British Sub-Aqua Club - the world’s largest diving club.

Meridian chairman Joe Horner has been scuba diving for 16 years and is now an instructor.

The 42-year-old said: “The best thing about scuba diving is the thrill and camaraderie within the club. No two dives are the same.”

He added: “Its nice to be in an environment where you don’t belong.”

As Joe helped me into a jacket which held the air tank, a regulator to breathe and a buoyancy control device, my feet began to buckle under the weight.

Being a petite 22-year-old, I was wondering if scuba diving was for me as before I got into the pool I was having to lean on a table to stop myself toppling over.

But as I got into the water and put on my mask and fins, the weight of the equipment was no longer a problem.

Breathing underwater felt unnatural at first, but after a few minutes I got used to taking in oxygen at a slow and consistent rate.

Instructor Simon Lambert, who was helping Dan, said: “I always tell trainees to relax and enjoy it because it’s as easy as it looks.

“A lot of people are so tense to start with and the whole thing becomes an unpleasant experience. The sounds alone are quite strange because it’s totally quiet.”

The first thing I learnt was the sign for OK - making a circle with your thumb and index finger. A thumbs up was the signal to go up to the surface.

As I sat on the bottom of the deep end, Joe began teaching me different ways to breathe with your buddy if you ran out of air, although he assured me this was unlikely to happen.

I had to remove the regulator and blow bubbles as Joe passed me his regulator to breathe through, before repeating the process five times.

He also taught me how to de-mist my mask underwater by half filling it with water and then blowing out of the regulator to clear the water out.

By the end of the lesson I was confidently swimming around the pool and was thoroughly enjoying the experience.

I would definitely recommend a try dive lesson to anyone who is unsure about scuba diving, as the people are welcoming and patient and make the session fun.

People who decide to take up scuba diving at the club undertake a series of classroom lectures as well as practical training in the pool.

British Sub-Aqua Club members benefit from group ownership of equipment, third party insurance and access to training courses.

If you are aged 18 and over and would like to do a try dive, visit meridiansac.com/home or call club secretary Charles Scott on 01689 827644 or 07956 585767.