Questions from an interested diver.

[GraemeC]

Hey just a quick introduction since i am new here... My name is Graeme, im 16 and im from Ontario, Canada and have been interested in scuba diving for a few years now...

Now that that is out of the way, i have some questions that i would like to ask...

1. Is there a certian level of swimming that you need in order to take diving lessons?
I know you have to be a good swimmer (which I am) but do you need your Bronze Cross or anything like that?

2. Am I too young to be starting diving? / What is the best age to start?

3. Since I am young and dont have very much money, what is the best gear I could get for the best price (like brands and what not).

4. Just to give me an idea of what it will be like, what should i expect from the 'lessons' i guess you could call them?

5. Do you guys ever get together for like a week and go diving together (for future interest once i get certified).

6. How many dives must you complete before you are able to go out with a group lets say to the bahamas / hawaii and dive around the reefs? (haha i think thats where the reefs are :06 and shipwrecks.

7. Is it hard to get back into the boat with all your equipment on? (I rember when i took swimming lessons a number of years back, and we had to carry the 10lb brick above water 1/2 a length of a pool, and maybe it was because i wasnt as stong / hadnt gotten far into puberty but i had difficulty keeping my head above the water when i was swimming back with it)

8. Is it hard to find diving buddies?

9. The final question i have at the moment... I know it is an expensive sport but how much should i be expecting to pay for gear / the certification / renting a boat to take you out for part of the day (or whatever you do)..

Thanks a lot in advance for your help

 

[Love diving]

1. Not really. Being a good swimmer is somewhat beneficial, but not necessary. By no means do you need to be of Olympic quality!
2. They have classes for kids as young as 10-12. The best age to start diving is when you can't hold back anymore! I was certified when I was 27, I had a 54 year old in my class, you're never too young to do something fun and adventurous!
3. Rentals. Get a taste for it, if you love it, you'll find the money! If you only want to dive a couple times a year, rentals are a great way to go.
4. It is like any high school class. Read, listen, pay attention!! They will take you step by step through each lesson and pool session. Unlike school though, they make sure everyone is understanding before they move on.
5. Most dive shops have clubs. If not, again, if you love it, you'll find a way to dive!
6. You must be Open water certified. My wife only has that certification and we went to Grand Cayman and Cozumel. Anything after Open Water is icing on the cake.
7. WOW! That is one heck of a swim class? Are they trying to make you Navy Seals? No, most of the time you'll have someone out of the water; on the dock, on the boat, on shore; during your classes and trips anyway, to help you out of the water. Or, you can take some stuff off piece by piece and get out that way.
8. Join clubs, get a friend to go through class with you. Divers love to dive, if you like it enough, you'll find people!
9. It is as expensive as you want it to be. You can get high end equipment and spend a small fortune, or you can get good quality gear and not pay as much. My Open Water course was $225. But, look at that price and divide it by the number of years I'll be diving!! Would you pay $225 to go to a different world so close to home?Pretty inexpensive in the long run!
I hope this helps a little. Good idea on joining this site, too!

 

[rawls]

Swimming...Be able to. Will have a swim test. Any strokes will do. Best thing is be in shape...Not too young...Expense...If you really want to dive then you will be willing to save up the money. You can get used equipment that is in good shape or you can by good relatively inexpensive equipment. It's best to have your own mask, snorkel and fins. You can rent but that can get expensive, depending on how much you dive. You can go with groups when you get OW certified. Not hard to find buddies. Difficult to get in the boat...depends on what kind of boat. Generally not difficult. Good luck...

 

[kidspot]

Hey Graeme,

One of the primary benefits of being able to swim for diving is simple comfort in the water, knowing that if something went wrong you would be able to stay afloat at the surface, swim for help etc..

From what I hear 16 is about the best age to start - it will take a couple of years to nail down the basics well, and then you're ready to "take off" I wish I'd started when I was your age actually...

Your gear will depend in part on where you will be diving, if you're planning dives around home, then a Drysuit will most likely soon be in order, which nearly doubles the initial cost of gear. You can probably find lessons with a good instructor for around $300-$400 ... one place not to "skimp" ... As to gear, you can find good deals if you ask around, there are a lot of "off brand" sellers that can cut your costs in half for gear. Without a Drysuit and shopping around you can probably pick up a decent cold water set of gear for under $700 new (it will take some bargain hunting, but can be done) A typical boat charter in my area runs about $100 ... but shore diving only costs an air fill ($2-$10 depending on your area) once you have your own gear. In my neck of the woods you can rent an entire rig for the day for $30 including an air fill.

Lots of get together for diving, I probably dive with SB members more than anyone else lately... just post in your areas forum and you'll find divers who dive year round there.

As far as trips to "tropical" locations - unless you are doing advanced dives, most group dives are geared for all experience levels. One of my favorite sites is where many of the training dives are done - Good reef, clear water, lots of bottom time.

Getting back on a boat varies in difficulty depending on how heavy your gear is (though sometimes gear is handed up from the water making it easier) and how high the seas are. Figure a typical rig weighs in at 60-70 pounds and you are wearing it like a backpack. But in the water it is neutral, so it's not like having to tread water with that much weight, only once you step on the ladder do you start to feel the effects of gravity. Actually while on the surface you inflate your Bouyancy Compensator and relax while you wait... Diving is often times called the "lazy man's sport" just don't let that make you get careless, being in good shape pays off tremendously in this sport like all others.

Have fun!

Aloha, Tim

P.S. When you're ready, come join all of us on the Valley Isle for some good diving

Hey just a quick introduction since i am new here... My name is Graeme, im 16 and im from Ontario, Canada and have been interested in scuba diving for a few years now...

Now that that is out of the way, i have some questions that i would like to ask...

1. Is there a certian level of swimming that you need in order to take diving lessons?
I know you have to be a good swimmer (which I am) but do you need your Bronze Cross or anything like that?

2. Am I too young to be starting diving? / What is the best age to start?

3. Since I am young and dont have very much money, what is the best gear I could get for the best price (like brands and what not).

4. Just to give me an idea of what it will be like, what should i expect from the 'lessons' i guess you could call them?

5. Do you guys ever get together for like a week and go diving together (for future interest once i get certified).

6. How many dives must you complete before you are able to go out with a group lets say to the bahamas / hawaii and dive around the reefs? (haha i think thats where the reefs are :06 and shipwrecks.

7. Is it hard to get back into the boat with all your equipment on? (I rember when i took swimming lessons a number of years back, and we had to carry the 10lb brick above water 1/2 a length of a pool, and maybe it was because i wasnt as stong / hadnt gotten far into puberty but i had difficulty keeping my head above the water when i was swimming back with it)

8. Is it hard to find diving buddies?

9. The final question i have at the moment... I know it is an expensive sport but how much should i be expecting to pay for gear / the certification / renting a boat to take you out for part of the day (or whatever you do)..

Thanks a lot in advance for your help

 

[GraemeC]

woot thanks a lot for the help guys, i currently have around $550 saved up (and my parents said they would pay for the lessons / cirtification ) so after renting and saving up a bit more i guess i could get some pretty decent gear.. Thought of another question... its gonna sound really stupid but im unsure.. what is the difference between a wetsuit and a drysuit, and what are the advantages / dissadvantages of each?... Thanks again for your help -- haha you people are getting me more excited about this than ever.. gonna check for local dive shop classes right now.

 

[kidspot]

a drysuit is like a jumpsuit with rubber gaskets at the openings and a waterproof zipper - It keeps the wearer dry inside itself. You keep warm by what you wear underneath.

a wetsuit is a suit made of neoprene rubber (flexible) which in cold water is about 1/4" thick (7mil) it doesn't stop you from getting wet, it just limits the transfer of water in and out of the suit and relies on the thickness of the suit for warmth.

http://www.scubal.com has inexpensive wetsuits
http://www.divetank.com has inexpensive drysuits (check out the bare Nex-Gen)

 

[Calamari68]

Hey there, GraemeC.

My Fiance is from Windsor, and will be taking lessons next weekend here in Atlanta.

There are a few different agencies that provide certifications(licenses) about 45 of them worldwide. They all teach the same principles. Just maybe different methods. Anyway, I was PADI certified in Maui, HI last May. But Suzanne is getting training in a different agency. Her training costs a little less than mine so shop around.

There are also different course schedules. For example, I first got certified in PADI back in college. It took a whole Semester (about 12 weeks twice each week). Then when I did it in Maui, it took 3 days from 9am to noon. You spend some time in class, but most of your reading is on your own. You read chapters and watch a video and take quizes. This leads up to a final exam, ~50 questions. The other part of the classes is the water time! This will probably be in a pool, but in Maui, we walked drove down the road to the ocean!!!

Then you have a final dive. This is where you show all the skills you learned in the classes, like being nuetrally bouyant(floating under water), to taking your mask off under water and putting it back on then clearing the water out(easy by the way, just blow air out your nose!) After that you are done!

There are some gear that you need to buy up front (mask ~$50, snorkle ~$30, fins ~$100+). Figure you will spend about $150-$200 USD total for some decent stuff. Those you need to find locally so you can get a feel for how they fit. A good LDS(local dive shop) will help you. And Suzanne's will let her exchange stuff that does not fit right.

As far as swimming is concerned, depending on the agency, you have to swim about 200 yds without touching the sides or bottom(can be any stroke freestyle, breast, side) then you have to tread water for about 10 minutes( Easy, just learn about the egg beater kick, not the regular flutter kick) I played water polo

Others have given you good tips. I just wanted to add my 2 cents(USD)

As far as finding diving buddies? You already found a great resource! I have met a few local board members and look forward to diving with them! Also there will be local dive clubs. They are good for getting a group together for trips and some get discounts at local shops!

 

[Walter]

There are a few different agencies that provide certifications(licenses) about 45 of them worldwide. They all teach the same principles. Just maybe different methods. Anyway, I was PADI certified in Maui, HI last May. But Suzanne is getting training in a different agency. Her training costs a little less than mine so shop around.

Shop around is right, but don't shop around for the cheapest class. Shop around for the most comprehensive class. Take your time and learn it well. There are big differences in classes. Read this.

 

[Paco]

woot thanks a lot for the help guys, i currently have around $550 saved up (and my parents said they would pay for the lessons / cirtification ) so after renting and saving up a bit more i guess i could get some pretty decent gear.. Thought of another question... its gonna sound really stupid but im unsure.. what is the difference between a wetsuit and a drysuit, and what are the advantages / dissadvantages of each?... Thanks again for your help -- haha you people are getting me more excited about this than ever.. gonna check for local dive shop classes right now.

Wetsuits are cheap(er).
Drysuits are not.

 

[craborn]

They are giving you good advice.... Diving equipment makes good birthday and christmas presents from mom and dad... Enjoy your classes. Diving is a great sport... Clay