scuba diving certification Archives

Minimum Scuba Diving Certification Age

There are scuba diving courses that can be taken online, by DVD, or in a classroom setting. The informational part of these courses is only the first step to being able to be certified to dive in various situations. There are specialty diving courses that may also be taken once the open water certification has been acquired which allow individuals to learn how to dive in wreck situations, do underwater photography, or even do rescue diving. There are minimum scuba diving certification age requirements so that children are kept safe in the water and are under the watchful eyes of their parents until they are old enough to participate on their own.

Ages

There are some beginning scuba diving courses for children that are at least eight years old, but this is not the minimum scuba diving certification age. These courses are merely designed to get the children used to diving situations in closed water environments such as swimming pools. They begin to get the children used to some of the gear that will be used when they are finally ready to dive, such as the flippers, masks and even snorkels.

Once the child reaches ten years of age, then he is officially ready for scuba diving certification. However, from the ages of ten to fourteen, the scuba diving certification is for limited depth diving and the dives have to be done with a parent or legal guardian who is certified in open water diving. This certification is a junior open water certification and is designed to allow these children to safely participate with their parents on vacation or in other diving situations.

Once the child reaches fifteen, then he is at the scuba diving certification age for open water diving certification. At fifteen, the child can be tested for open water certification so that he can dive on his own without parental supervision. In all cases and at all ages, scuba diving certification classes can only be entered if the students are in good health. There are medical questions that they must answer and they must also prove that they can swim 200 meters in a pool situation and tread water for ten minutes. Once these proofs are made, then they are allowed to begin their training for the in-water part of the certification process. The scuba diving certification age is a safety precaution that helps all individuals who are interested in diving to participate within their limitations.

The First Step: Online Scuba Diving Certification

For anyone who is at least thirteen years of age or older (the scuba diving certification age) there are online scuba diving certification courses that are convenient ways to obtain the book learning part of scuba diving. These online scuba diving certification courses can often count for college credit, which is a convenient aspect of the courses for college students who need some physical education classes. The classes usually cost a little over one hundred dollars to participate in, allow individuals to learn at their own pace, and gives them access to a diver’s manual of information that they can study for their exam. These online scuba diving certification courses are offered by a variety of different companies and individuals should check to be sure that they meet the standards given by international diving associations so that the credit is good anywhere in the world.

Classes

The online scuba diving certification classes help people to learn the basics about diving lingo so that they are aware of what their in-water instructors are talking about when they move to that stage of the training. They also learn some safety information that will help them in the water as well as how to choose the best scuba gear for the next stage of the class. These online scuba diving certification classes help individuals learn what to expect in their bodies as the water pressure squeezes in on them during the dives. It will also take them through planning the various dives that they might want to go on in the future. The in-water instructors will review the online scuba diving certification information to make sure the individuals have retained it, giving a quiz and then going over any information that was missed before moving into the in-water training part of the certification.

Once the online scuba diving certification has been completed, then the students begin to participate in confined water dives, meaning dives that are held in a local pool. This way they can learn the basic diving skills and practice them in a safe environment before going into the open water. The person will learn how to use all of the scuba diving equipment and certain skills that are essential for diving, such as sharing air, getting water out of the scuba mask, and others. Once this part is completed, then the person will be able to go on the first of four open water dives to become fully certified.

Is there Cheap Scuba Diving Certification?

Before people invest in scuba diving certification, it is a good idea to test out diving in a pool situation before taking a full course. There are often test diving classes that can be taken in a pool situation where an instructor takes the students on a shallow pool dive to give them the experience of breathing underwater. For some people, that is enough to show them that they want to pursue diving while others may find that the experience is not for them. In either case, it is helpful to make the determination before investing hundreds of dollars into the scuba diving certification. The online scuba diving certification is not very expensive, only costing a little over one hundred dollars for the materials and test. However, cheap scuba diving certification that includes the book learning, water training and rental gear is hard to find, and individuals should expect to spend at least three hundred dollars in the course of their training.

Deals

Sometimes, individuals can find cheap scuba diving certification deals when going on vacation. Often part of the vacation package is a cheap scuba diving certification class that can be taken over the first few days of the trip to allow the people to participate in dives in the area during the rest of the vacation. These deals are often the cheapest scuba diving certification classes since all of the book learning, in-water training and gear is included in the cost rather than trying to find the best prices separately.

Initially the scuba diving certification can seem cheap since the book learning part is only a little over one hundred dollars. However, that is only one step of the process. The person will also have to pay for the in-water classes, which will often run the same amount as the book learning part, depending on how fast the person masters the skills. The person will also have to rent the equipment to participate in the class unless it is included in the in-water training fees. The equipment costs can end up adding another hundred dollars to the certification cost over the time it takes to become trained and certified, thus creating a total amount of right around three hundred dollars for the scuba diving certification, which is not so cheap. However, in comparison to other types of certification, such as a pilot’s license, three hundred dollars is not a large investment in a certification that can last a lifetime.

Planning for Scuba Diving Certification Cost

When looking for cheap scuba diving certification it is wise to shop around to make sure that the company being used offers valid certification credentials. There are professional organizations that keep the diving standards uniform so that a person certified through a course is certified to dive all over the world. The scuba diving certification cost can be minimized if the entire course is given as a package deal rather than having to buy the book learning part of the course, the water learning and the rental equipment separately. There are some times that people can find a package deal for scuba diving certification while on vacation so that they can take the course and then participate in diving the area where they are vacationing.

Typical Costs

Scuba diving certification costs for the book learning part of the course is usually just over one hundred dollars. The scuba diving certification cost includes all of the materials needed to study the book learning part of scuba diving, including safety information and theory, as well as the certification test for the information part of scuba diving. This cost does not include the in-water training part of the course which is required to obtain certification. It also does not include the rental diving equipment that is needed to participate in the in-water diving courses.

Children must be at least thirteen to be able to purchase a scuba diving certification online. If the children are younger than that they must obtain the training through a local dive center with a parent or legal guardian who is certified. Children are also limited as to the depths that they can dive, so parents need to be fully aware of the limitations on their children for safety reasons.

The in-water part of the scuba diving certification cost is approximately the same as the book learning part of the cost. The rental equipment can also cost about that amount over the entire time it takes for the person to pass the in-water part of the certification. The cost really depends on the individual, because for some, they can master the pool part of the training in a session or two and then can move to the open water dives, where they might also master those skills very quickly and be certified. That person will incur less of a scuba diving certification cost than a person that takes longer to learn the skills.

Variations in Scuba Diving Certification Courses

There are scuba diving certification courses that are designed for all different levels of divers. There are courses that allow young children to learn to dive so that they can participate in shallow dives with their parents and later get their open water certification to dive once they reach fifteen, and there are courses that are designed to allow divers to become rescue divers or to go on deep water dives. The scuba diving certification cost depends on the type of course being taken and whether or not the person already has scuba gear. The information part of the courses often costs about one hundred dollars so that the person has all the information needed to pass the test. The water learning part of the course will depend on the place the instruction will get given, the experience of the instructor and the amount the rental equipment costs.

Types of Courses

There are some scuba diving certification courses that are designed for children. There are courses for children that are only eight years of age, but they are very limited in what the children can do and the parents have to be with them at all times. The parents also have to be certified divers for the children to participate in the course for the first time. There are more advanced courses for children who are ten years old, thus getting them ready for deeper dives and giving them more freedom in participating along with their parents. They can get their open water certification at thirteen in most cases, depending on where they are located.

There are many types of scuba diving certification courses for adults who already have their basic certification. There are some designed to teach people to be scuba instructors. There are others that teach people how to be a boat diver or cavern diver since there are other aspects of safety that the diver needs to know in these situations. Other scuba diving certification courses help them learn to be an underwater photographer, or to be an ice diver in colder climates. There are even scuba diving certification courses that are designed to help individuals learn to be a diver propulsion vehicle diver, or a coral reef conservation diver. For those that want to explore deeper, there are deep diving courses and wreck diving courses that serve those purposes. There are even technical diving courses that teach gas blending for certain situations.

Advanced Experience: Scuba Diving Instructor Certification

Many people will participate in a scuba diving certification course to learn the basic diving skills they need to be able to dive at exotic locations during a vacation. These beginner level courses are designed to give people the general knowledge that they need to be able to safely dive in open water. The courses are often taken online for the book learning part of the course and then move to the pool setting to learn the basic diving skills and techniques before going to the open water for a first dive. There are also some ‘test diving’ situations that can be experienced in a pool setting where individuals who are not sure if diving is the experience for them can test the experience in a shallow dive in a controlled setting to see if they enjoy it. After that they can take the entire course if it is something they want to pursue.

Instructors

In order to become a scuba diving instructor, advanced certification is required. Scuba diving instructor certification requires that the people participating master certain dive skills in the water as well as learn theory on diving that they will have to show mastery over on a written test. They will learn the basics on different types of diving such as rescue diving, as well as certain master diving skills and the educational philosophy of the particular scuba diving instructor certification program that they are participating in. Not only will the scuba diving instructor courses allow individuals to teach diving to novice divers but they will also certify them to participate in different professional diving situations where professional divers are needed.

The scuba diving instructor certification can also be pursued in specialty areas. There are some scuba diving instructor courses where underwater photography is the focus. There are others where night diving or wreck diving is the specialty. In other cases, it is deep water diving or enriched air diver courses that the person will want to pursue. In every case, the advanced certification makes the diver more attractive to be asked to do professional dives in the areas which he is an expert. The great thing about these courses is that the training is standard world wide so that the scuba diving instructor certification can usually be used in all parts of the world that the person wants to dive in or instruct in, thus opening up a wide variety of opportunities for the diver.

Tips for When You Book a Scuba Diving Vacation

If you want a vacation that you will remember for the rest of your life, then you should book a scuba diving vacation. This is a great way to enjoy some of the most beautiful locations in the world and to see the world under oceans, seas, lakes, and other bodies of water. Scuba diving is an exhilarating experience. Once you try this activity, you will only want to get better and better at it so that you can go deeper and deeper into the water and see that much more of the world underwater. The following are some tips to consider before you book a scuba diving vacation.

Book Early On

If you want to book a scuba diving vacation, you need to do this as early as possible. This will ensure that you get the best possible deal and that you find the right accommodations, rentals, instructors, and facilities for the trip of your dreams. If you do not book a scuba diving vacation early on, you risk not finding one that fits your timeframe or risk having to invest in a sub par experience.

Consider Certification

You may not need to be certified in scuba diving before you book a scuba diving vacation, but you should consider how you will earn this certification before you go on this trip. You can find many vacation packages that include scuba diving certification as a piece of the experience, or you can invest in classes well before the actual vacation or trip. However, it plans to be prepared before you make any final preparations about a trip. You want to make sure that you know what is included in your package so that once you get to your location, you are ready to either start your lessons or can start diving.

Bring Along Important Health Documents

Scuba diving is incredibly safe. However, it is always better to be safe than sorry. Thus, when it comes time to book a scuba diving vacation and to go on one, you always want to make sure to bring along your health insurance, traveler’s insurance and emergency contact information. This way, you can be sure to protect yourself in the event that something goes awry during the trip. Similarly, it also pays to bring along a first aid kit. You never know if you will go under water and cut your arm on some rock or if you will hurt yourself in some other way. Being prepared before you book a scuba diving vacation and go on one is an important step of any vacation, especially one in a new country, location, and one that involves physical activity like scuba diving.

Scuba Diving Training Is Available For The Beginner As Well As Advanced Diver

Obtain Fundamental Knowledge And Skills Necessary To Dive In Open Waters

For those who desire to learn how to scuba dive, they would be well advised to first complete an Open Water Diver Course and within a few days of completion would be able to enjoy the wonders of the underwater world. The first thing to understand about scuba diving training is that it is gear intensive. In order to experience the thrill of the underwater world, one may need to take the scuba diving training and this could be at beginner level or more advanced level. The basic scuba certification course will provide fundamental knowledge as well skills necessary to scuba dive. Once the course has been successfully been completed, graduates will be considered as being competent enough to take part in open water diving activities without the need of being supervised, keeping in mind that the diving activities are at par with those provided by the scuba diving training course.

When taking a scuba diving training course for open water dives, the minimum requirement is five dives and these may all be scuba dives or even one skin dive plus four scuba dives. On any single day it is not permitted to perform more than two scuba dives during the course and in addition, all open water dives should be performed during daylight hours. The maximum depth of the open water dives should not exceed sixty feet while undergoing scuba diving training.

So, one may ask what are the minimum requirements necessary to qualify for a scuba diving training course? The requirements vary from course to course and teaching center to teaching center but may usually be minimum age should not be less than 15 years for the scuba diving certification, though there are also junior certification for ages 12-14. There is usually no diver certification required and persons who have prior skills obtained from other courses may get awarded extra credits for such skills and knowledge acquired.

There is also an advanced scuba diving training course which is a continuing education certification course for divers already qualified and is an enjoyable program designed to make the diver knowledgeable about various diving activities as well as being taught in an entirely open water setting. Graduates from this course would be considered as being competent enough to take part in open water diving activities. The advanced scuba diving training course is useful for those who desire advanced training, have moved from one area of diving to another and also desire to be orientated to local settings. It is also useful for those who do not have NAUI certification but who desire to have one.

Scuba Diving Certification: Learn From The Pros

Scuba diving is a lot more than just strapping on some flippers, a tank of oxygen and jumping in the water. Scuba diving is a lot more complicated than that. You need to learn from professionals who are skilled in the art of scuba diving. They will show you what you should and shouldn’t do in order to improve safety and guarantee a great time.

Everything’s Provided, From The Equipment To The Expert Instruction

To get your scuba diving certification, check the local yellow pages or do a quick internet search to find a scuba diving school near you. These places provide everything you need in order to get comfortable wearing the equipment so that you can focus on going where not many people get to go, deep underwater to see what treasures lie beneath.

Most scuba diving schools have an agreement with local gyms or indoor pool facilities. They make use of the indoor pools to show you what it’s like wearing your equipment and using it underwater. Of course, if you live near water, the scuba diving places will likely take you straight there but if you don’t, indoor pools are probably where you’re going to get the most of your training for your scuba diving certification.

In order to breathe underwater, you need to wear an oxygen tank, which can be very heavy when you’re out of the water. Your scuba diving certification says that you know how to use this bulky equipment and make use of it while underwater. Scuba diving can be dangerous if you don’t know what you’re doing. For instance, if you’re not careful, you can create air bubbles in your blood which can prove fatal. While rare, your scuba diving instructors will show you how to prevent this.

Scuba diving certification will get you the instruction and experience you need to have a great time underwater. Not many people get to see what it’s like underwater. There are many things underwater that people don’t even know about. Sure, they may have seen pictures but they have no idea what it’s like when you’re actually down underneath the water, able to reach out and touch fish and other vegetation that one can only see up close when they’re scuba diving.

So, go out and get your scuba diving certification today. Learn what it’s like to use the equipment that allows you to go where not many people are able to go. You get to go deep underneath the water to visit a completely different world. The money is well worth it but you might want to check a few schools so that you can find the best price. Go get your scuba diving certification today and visit the land beneath the water’s surface.

Some Interesting Facts About Scuba Diving That Should Be Known About Before Deciding Upon Scuba Diving

The Need To Combine Scuba Diving Gear With The Right Expertise Levels

The first fact about scuba diving one needs to know is that the word scuba is really nothing but an acronym for the phrase “SelfContained Underwater Breathing Apparatus”. Scuba diving is made possible by using high pressure metal tanks that are attached to the back of the diver and air supply is regulated through a regulator breathing device which allows the diver to independently swim in deep waters. Other facts about scuba diving are that there is also other special apparel used for scuba diving such as wetsuits, gloves, and hoods in conjunction with supporting equipment like computer watches and buoyancy control.

Another fact about scuba diving is that concerning anyone who wishes to become a scuba diver. There are over one million people who obtain scuba diving certifications worldwide, each and every year. Scuba diving basically necessitates the diver to put on a heavy tank that is full of compressed air on the back and dive deep into the water and the small rubber tube is the only link that helps keep the diver stay alive, underwater. Another fact about scuba diving is that, to become a scuba diver one should first of all be serious and decide whether to dive in warm water or the more hardcore cold waters or would shipwreck explorations be more interesting. In some instances, there would also not be any need of obtaining prior certification in order to go scuba diving, especially in the resort dives found in the Caribbean, Acapulco as well as Florida Keys. Here they will offer one day crash courses in diving that do not result in certification.

For those who have more interests in diving and need certification they should know all about the physical as well as mental aspects about this sport before proceeding further. The physical considerations that need to be known are swimming ability, breathing ability and equalizing ability. Your first concern should be whether you feel confident about being physically able to scuba dive. This would mean knowing whether you can swim and in case the answer to this question is negative then scuba diving should not be more than just a hobby for you. Another fact about scuba diving concerns the fact that since scuba diving is tiring, overweight people, or those with diabetes, heart conditions or any other ailments such as predisposition to drowning should consult a doctor before attempting to scuba dive.

One more important fact about scuba diving is that since scuba diving involves breathing through the mouth instead of the nose one should have had enough experience in breathing through the mouth before scuba diving. A more pertinent fact about scuba diving relates to equalizing the pressure within the ears as one goes deeper down into the water. This in effect means knowing how to “pop” the ears just like it is done on an airplane. Since pressure builds when descends deep into the water one needs to be able to pop the ears and for learning how to do so one should consult a doctor or scuba instructor.