The downs and ups of a non-trivial pursuit

Communication plays a significant part in many sport and hobby activities. In scuba diving and gliding (soaring), however, the medium in which the activity takes place can inhibit communication. In both underwater and airborne environments, life-threatening situations can develop, which means that the sports enthusiast operating in these mediums must be able to communicate effectively to avoid potential hazards from becoming disasters. We describe our respective hobbies and their complexities, comment on why we enjoy them and the sensations we experience, and then outline how we communicate with others engaged in our very individual and essentially solitary pursuits