Swimming through hoops, doing somersaults, backflips and playing catch underwater at the bottom of a swimming pool may not sound exciting, but it is actually a great way to see if scuba diving is for you.

Whilst the thought of swimming underwater amongst the fishes or discovering lost treasures somewhere along the seabed sounds great - not everyone can adapt to breathing underwater easily or handle the pressure on the ears.

The Bushey and Borehamwood Sub Aqua Club offer something called a try dive and I went and had a go to see what it really is all about.

The centre is based at the Lincolnfields Centre in Bushey - it was pitch black when we arrived that Thursday evening, and I'm not going to lie, the hut wasn't the easiest place to find at first.

In spite of this, we got a very warm welcome and after getting briefed and kitted out, we drove to Bushey Grove Leisure Centre in Aldenham Road, where we had a one-to-one session with an instructor, learning the basics of scuba diving.

This included how to go under and come back to the water surface, breathing and generally what each piece of equipment does.

In February the club received £2,000 from Hertsmere Borough Council's community grant scheme, which they used to buy new equipment for trainee divers as well as training for instructors.

Having a kit that fits you properly is key. When I first entered the water with the gear, the jacket which holds your oxygen tank - known as a BCD - was too big and started to slip off, causing me to lose my balance. Luckily I was able to swap with my instructor, for a smaller BCD, which made such a difference.

Then it was off to the two metre pool to have some fun.

I personally found it quite simple adapting to swimming and breathing underwater, however, Paula Cheung, diving officer at the club said, "Some people find it quite difficult, particularly the pressure on the ears, which can be painful and will only increase the deeper you go."

Another instructor, Andrew Savage, said: "There are so many things you can do, things you can see, when you know how to dive - places like Croatia, Malta and Lanzarote are really nice places to go on diving expeditions.

"But you always have to go in pairs," the 21-year-old added, "purely for safety reasons and when we train new divers, it's always is in pairs for that reason."

Scuba diving is great fun, even just having a go in a local swimming pool - the only thing I would say is you do have to be a good swimmer.

And the other advice that I was given by Ms Cheung was, next time, I may need weights to help me stay down, as I often found myself floating back to the top without realising.

To give scuba diving a try contact Bushey and Borehamwood Sub Aqua Club on 07413 224 234 or visit their website here.