Learn How to Scuba Dive

Scuba diving is both an exhilarating and relaxing sport. It gives you an insider’s glimpse into the underwater world which covers 70% of our planet. Having said that it’s not for everyone. Read on to see if you are ready to learn how to scuba dive.

While learning how to scuba dive does not necessarily require you to be in good shape, it helps. Carrying a scuba tank on your back while wearing diving equipment is no easy feat so having some cardio fitness will make this less grueling. Basic swimming skills are also required and to complete your scuba diving certification, you will have to pass a swimming test - fortunately you can swim as slowly as you like, as long as you can swim 183 m (200 yards) and tread water for a few minutes. Diving has some inherent risks so before signing up for your scuba diving certification check with your doctor. People with heart and lung conditions or high blood pressure need to take extra precautions or may not be able to dive. Pregnant women are also not permitted to dive. If you panic easily in stressful situations, you may also want to discuss this with your doctor since if you panic underwater, the knee jerk reaction is to get to the surface as quickly as possible and a quick ascent without the required safety stops can be lethal.If you have any other concerns check with your doctor before you learn how to scuba dive.

All divers must hold a scuba diving certification. PADI Open Water Diver course is the most popular and usually takes a few days and involves doing a few dives to prove that you’ve mastered the necessary skills. Although only the Open Water Diving course is required, the Advanced Diving and Rescue Diving course are highly recommended as they will make you feel more comfortable in the water and further enhance your skills. If you plan to get into speciality types of diving such as cave, dry suit or ice diving, further diving courses are required. You will also need to further practise your skills by diving, ideally in different conditions, i.e. a drift dive, diving in a strong current, night diving, etc. This will help round out your diving skills and provide you with more dive sites and diving holidays to choose from. You can learn how to scuba dive and get your scuba diving certification at either your local scuba diving club or when you arrive at your scuba diving location. If you are still unsure, many scuba diving clubs offer Discover Scuba, which is usually a couple of hours in a pool with an instructor in scuba gear so you can test it out before committing to learn how to scuba dive.

Diving is not a cheap sport, even once you have learned how to scuba dive. On average, 2 dives/day is approximately $100 - $150 U.S. dollars, depending on where you go. Scuba gear rentals can be found at most dive shops, but there is a charge for this and different scuba diving clubs offer varying qualities of scuba gear rentals. If you choose to buy scuba gear, you’re looking at an initial investment of around $2000 U.S. dollars. If you don’t live anywhere near water, there is also the cost of getting to your dive site. Don’t think this is only a hobby for rich people, I know avid divers who live on macaroni and cheese throughout the year so that they can afford to go diving. That’s how much they love it!

There are also more budget friendly options available. Lake or river diving with your local scuba diving club is an option and your transportation expenses will be minimal. The Bay Islands in Honduras offers spectacular scuba diving and is cheap as far as diving goes. We spent less than $350 for 10 dives including all scuba gear rentals. Accommodation and food there are also cheap. The Red Sea is another budget friendly scuba diving holiday where you can often find a good deal. Pick up one of the scuba diving magazines which also provide information on budget friendly scuba diving locations and scuba diving news. You can also save on scuba gear buying used diving equipment. There are usually postings for used diving equipment at your local scuba diving club or on scuba diving news websites.

Once you learn how to scuba dive, your learning is not over. If you just show up at a dive site and expect outstanding diving you will most likely be sorely disappointed. Dive sites are not a one size fits all. What makes a great dive site and a good scuba diving holiday really depends on what you’re interested in. I.e. do you like coral reefs, hammerhead sharks, whale sharks, protected dive sites with no current, night dives, lake dives, etc? The best way to find out what makes a great scuba diving holiday for you is to try different types of diving and do your research. Try a few dives with your local scuba diving club to different scuba diving locations that they’re visiting. Read scuba diving magazines and scuba diving news websites and see which places you find most attractive. By doing your research beforehand you will increase your chances of experiencing a great scuba diving holiday.

Once you've learned how to scuba dive, you may not be able to find anyone to go scuba diving with.  No problem, there are several options. First join your local scuba diving club. Most scuba diving clubs arrange dives at local dive sites and usually a few scuba diving holidays a year to more exotic locales. Scuba diving clubs are a great way to meet other divers. You can also sign up for a live aboard scuba diving holiday. You pair up with someone on board who also doesn’t have a diving buddy and because everyone is on the boat all the time, it’s a great way to really get to know your fellow divers. There are also announcements in scuba news websites of divers looking for a dive buddy so this is another way to connect with divers from all over the world.

I’ve done three scuba diving holidays by live aboard and have met fantastic people. Four of us actually reunited the following year on another scuba diving holiday. You can also go on a diving holiday and do shore dives. The scuba diving club will either find you a buddy or the Dive Master will be your buddy, which is the best way to see more stuff since Dive Masters have eyes like hawks and notice the smallest fish that you would likely never see on your own.

Warning! Diving is highly addictive. I now plan vacations around diving holidays. Divers in general are an interesting group of people and not only will you get a glimpse into what really lies below the ocean’s surface which is awe-inspiring, but you are also likely to meet life-long friends. Based on your answers to these questions you should now have a better idea if you are ready to learn how to scuba dive. Hope to see you underwater one day!