1. Is learning to dive difficult?
No, it's probably easier than you imagine -- especially
if you're already comfortable in the water. PADI's
entry-level course consists of pool diving, knowledge
development and open water dives. The course is
performance based, meaning that you progress as
you learn and demonstrate knowledge and skill.
2. How old do I have to be to become a certified
diver?
You must be at least ten years old to receive
a Junior Open Water Diver Certification. Ten and
11 year old Junior Open Water Divers must dive
with a certified parent, guardian or PADI Professional
to a maximum depth of 12 metres/40 feet. 12 to
14 year olds must dive with a certified adult.
At age 15, the Junior certification upgrades to
a regular Open Water Diver certification.
3. Are there any special qualifications or
considerations to participate in a scuba class?
No. Generally speaking, anyone in good
average health and at least 10 years old can participate.
You will, however, complete a medical questionnaire.
If anything on the questionnaire indicates a reason
to be cautious about diving, you'll need check
with a physician to make sure you can dive.
4. Do I have to be a great swimmer to be certified
as a PADI Open Water Diver?
No. You need to be a reasonably proficient
swimmer and comfortable in the water. You must
swim 200 metres/200 yards nonstop, without a time
or specific stroke requirement or a 300 metre/yard
swim with mask, fins and snorkel. You'll also
perform a 10 minute tread/float
5. Is scuba diving expensive?
No. Like any hobby or recreation, you can
invest however much you want, depending upon your
interest level. Because most dive centers and
resorts rent equipment, you can invest in equipment
over time, renting what you don't have. There's
probably good diving not far from where you live,
so travel costs can be flexible enough to accommodate
even the tightest budget. Most people find the
costs of scuba diving similar to the cost associated
with snow skiing or mountain biking.
6. What equipment do I need before I take
scuba lessons?
It's best to check with your instructor
ahead of time to see what equipment is provided
in your scuba course. Generally speaking, you'll
want to own a mask, snorkel and fins. Your local
PADI Dive Center or Resort can help you select
quality equipment that fits properly. Most scuba
equipment is very durable, so you won't have to
replace it often.
7. What's in a scuba tank? Oxygen?
Recreational divers breathe air, not oxygen.
The air in a scuba tank is like the air you're
breathing but is also filtered to remove impurities.
8. My ears hurt when I dive to the bottom
of a pool. Won't they hurt when I scuba dive?
Your ears hurt because of the water pressure
on your eardrum. In your scuba course, you'll
learn simple techniques to equalize your ears
to the surrounding pressure, much like you do
when you land in an airplane.
9. In the movies and on TV, divers are always
running into sharks or eels. Should I be concerned
about marine animals?
Most aquatic animals are passive or timid.
A few do bite or sting, but you can avoid these
by not touching them. Divers aren't natural prey
for sharks and therefore shark attacks are rare.
10. Is scuba diving dangerous?
No, but there are potential hazards, which
is why you need proper training and certification.
11. I need vision correction. Is that a problem?
No. Wearing soft contact lenses shouldn't
be a problem while you dive. However, if you wear
hard contacts, you'll want to dive with gas permeable
lenses. See your eye doctor for more information.
Another option is to have prescription lenses
put into your mask. See a PADI Professional about
this service.
12. If I have been diving, how long should
I wait before flying?
The dive medical community offers the following
recommendations for flying after diving, whether
you’re using the RDP, another table or a
dive computer:
For Dives within the No-Decompression Limits
• Single Dives - A minimum preflight surface
interval of 12 hours is suggested.
• Repetitive Dives and/or Multiday Dives
- A minimum preflight surface interval of
18
hours is suggested.
For Dives Requiring Decompression Stops
• A minimum preflight surface interval greater
than 18 hours is suggested.
With all dive tables and computers, no flying
after diving recommendation can guarantee that
decompression sickness will never occur. These
guidelines represent the best estimate presently
known for a conservative, safe surface interval
for the vast majority of divers. There may always
be an occasional diver whose physiological makeup
or special dive circumstances result in decompression
sickness despite following the recommendations.
13. Scuba diving sounds exciting, but I'm
not sure if it's for me. Can I try it without
signing up for a course?
Absolutely. The PADI Discover Scuba Diving
experience allows you to make a shallow scuba
dive supervised by a PADI Professional after a
short pool session. This usually takes a few hours.
Or, you can try the PADI Discover Scuba experience
that lets you try scuba in a swimming pool.
14. I want to learn about PADI; what is PADI?
PADI is the Professional Association of
Diving Instructors, the largest scuba certification
organization in the world. PADI develops scuba
programs and diver training products, monitors
scuba training conducted by more than 100,000
PADI Professionals worldwide, maintains diver
certification records and issues your diver certification
credentials. In addition, PADI maintains various
support services for PADI Dive Centers and Resorts.
Since its inception in 1966 PADI has grown to
have members in more than 175 countries and territories
and international service offices in nine countries.
Approximately seven out of ten North American
divers are certified by PADI, and approximately
55 percent of all divers worldwide are certified
by PADI.
15. I'm already a scuba diver and I've lost my
certification card. Can I get another one and
how long does it take?
To replace a lost card you can go to your
local PADI Dive Center or Resort, or you can go
to the replacement card area at padi.com. It takes
about two weeks to replace a certification card
so if you are diving sooner than that, have the
PADI Dive Center or Resort you're diving with
call PADI. PADI will transmit your certification
information. If you were certified after 1984
in PADI Asia Pacific, PADI Americas, PADI Canada,
PADI International Limited or PADI Europe territory,
PADI Dive Centers or Resorts can usually verify
your certification through the computerized Dive-Chek
system at any time.
