Caro Jorge, you're right - I'm brazilian, 49 years old and feeling younger every time I go underwater. Though I have been diving for less than 2 years (started late, but then, it's never TOO late!!), I am an enthusiast, I dive almost every weekend (I've exceeded 100 dives...) and have completed almost all the possible specialty courses for amateur recreational diving (exceptions are technical diving and both cavern and cave diving, which can be also considered "technical diving" and aren't exactly in the mainstream of recreational diving anyway - not that they aren't fun, just more demanding... and more expensive...).
Right now I'm undergoing my professional training, first for Dive Con (SSI equivalent of a Dive Master) and next for Open Water Instructor.
As for age bringing some kind of handicap, I once met two very distinguished ladys who were diving as buddys for some time. They were respectively 75 and 83 years old. And the older lady had got her open water certification when she was "just" 76!!!!! And they were REALLY having a lot of fun!!
So, it's always time to get to know the underwater world. And if you want to see the creatures and know what you're seeing, I'd recommend a Marine Life specialty course. I think you can take it even if you're not a certified diver. And after that course, the sea and most of it's mysteries will be open to you!!!!
A piece of advice, just heard during this morning's operation in Cabo Frio, at Rio de Janeiro's state northern shore: if you really plan to dive in Maragogi, please look for a certified operator / dive shop. There are many so-called "professionals" offering their services directly on the beach and diving with them may be a threat to your safety and to your health, since you don't know how they handle maintenance of their equipment, where they fill their tanks (and with what!!) and if there is any kind of impurity that can cause real harm to your lungs. And there's more: some of those guys aren't even officially certified by any accredited diving association, such as PADI, SSI, PDIC, NAUI, CMAS and others recognized internationally as paradigms of safe diving. So I don't think you would want to put your life at risk by diving with unknown, uncertified, unscrupulous people.
So have fun, enjoy your dives and stay on the safe side of the sport!!!
