Hi all,
My husband recently decided he wanted to try scuba diving (I'm a diver, we both love the sea, so it seemed the next logical step!) We found a dive shop not far from where we live, which was great, and went to the pool classes together, as I haven't dived for a few years (too expensive!) and wanted a refresher before getting back into the sea.
Here's the thing: when I took my OWD, I needed a medical examination and a doctor's certificate before the dive shop would take me. Hubby has done his pool dives and we're set to go to the ocean in a few weeks, yet nothing has been said about a doctor's certificate for him. I checked the PADI handbook and it mentions there that it's required, but still no word from the dive shop, and Hubby was astonished when I mentioned it to him.
My question is this: is a doctor's certificate an actual requirement for OWD? Or is it just something that some shops like you to get on a "just in case" basis? Should we be worried about this dive shop?
Although I have my AOW, it's been a long while since I used it, so I'm very rusty and still inexperienced, so I'd appreciate some opinions from wiser divers than I!
My husband recently decided he wanted to try scuba diving (I'm a diver, we both love the sea, so it seemed the next logical step!) We found a dive shop not far from where we live, which was great, and went to the pool classes together, as I haven't dived for a few years (too expensive!) and wanted a refresher before getting back into the sea.
Here's the thing: when I took my OWD, I needed a medical examination and a doctor's certificate before the dive shop would take me. Hubby has done his pool dives and we're set to go to the ocean in a few weeks, yet nothing has been said about a doctor's certificate for him. I checked the PADI handbook and it mentions there that it's required, but still no word from the dive shop, and Hubby was astonished when I mentioned it to him.
My question is this: is a doctor's certificate an actual requirement for OWD? Or is it just something that some shops like you to get on a "just in case" basis? Should we be worried about this dive shop?
Although I have my AOW, it's been a long while since I used it, so I'm very rusty and still inexperienced, so I'd appreciate some opinions from wiser divers than I!