Learn to Scuba Dive the Right Way
Water covers 71% of the earth’s surface. If you’re traveling or sightseeing, and you don’t know how to scuba dive, you’re missing out on a lot of the beauty that the planet has to offer. But how does a person get started scuba diving? And how do you know that the lessons you’re learning are the right ones? We’ll show you what your options are for learning, who to learn from, and what types of gear you’ll learn to use.
Do You Have to Be Certified to Scuba Dive?
Yes. Scuba Certification is very important. Most dive sites and dive shops require proof of certification before renting gear or taking you out for a dive. There are recognized training industries that certify divers (and dive instructors). Not only does it mean that other dive sites and shops will recognize your certification and allow you to dive, but it also means that your instructor has been trained and certified. It helps you know that they are meeting an important standard of quality and safety.
Scuba Diving Lessons
One option that people choose for learning to dive is to take their classes privately, check with your local SCUBAPRO dealer to see if they offer private lessons. This can be a little more expensive than taking a group class, but you get personalized attention and care.
It’s important to choose an instructor that you feel good about. You need to learn to carry yourself with confidence underwater. If you feel hesitant about any part of your early diving experiences, that can have an effect on your confidence and enjoyment of the sport. Even if you learn how to do everything right, you’ll feel a lot better about what you’ve learned if you learn it in an environment where you feel safe and supported, and where you enjoy yourself.
Scuba Diving Classes
Some people may prefer to learn in a group environment. Most dive shops that offer lessons also offer group classes. It’s a very common way to learn. If you’re considering a class environment, it’s important to do research. Consider reading reviews online, or even observing a class before you sign up.
You want to make sure that you’re learning the right things. You also want to get a feel for how the instructor handles the varying skill levels that might come up in a group setting. You don’t want to find that your instructor spends all their time with one struggling student. But you also don’t want an instructor who’s going to charge ahead with their lesson plan and leave someone in the dust. (All of our most trusted dive shops also offer lessons. That might be a good place to start.)
Interviewing a Potential Scuba Instructor
Whether you’re looking at private lessons or group classes, you may consider interviewing a potential instructor at your local dive shop. This can help you make sure that they’re a good fit. Here are some questions you may want to ask:
What Is Included in the Price?
Scuba lessons generally include gear rental, eLearning fees, and other required materials. You should make sure there won’t be extra costs like boat fees, marine park fees, and more—or if there are, that you know about them and are fine with paying them.
Is There a Chance You Will Fail?
This is more a question for a group setting. But it’s an important one. You don’t want an instructor who passes people that aren’t ready for open water dives.But the best instructor of all is one who works with struggling students until everyone is ready. Get to know the instructor’s feelings about failing students.
Observing a Potential Instructor
Another way to vet a potential instructor is to ask to watch them work. Many of the things you want in a scuba teacher are the same things you’d want from any teacher. Here are some things to look for:
- Patience in answering student questions and concerns
- The ability to explain things in more than one way, for different types of learners
- An emphasis on safety and self-rescue
- Willingness to let divers learn on their own, only jumping in if their pupils don’t correct their own mistakes
- Getting new divers to neutral buoyancy, instead of just kneeling on the bottom (you’ll know what we mean when you observe the class!)
- Positivity - A teacher who gently corrects mistakes is better than one who harshly criticizes them
Learn Your Gear
In order to learn to dive properly, having the right diving gear can make a big difference. You may rent gear from whoever’s teaching you, or look into your own. In any case, here are the basics:
Diving Wetsuits
Wetsuits help protect you from the elements while you dive. They’re especially important if the water is cold. But even when the water is comfortable, wearing a suit can help protect you from the sun’s rays, which is important above and below water.
Diving Masks and Fins
Even if you don’t know much about scuba gear, you’re probably already familiar with masks and fins. Diving masks help divers see underwater, and come in a wide variety of shapes and sizes. Diving fins are important for efficient movement. Factors like the shape, size, and rigidity of the fin can affect how easy a fin is to use, and what kinds of diving it’s suitable for.
Diving BCDs
BCD stands for “buoyancy control device.” You may also hear it called a stabilizer. BCDs have to be inflated properly in order to keep “neutral buoyancy” in the water. That means that you aren’t rising or sinking, you’re just floating. As you use air, your weight changes, and you have to adjust the BCD in order to stay floating. Finding a BCD that’s appropriate for you and easy to use is important.
Diving Regulators
Diving regulators take the pressurized gas in your scuba tank and reduce it to a pressure that you can breathe. Your regulator should make it easy to breathe, and flow smoothly regardless of the depth or dive condition.
Dive Computers
Dive computers show the depth and duration of the dive you’re on. They continuously monitor the pressure around you, and they can provide information about how much time you have left to dive. Some dive computers can warn you if you’ve reached the maximum depth for your gas mixture, or help you make your ascent in such a way as to reduce the risk of decompression sickness.
Putting in the Work
Once you’ve found the right dive store, your work is just beginning—but so is the fun! Whether solo or in a class, your teacher will teach you about equipment, navigation, safety, and more. Enjoy this opportunity to learn and to discover why diving is so great! With the right training, you’ll be ready to start diving in no time!