The point about my wife was not that she was a child prodigy. The point was that even at the young age of 13 and 14 she knew what she wanted to do and went after if with a focus, determination, and discipline that exceeded her years, and she achieved her goals. Certainly not all kids do that, but some can. I'm not so sure every kid should be forbidden to dive. I realize there are maturity issues with children that could increase the risks, but maybe if additional restrictions were placed on them, they could handle the risks. The kids mentioned would not be facing the conditions that many adult divers face in open ocean. As far as being physically fit to dive, I was a better swimmer at eleven than many adults are, and better than I am now, and I'm a damn good swimmer now. There are no guarantees that anyone will make it through the dive alive. People over 40 generally are at a greater risk of heart disease. Should they forbid all people over 40 to dive? After all, it could happen while they are under water and being over 18 years of age does not guarantee they will survive the dive(just playing devil's advocate now). Out of curiousity, what do you think the minimum age for getting certified should be?
p.s.
I'm not trying to dog you on this issue, just feeding healthy debate.
p.s.
I'm not trying to dog you on this issue, just feeding healthy debate.