A lot of people are stuck at home, unable to travel, even within their own country and all they are thinking about is the next time they can go down (not on their girlfriends, but under the sea).
Here is a list of stuff you can do in the mean time!
#1 Learn the latin names for your favourite nudibanches
This one is for the more nerdy / nudi obsessed ones out there (Helene?). If you really are a nudi fan, you probably already know loads of them, so why not learn another 50 and impress like-minded individuals at dinner parties until you can do so on the boat / during debrief.
#2 Get a shark / turtle / octopus tattoo
So, the fact that you are actually dry a lot, which in itself is better when you've just got a tat, and the fact that you are bored, want some action and are missing octopuses might mean you end up with your whole upper leg covered in tentacles. Well, at least this one will have got the chance to heal properly before you dunked it again!
#3 Do a dry course
If you're really missing diving and especially all the exciting and inspiring PADI courses out there, why not go for a course like Enriched air nitrox which you can do most of dry , get your theory out of the way theory and you do the dives when they let you get near the water again. Alternatively, you can bump up your diving and marine conservation knowledge with a course like Coral Reef Conservation and shine in society with your superior knowledge and environmental kudos.
#4 Reread the Encyclopedia of recreational diving or Scuba physiological
If you feel like self study is more your thing , why not dig out or acquire a copy of the Encyclopedia of Recreational Diving by PADI or Scuba Physiological by Simon Pridmore. Once you've read these guys you'll be prepared for anything, well, in theory anyway! And certainly ready to attack a dive master course when the pandemic ends.
#5 Plan your next marine animal mural
Feeling artistic? Missing the sea, its colours and wonderous creatures? Why not bring the sea to you like our favourite mural artist Molly Keen (see picture). Get your overalls on, borrow a couple of ladders, pick up some paints and let your imagination run free. Your neighbours and local authorities will love you for it.
#6 Clean and service your dive gear
Let's face it now is a good time to fix that leaky reg, to give everything a good soak in vinegar, check it all, scrub it all and put it all back to together again( hopefully without having lost any essential parts). You can call up a few other diver mates and make a party out of it.
#7 Practice free diving in your bathtub
This one is for really desperate times. If you have a bathtub, fill it up with lukewarm water (28 degrees like a nice warm day on the north coast of Nusa Penida), get your mask on, snorkel out and lie there doing a good breathe up. When you're ready take your last big breath, close your eyes and wait. When the contractions come, think of manta rays, let them come n go then enjoy the rush of endorphins when you breathe again (don't abuse this or you may become a full time bathtub free diver)
#8 Plan your next dive holiday to see mantas in Nusa Penida
What better activity than to think of all the great things you are going to do in Nusa Penida when they finally let people back into Indonesia and out of their European flats. Which dive sites will you go to (comprehensive list can be found here )? Where will you stay? What will you bring? How will you get there? Why are mantas amongst the coolest fish ever? How can you be a responsible traveller?
#9 (Re-)Watch all the 'Blue Planet' (1 and 2) episodes again.
David Attenborough is our hero, he has the most soothing and inspiring voice ever and the images from this incredible BBC series, that took 5 years to film, are amongst the best in the world. So get set for a marathon , get a good bowl of pop corn, some comfy pillows and settle down for some serious watching pleasure. When you run out of these if you need more inspiration, here are a few more ideas
#10 Buy a ridiculously complicated dive computer and start learning how to use it.
You can possibly dull your non diving blues with some shopping therapy and buy a rocket-science-worthy dive computer (there are some out there, trust me). You might just have worked out how to access the log book by the time borders and homes are open again. If you'd rather go for an easier to understand one, then you can always follow some of the advice here before you buy.
# Bonus activity
Read silly blog posts. Plenty mentioned above and many more here: https://www.purpledivepenida.com/blog-diving-nusa-penida