Do I really need a note from my doctor?

[Hoag]

Assuming that nothing goes horrible wrong between now and next June, I will be having a "milestone birthday" next June, my 60th.

I hope to do a trip to celebrate this birthday, and today I was looking at Live Aboards for the Red Sea on the PADI Travel website and on Divebooker.com and other similar sites. PADI seemed to always require a doctor's certificate of fitness issued within the last 12 months, whereas other sites did not state this as a requirement. (I am not planning on taking any courses on the trip, I simply want to do and see something memorable.)

Is this a requirement unique to PADI Travel or is it common for live aboards in the Red Sea?

 

[The Chairman]

It would seem to be. Most do not ask for that unless you have a medical issue.

 

[KeithG]

We have not yet used PADI travel so the website is unfamiliar. Where do you see the requirement for a doctor's note.

 

[tridacna]

Hey Hoag, we're reaching the same milestone except you're way older than me. (I'm in July).

The only time that I have ever HAD to have a medical fitness statement was in Australia. Regardless of yes/no answers. Red Sea should not be an issue.

 

[scubadada]

I did back to back weeks on the Red Sea Aggressor in 2016 when I was 62, no medical questionnaire. I did Cocos in 2017, Galapagos this year, no medical questionnaire. If this is unique to PADI travel, I would avoid them. I have made my reservations directly through Aggressor.

 

[Hoag]

We have not yet used PADI travel so the website is unfamiliar. Where do you see the requirement for a doctor's note.

When you go to a boat and pick a date, it will bring up a page that has the logistics, itinerary and other stuff on it. If you scroll down that page near the bottom, there is a section entitled "GOOD TO KNOW". The 8th bullet reads "A medical certificate not older than one year required."

 

[scubadada]

When you go to a boat and pick a date, it will bring up a page that has the logistics, itinerary and other stuff on it. If you scroll down that page near the bottom, there is a section entitled "GOOD TO KNOW". The 8th bullet reads "A medical certificate not older than one year required."

Did you inquire as to what this is? Is it required of all divers, all itineraries? I'm hardly an expert, but 4 liveaboards, no medical certificates. The 4 boats I've taken would all be considered pretty adventuresome.

 

[Schwob]

I did back to back weeks on the Red Sea Aggressor in 2016 when I was 62, no medical questionnaire. I did Cocos in 2017, Galapagos this year, no medical questionnaire. If this is unique to PADI travel, I would avoid them. I have made my reservations directly through Aggressor.

Glad you replied first, because we did the same, same year and we did fill out questionnaires (one each) and we did not take any classes. I thought we also were alerted that we need a current, doctor's signed fit to dive certificate.
So your reply had me puzzled.
Having read a couple more times, I came to remember that we, at the time, were mulling over taking a class and that's probably why.

We ended up ditching the plans for a class when we knew what was available and that pricing is "full" like in the US, except you also get to expense your already paid for fun LOB dives on the class...

So anyway, while I cannot be sure, it may very well have bern that w/o plans for a class Aggresor was not asking for a med
questionnaire for Egypt in 2016.

 

[Hoag]

Did you inquire as to what this is? Is it required of all divers, all itineraries? I'm hardly and expert, but 4 liveaboards, no medical certificates. The 4 boats I've taken would all be considered pretty adventuresome.

No, I did not ask them, and it is not listed as a requirement (for the same boat/same trip) for liveaboard.com. It has never been require for any other live aboard I have ever been on. That is why I think it might be a PADI Travel unique thing. The only time that I have had to get a medical certificate was when I was taking a course.

 

[KeithG]

When you go to a boat and pick a date, it will bring up a page that has the logistics, itinerary and other stuff on it. If you scroll down that page near the bottom, there is a section entitled "GOOD TO KNOW". The 8th bullet reads "A medical certificate not older than one year required."

Their website works badly on smartphones. That page is craftily well hidden. I could get all the way to payment without seeing it.

It took a lot of poking around to reveal it.