What should I look for when selecting
where to go for scuba training?
The best place to go
for scuba training is your local dive center. Dive centers have the advantage
of having all of the scuba equipment you will want to learn about on hand.
In addition, your local PADI dive center will have a knowledgeable sales
team to assist you in selecting equipment that fits properly and is suitable
for local diving. You will also find trained service technicians who can
help you properly service and maintain your equipment. Your local PADI dive
center also offers local diving activities, international travel, and opportunities
for you to meet other divers.
Whether you choose
a PADI dive center or a dive center with another affiliation, it is important
to ask whether the certification you will be issued is sanctioned by the
Recreational Scuba Training Council (RSTC). If it is not, find another
place to get your training. No one else in the dive industry will accept
your certification card if it is from an organization that is not a member
of the RSTC.
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What does "certification"
mean?
If you have ever talked
to a diver, you probably have heard the word "certification" come
up. Or perhaps you've asked about going out on a dive at a resort or dive
center but were told you needed to be "certified" before you could
go.
Certification simply
means that you have been properly trained in the use of scuba equipment
and the techniques of safe scuba diving. There are many different kinds
of scuba certifications, but the certification most divers start with
is the PADI Open Water Diver rating. This
rating allows you to rent and buy scuba equipment, get air fills from
dive centers, participate in professionally led dives, and dive in conditions
that are similar to or better than the conditions you are trained in.
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What
is PADI?
PADI stands for the Professional Association of Diving Instructors, the largest
scuba certifying agency in the world. More than 60 percent of the divers
certified in the world are certified by PADI, and more than 70 percent of the
scuba instructors in the world are PADI instructors. PADI's strict
adherence to training standards and its international presence means you will
get the best scuba training available and that your PADI certification will be
recognized throughout the world.
To learn more about PADI, visit their Web site at
http://www.padi.com/.
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How long does it take to get certified?
In order to complete
your PADI Open Water Diver certification,
you must complete 5 confined water dives, 5 academic sessions, and 4 open
water dives. The confined water dives are generally done in a swimming
pool or a lake or ocean area that is similar to a swimming pool in terms
of water clarity and access to shallow water. These dives can be completed
in anywhere from one day to five days depending on how the dive center
runs your training. During these sessions you will learn how to do basic
diving skills such as mask clearing, regulator clearing, and air management.
Weekend students at Aquatic Adventures finish their pool training on a
Saturday evening and a Sunday morning. Weekday students usually complete
their training in 2 or 3 evening sessions.
Academic sessions
involve viewing video tapes, reading a manual, answering a series of questions
based on the videos and readings, and successfully passing quizzes that
verify your understanding of the material. Diving safely requires you
to have a basic understanding of dive physics and physiology. You will
be asked to apply that knowledge in the pool and in open water, so it's
important to learn the academic material. Fortunately, most of this work
can be done independently in the comfort of your home. At Aquatic Adventures,
classroom material is completed in as little as one Friday evening and
a Saturday.
The four open water
dives are done in a lake or ocean where you demonstrate the skills you've
learned for your instructor under the kinds of conditions you will be
diving in. Because divers in training can only do three dives in a day,
you will need at least two days to complete your open water dives. When
you're done, you will be issued a certification card with your picture
on it, proving that you are a certified diver!
All together, your
certification training will probably take about 35 hours of your time.
If you are going on vacation and want to learn to dive before you go,
start your training early. You will be less rushed and will enjoy your
training much more.
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Are there ways for me
to dive if I don't have enough time to do a whole certification course?
If you have limited time but you still want
to try scuba on your next vacation, the PADI
Scuba Diver course may be the perfect choice for you. The PADI Scuba
Diver course is a subset of the Open Water Diver course. Instead of completing
5 academic sessions, 5 pool dives, and 4 open water dives, Scuba Divers
complete 3 academic sessions, 3 pool dives, and just 2 open water dives.
Although Scuba Divers are allowed to dive only under the supervision of
a PADI professional and only to depths above 40 feet, most students can
complete the course in as little as 2 or 3 days.
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What is a referral?
While the PADI Scuba Diver course is a way
to avoid doing any training on your trip, you may want to consider a referral
course if you live in a cold climate and can't do the open water dives
because of the weather. Aquatic Adventures provides a program whereby
we will take you through the classroom and pool portions of your certification
course in Wisconsin and then make arrangements for you to complete the
open water dives with another PADI dive center during your vacation. Our
regular referral program begins in November and runs through April, but
you can arrange for a referral at anytime during the year. Aquatic Adventures
currently charges $249 for the classroom and pool portions of the course,
and you can complete this work in one weekend. The receiving dive center
will of course collect a fee for the open water dives. These fees range
from $75 to about $300. In most resort areas, the fee for completing the
open water dives is about $150 to $175 and includes basic equipment rental.
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How old must I be to get
certified?
Divers must be at least 10 years of age to
participate in the PADI Open Water Diver course. However, children between
the ages of 10 and 12 must attend the course with a parent and are required
to dive with a parent or PADI professional at all times. In addition,
they are limited to a depth of 40 feet. Children between the ages of 12
and 15 can dive with any certified adult but are limited to depths above
70 feet. Because of these restrictions, children are issued a Jr. Open
Water Diver certification when they complete the course. When they turn
15, children can apply for the full Open Water Diver certification.
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Will my certification
expire?
No, your certification will not expire. As
an Open Water Diver, your certification is good for life. If you do not
actively participate in scuba for an extended period of time, however,
it's a good idea to take the PADI Scuba
Review to brush up on your skills.
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Do I need to be a good swimmer
to become a scuba diver?
Being a good swimmer will definitely make
you more comfortable in the water, but the swimming requirements for the
Open Water Diver course are rather modest. You will be asked to swim 200
yards without stopping, but you can do any stroke you like and can take
as long as you like to complete the distance. You will also be asked to
tread water for 10 minutes in water too deep to stand.
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Are there any health conditions
that might prevent me from diving?
Almost anyone who is
in good health and reasonably fit can participate in scuba. However, there
are some conditions that may prevent you from diving. Women who are pregnant,
for example, should definitely not dive. In addition, if you have ever
had a lung disease or lung injury, you should consult a physician before
diving. If you are concerned that your health may be a problem, stop in
at your local PADI dive center and ask for the RSTC Medical Statement
or download the RSTC Medical Statement from our
"Forms" page. This form will assist your physician in determining
whether diving is safe for you.
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How much does it cost to
get certified?
The cost of getting
certified can vary greatly depending on where and when you take your course.
Aquatic Adventures charges $299 per student for the basic Open Water course.
That price includes course video tapes, books, equipment rental, and pool
fees. Students are required to have their own mask, fins, snorkel, and
boots, but AAI provides student discounts to help reduce this cost. Students
are also responsible for entry fees to the parks where we train. If training
is done on one of our trips, the student is responsible for boat or resort
operator fees.
AAI also offers private
instruction for $435. If you train during the cooler months, AAI offers
a referral program where you can do your confined water and academic training
in Wisconsin, and do your open water dives at another PADI facility. The
basic referral program costs $249, but you will need to pay the certifying
facility an additional fee.
Each dive center sets
its own policy regarding training fees. Generally resort areas tend to
charge higher prices. It's always a good idea to negotiate a price before
you go, and you should always ask what is included in the price you are
quoted.
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Divers need buddies, right?
So do I need to bring someone with me to class?
Yes, divers need buddies.
For safety reasons, you should never dive alone no matter how many scuba
classes you've taken or how many dives you've done. But you won't have to
supply a buddy for your certification class.
Although it is nice
to have a friend or family member join you in your training, it is certainly
not necessary. Your scuba training will provide you an opportunity to
meet many other people who are interested in diving. Many of those new
divers will be looking for buddies as well. So if you have a friend who's
interested in learning to dive, bring your friend along. If not, you're
sure to meet someone in class.
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Is diving really dangerous?
Because the media tends
to portray diving as high adventure or dangerous, many people falsely believe
that diving is an extreme sport. Fortunately, the truth isn't quite so exciting.
Because of the strict
training standards found in most scuba courses, the reliability of scuba
equipment, and the strict adherence to safe diving practiced by most trained
divers, very few people are injured while diving. In fact, the rate of
injury per participant is about the same for diving as it is for bowling.
Generally when injuries do occur, it is because someone participates in
diving without proper training or a properly trained diver disregards
his training.
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Do sharks attack divers?
Unfortunately, some sharks
have been known to attack divers, just as some bears have been known to
attack hikers. But just like bear attacks, shark attacks are very rare and
generally only occur when divers harass these animals.
The sad reality is
that people kill sharks by the millions every year, and many shark species
are now endangered. Most divers today consider themselves lucky to see
sharks because sharks are becoming so rare.
Like most marine animals,
sharks are usually frightened by the bubbles made by a scuba system and
swim off almost immediately upon encountering divers. Normally, sharks
must be enticed with food before they will interact with divers. If you
ever encounter a shark that looks threatening, stay toward the bottom
and swim away slowly.
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Do I need to buy all of my equipment right away? I hear it's expensive.
Equipment is an important
part of scuba. High quality, properly maintained equipment not only provides
us with the ability to visit the underwater world, it gives us greater safety
while doing it.
You probably won't be
much of a diver if you do not buy scuba equipment, just as you wouldn't
be much of a skier if you never bought skis. However, scuba equipment is
rather expensive. After all, it's life support equipment! So most dive centers
offer equipment rental as a way to allow their students to purchase equipment
over time.
If you can afford
to purchase some of your equipment during your training, your PADI instructor
can assist you in mastering how to properly use it. If you can't afford
equipment now, ask your instructor for advice on how to make a wise decision
when you do decide to purchase.
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