By Cathryn Castle
Human beings are tribal by nature. We tend to seek the company of people with whom we share common bonds. Whether we’re connected through a common language or philosophy or passion, we experience a sense of comfort and ease when we’re with “our tribe.” For some folks, it’s mountain climbing or stamp collecting, but for us, it’s getting out on — and under — the water as scuba divers. When we see that little red and white dive flag bumper sticker on the back of a car, we immediately identify a fellow tribe member, a kindred spirit of scuba diving.
The Scuba Show is the largest consumer dive event in the country — a place where you can expect to 
see a sea of dive flags — along with every other cool dive-related thing you can imagine. And a few unexpected things, too. There are a lot of reasons why you’ll want to make your way to the Long Beach Convention Center the first weekend in June.
For example:
We share the same passion. Divers are an adventuresome bunch. We use diving to unplug from our daily routines and immerse ourselves in nature. Whether we’re new to the sport or we’re hardcore divers with thousands of logged dives, it feels good to connect with other like-minded folks who understand how great it feels to get out and explore the underwater world.
It’s a gateway for new divers. Okay, so maybe you’re the only diver in your family, within your circle of friends, or at work. When you talk about your weekend adventure of putting a bunch of gear on and jumping off a perfectly seaworthy boat several miles from shore, or charging through the surf to reach a kelp forest, chances are some of your friends and loved ones might think you’re a little looney. When you invite them to attend the Scuba Show with you, they’ll see you’re not the only nut. And when in the company of all these divers and all this dive stuff, maybe they’ll decide to give it a try.
There’s lots of really cool stuff. Divers will be drooling over the latest and greatest in new gear and accessories. All the major equipment manufacturers will have their top people there to show their newest “toys.” You’ll be up to speed on the latest products and offerings. There’s also plenty for nondivers (or not-yet-divers) to enjoy, such as jewelry, art, apparel, seminars, seafood cooking demonstration, the continuous film festival, and just the passion of the sport.
You’ll meet the locals. Attending the Scuba Show will put you in touch with local dive charter operators, provide information on a variety of area beach diving locations, and give you the scoop on diver-friendly vacation rentals. You can find out about dive clubs that hold meetings in your area, too. And maybe find a new dive buddy or two in the process.
You can plan that dream trip to a tropical destination. Practically every major diving destination in the world is represented at the show. You’ll meet resort and dive center operators, live-aboard boat owners and crew, tourism bureau reps who can give you the straight scoop on planning your next exotic dive trip, and dive travel agents who can put it all together for you. (Insider tip: some places even offer special “show only” discounts on vacation packages.)
The continuous film festival will entertain. And inspire. Amateurs and pros alike submit their best underwater imagery, which plays continuously on a giant screen in the exhibit hall. The film festival will get you thinking about the kind of diving you’d like to dive next, and for nondivers and kids, it’ll offer a window in the underwater world that will likely spark their desire to give diving a try.