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Scuba Diving Beginner Training |
Scuba diving is a truly wonderful experience and it's fair to say that you'll never forget your first dive - coming face to face with a shoal of fish, a fantastic piece of coral or an eerie submerged wreck whilst weightless in the deep is a life-changing experience. If you're interested in scuba diving but don't know where to start, then our Scubadex beginners guide is for you.
- The best way to begin is to enrol on a short course just to see if scuba is for you. We are sure you'll embrace the sport straight away, but just in case you don't take to the feeling of being submerged (and it's not for everyone) it's better not to spend all your money on a lengthy or expensive trip to a far away destination, only to find that you hate it.
- To allow you just a taste of scuba diving, many agencies have designed Discover Scuba Dive courses. These are usually over one or two days and teach you a few diving skills that you'll need to be safe underwater. During these early diving days you will be kept at shallow depths and your instructor won't leave your side. In fact you will be literally tied to him or her!
- If you enjoy your introductory taster we strongly recommend that you undertake a certified diving course. Accredited courses will teach you aspects of underwater safety and survival, equipment use and maintenance, and an appreciation of the ocean environment.
- There are a number of certified agencies, which organize dive training, and they are detailed on this site. In brief, the best known are:
- Once you have completed a course with a certified body, you will be awarded with a certification or C-Card. The C-card is important because it proves that you have undergone training, and diving centres will need to see your card before allowing you on their diving trips. To obtain this Diver Certification, you must be at least 15 years old. For younger enthusiasts (ages 12-14 for NAUI and 10-14 for PADI) there is the Junior Open Water Diver Certification.
- Physical health is very important for a diver, as the conditions and exertions underwater can place the body under stress. It's a good idea to see your Doctor if you're in any doubt about your fitness. It's also helpful to be a strong swimmer.
- Once you're up and running there are many other scuba skills you can learn, such as: reef diving, underwater photography, deep diving and wreck diving. Enjoy!
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