Just as the islands of the Caribbean are popular for their emerald-colored walks, in Patagonia it is also possible to practice diving, in waters that come from glaciers and snowdrifts, transparent and very cold.
It is an extraordinary walk, where the senses are extrapolated and enjoy a completely opposite side to the surface, with vegetation and unique and different animals; in addition to ships that were shipwrecked more than one hundred years ago and that now sleep underwater, surrounded by seaweed and underwater life. A unique and forbidden world for our species, which allows us to visit it only with the right equipment and training.
Not everyone can dive and classes are needed to get down to the depths of the sea or the ocean. You need to be over twelve years old and have certifications from the General Directorate of the Maritime Territory if you plan to dive with compressed air. Of course it is necessary to have a good physical and psychological state. The rest is desire and love for water.
As for the equipment, it is necessary to have fins, isothermal suit, mask, bottle, depth gauge, clock, decompression tables, regulator, knife, manometer, booties, gloves, flashlight, tube or snorkel, and balloon.
In Chile, the main diving spots are found in the north, from Arica to Valparaíso. However, in Patagonia, points have been established where this activity can be carried out, as in Pucón, the Strait of Magellan in Punta Arenas, and in Tierra del Fuego, in the Argentine city of Ushuaia.
You can dive all year round, but the conditions are exceptional during the months of December to March, when the sun has a greater presence in the area and allows a visibility of 15 meters deep. It should be taken into account that the average water temperature is only 2 C and that the submersion location will depend on the wind direction.