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So What's it all about?
So you've heard about SCUBA diving from friends, or maybe you have even given it a go whilst on holiday and you are now hungry for more. Find out how you go about learning to dive here, and also what to expect on your course.
Being a PADI instructor, I can tell you exactly what to expect on your PADI learn to dive course, however there are many ways to learn to dive. You have BSAC, SSI, NAUI, to name just a few, and all these different agencies are basically different methods of learning the same fundamental skills. The most commonly known, and internationally recognised dive training agency does happen to be PADI, which is the system I know, so I will fill you in on that one.
In order to be an independent diver, certified to dive to 18M with a buddy, you will need to complete your Open Water course. You can do a Scuba Diver course first if you prefer, which certifies you to dive to a maximum depth of 12M and only under the direct care of a PADI professional. Or if you are really unsure as to whether you are going to like this at all, you can have an even smaller taster by doing a "Discover Scuba Diving" session where you complete a few simple skills in shallow waters or a swimming pool, before going on a small, shallow dive with the instructor to see if this is something you want to do.
If you are doing your Open Water course, there are certain things you should consider before you even book the course. Firstly your health, you need to be in fairly good health and there will be a medical questionnaire to complete before embarking on the course. Most health issues do not cause a major problem with diving, however there are some that are potential problems so do need checking out with a doctor.
You also need to be relatively comfortable in water. During the course, you will complete a 200M swim (in your own time and using any stroke) and a 10minute float (or tread water, whichever works for you). This is a way for us to see that you are indeed comfortable in water, relatively fit, and that you can hold your own whilst out of your depth as well as being a good confidence builder.
The course itself consists of five videos with corresponding quizzes and knowledge reviews, during which you learn about the physical aspects of being underwater, how to plan your dives, how to be prepared for diving in the sea and under different conditions among other things. With an instructor, you will complete five confined water sessions (each introducing and building up your basic dive skills). These will take place in a swimming pool or in the sheltered shallows of the sea or lake. At some point, there will be a final exam (multiple choice, so don't worry, no essays to write) and finally you will get to do four open water dives in the sea or a lake, during which you will repeat some, but not all of the skills you learned earlier in the course.
Your course is likely to last a minimum of four days (depending on the dive centre and your ability), and you are likely to be on the course for the bulk of the day with both water sessions and classroom sessions on the first two days. This was one of the most rewarding weeks of my life, and you only get such a reward by completing something that is a worthy challenge. To make life easier for yourself, you can buy a copy of the latest Open Water manual ahead of your course. You will need one for the course anyway, and if you read through and complete the knowledge reveiews before you start, you will be well and truly ahead of the game.
Another way of doing your course is in two sections, which is called a referral. You can complete your theory and pool sessions at home with one dive centre, whilst doing the four open water dives somewhere nice and warm with another dive centre. This is not the cheapest way, however it means that you do not spend the first few days of your holiday, sat in a classroom watching videos, instead you get to go straight in the sea to complete your first Open Water dive.
By the end of the course, you will have learned how to plan your dive safely, set up your kit, and dive with a buddy. You will have learned how to prevent or deal with potential incidents that could occur during your dive and how to control your buoyancy and direction in the water. Assuming you are successful (it is not a guaranteed pass), you are now certified to dive with your buddy to a maximum depth of 18M, in similar conditions to your course environment. So bear in mind, learning in an idyllic tropical location means that you are likely to need some further training and experience before embarking on diving under more challenging conditions. Assume that you have just passed your driving test, you wouldn't go straight onto the motorway, well the same goes with diving, build your experiences little by little. This way your skills and confidence build at an equal pace, rather than jumping in at the deep end (literally) and at best putting yourself off diving altogether, at worst putting yourself or your buddy in danger.
So you've heard about SCUBA diving from friends, or maybe you have even given it a go whilst on holiday and you are now hungry for more. Find out how you go about learning to dive here, and also what to expect on your course.
Being a PADI instructor, I can tell you exactly what to expect on your PADI learn to dive course, however there are many ways to learn to dive. You have BSAC, SSI, NAUI, to name just a few, and all these different agencies are basically different methods of learning the same fundamental skills. The most commonly known, and internationally recognised dive training agency does happen to be PADI, which is the system I know, so I will fill you in on that one.
In order to be an independent diver, certified to dive to 18M with a buddy, you will need to complete your Open Water course. You can do a Scuba Diver course first if you prefer, which certifies you to dive to a maximum depth of 12M and only under the direct care of a PADI professional. Or if you are really unsure as to whether you are going to like this at all, you can have an even smaller taster by doing a "Discover Scuba Diving" session where you complete a few simple skills in shallow waters or a swimming pool, before going on a small, shallow dive with the instructor to see if this is something you want to do.
If you are doing your Open Water course, there are certain things you should consider before you even book the course. Firstly your health, you need to be in fairly good health and there will be a medical questionnaire to complete before embarking on the course. Most health issues do not cause a major problem with diving, however there are some that are potential problems so do need checking out with a doctor.
You also need to be relatively comfortable in water. During the course, you will complete a 200M swim (in your own time and using any stroke) and a 10minute float (or tread water, whichever works for you). This is a way for us to see that you are indeed comfortable in water, relatively fit, and that you can hold your own whilst out of your depth as well as being a good confidence builder.
The course itself consists of five videos with corresponding quizzes and knowledge reviews, during which you learn about the physical aspects of being underwater, how to plan your dives, how to be prepared for diving in the sea and under different conditions among other things. With an instructor, you will complete five confined water sessions (each introducing and building up your basic dive skills). These will take place in a swimming pool or in the sheltered shallows of the sea or lake. At some point, there will be a final exam (multiple choice, so don't worry, no essays to write) and finally you will get to do four open water dives in the sea or a lake, during which you will repeat some, but not all of the skills you learned earlier in the course.
Your course is likely to last a minimum of four days (depending on the dive centre and your ability), and you are likely to be on the course for the bulk of the day with both water sessions and classroom sessions on the first two days. This was one of the most rewarding weeks of my life, and you only get such a reward by completing something that is a worthy challenge. To make life easier for yourself, you can buy a copy of the latest Open Water manual ahead of your course. You will need one for the course anyway, and if you read through and complete the knowledge reveiews before you start, you will be well and truly ahead of the game.
Another way of doing your course is in two sections, which is called a referral. You can complete your theory and pool sessions at home with one dive centre, whilst doing the four open water dives somewhere nice and warm with another dive centre. This is not the cheapest way, however it means that you do not spend the first few days of your holiday, sat in a classroom watching videos, instead you get to go straight in the sea to complete your first Open Water dive.
By the end of the course, you will have learned how to plan your dive safely, set up your kit, and dive with a buddy. You will have learned how to prevent or deal with potential incidents that could occur during your dive and how to control your buoyancy and direction in the water. Assuming you are successful (it is not a guaranteed pass), you are now certified to dive with your buddy to a maximum depth of 18M, in similar conditions to your course environment. So bear in mind, learning in an idyllic tropical location means that you are likely to need some further training and experience before embarking on diving under more challenging conditions. Assume that you have just passed your driving test, you wouldn't go straight onto the motorway, well the same goes with diving, build your experiences little by little. This way your skills and confidence build at an equal pace, rather than jumping in at the deep end (literally) and at best putting yourself off diving altogether, at worst putting yourself or your buddy in danger.
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