"One of my favorite experiences was putting a Christmas tree together underwater with my wife.”

Ches Bond has been attending Colorado Scuba Diving Academy’s Scuba Challenge for over a year. Unusual tasks like assembling a Christmas tree are just some of the creative ways divers can hone skills like dexterity and communication during the twice-monthly events held in a Fort Collins city pool. Bond, who became open water certified in the 1990s, lost his left leg in 2020 following a motorcycle accident.

By engaging in different activities throughout Challenge sessions—and paying just $22, which includes equipment rental—Bond joins other divers excited to review existing skills, acquire new ones and learn about opportunities to expand their horizons.

“The challenges afford me the opportunity to try new equipment and practice as an amputee,” Bond explains. “[Owners] Samuel and Kent helped me work out the kinks with a new diving prosthetic. Once I was comfortable enough with my skills, I got my PADI Advanced Open Water Diver certification through Colorado Scuba Diving Academy. I am even enrolled in their PADI Rescue Diver course.”

Bond also looks forward to building community during the Challenge, which brings together divers of all backgrounds and skill levels.

Related Reading: The Future of Adaptive Diving Programs

“I have seen drysuit divers, sidemount, twinset backmount and every variety of recreational BC. Having a local outlet that allows people to practice the sport and get immersed in the community is wonderful,” echoes participant Ben Hendricks, who began attending the Challenge in February. “My favorite activity is playing with the buoyancy hoops: standard hula hoops tied to a weight, used to practice swimthroughs. This is always a skill I want to improve on.”

Twelve years ago, Samuel Bachar and Kent Rychel of Colorado Scuba Diving Academy worked with the city of Fort Collins to design a program serving local divers. Over time, the Scuba Challenge has become a major draw, with around 20 divers attending every other Wednesday.

“It’s way more popular than any dive outside that we do occasionally,” Bachar says. “The lakes in Colorado are so cold and murky that the outdoor options we have are not always an appealing thing for most divers. The pool is huge, so you can practice a lot of things that you would do outside. It’s one of our favorite programs: equipment adjustments, skills adjustments and talking about travel boiled into one program.”

To register, certified divers can call or text the shop. An e-newsletter provides the schedule and other important info. Equipment is provided with the cost of admission. If it’s been more than two years since their last dive, divers should take a PADI Reactivate Scuba Refresher Program before participating.

“The cool thing about it is, over the years, this is something that people join not just to dive,” Bachar continues. “There are always people showing up and standing on the deck, just coming to hang out. It became a scuba social for the community in Fort Collins.”

Many divers gather for dinner at East Moon, a local restaurant, after each session, which extends the experience beyond the pool.

“The dive community in Colorado is amazing. You never know who will strike up a conversation about Bonaire, or Turks and Caicos, or the Chatfield Reservoir,” adds Hendricks. “One of the best things about the Scuba Challenge and community is getting together after the diving and grabbing dinner and talking about dive trips, destinations and life in general. Finding a community where you are welcome as a diver, no matter the number in your logbook, has been amazing, and I am truly grateful to have found my community.”

Related Reading: Why You Should Join PADI Club

Need To Know

What to Bring If you have any kit, bring it along; if not, gear is provided at no additional cost. And be ready to share any photos from recent dive trips!

Conditions The pool is around 80 degrees, and the event lasts for about two hours.

Certification If it’s been more than two years since your last dive, you will need to sign up for a PADI Reactivate Scuba Refresher Program before you can sign up.

Contact Info Colorado Scuba Diving Academy codivingacademy.com

Site Spotlight

Although you won’t find them in the pool, brightly colored pumpkinseeds (Lepomis gibbosus) are among the fish found in waters surrounding Fort Collins, including the Arapaho Bend Natural Area along the Cache la Poudre River.

Visitors explore scenic trails winding along Route 25, and fishermen try their luck in several small ponds filling up former gravel mines.

Pumpkinseeds thrive in calm freshwater habitats like these, where they grow to be about 4 inches long. They are tiny carnivores, eating worms and smaller fish, and live for about five years.

They have been known to mate with other members of their genus, like bluegills, though the resulting offspring will be sterile.