Getting started in scuba diving might seem daunting, with a lot of unknowns. So let me try and break it down a little bit.
What is PADI, SSI, NAUI, etc?
These are the different schools that teach their own version of scuba diving. Each of the different schools has a strong hold in certain geographic region. Each of their courses conforms to a particular ISO standard, so you don’t have to worry about the level to which you are trained to, and regardless of who you are trained with, as long as it is a recognised school, you’ll be able to dive with any dive company around the world.
Do I need to swim and tread water?
Water skills are an essential part of a SCUBA course because you will be in the ocean, and so being able to swim and tread water is a necessary. Don’t worry, you don’t have to be Michael Phelps, you just need to be able to complete the swim (200m in any style you want) and the tread water (for 10 min).
What to expect on the course?
There is theory, to help you understand a little bit about the physics, how your equipment fits together, and how to dive.
There is a pool or “confined water” session. Confined water, is just a fancy way to say pool like conditions, where you’ll be taught the skills that you’ll need to dive. In total, there are 20 diving skills and 4 skin diver or snorkeling skills. These are what divemasters and instructors call the skills circuit.
Then there is the “Open Water” sessions, where you’ll be in the ocean in all its glory. In the PADI system of teaching, there are 4 open water dives. Each dive will have a couple of skills that you’ll have to demonstrate, that you learnt while you were in the pool. Your instructor will brief you on the skills beforehand. Once the skills are done, you’ll generally get to go for a dive to build up your comfort in the water.
What do I need to bring?
Bring a towel, swimmers, sunscreen, and some water. The dive shops will have everything else you need.
How hard is the theory?
The theory itself covers the basic of diving, and much of it is common sense but not obvious yet to a person who is learning because they haven’t needed to think about it!
Every instructor wants you to pass and learn to dive. They want to share their passion, so don’t be afraid to ask questions. This isn’t like studying for a school or university exam, in the sense that if you fail, you can simply do another exam immediately. Your instructor will help you to understand your mistakes even if you make a few mistakes.
Some suggestions for passing your exam:
- Go over your knowledge reviews.
- Read the questions carefully. I mean really carefully.
- Remember, safety first.
What happens after I get my certification?
Once you have your Open Water certification, you’re qualified to dive with another Open Water certified diver (from any other organisation such as PADI, SSI, NAUI, etc), you don’t need to go with a professional like a divemaster or an instructor.
Your maximum dive depth is 18m. If you decided to do the Advanced Open Water, then you’ll be able to dive to 30m.
Don’t feel like you’re missing out by not doing your Advanced Open Water certification straight away (although that is advantageous, as it gives you 5 more dives under your belt), you’ll find that there is a lot of great things to see at 18m.
Once you’re done, just go dive!
Sharks, what about sharks?
If you see a shark on your dive then it’s a treat! There is a low incidence of shark attacks amongst those that participate in scuba diving. According to Florida Museum’s Yearly Worldwide Shark Attack Summary, there were 130 shark attack incident in 2018, of which only 5% or 6.5 were involved a diver. Without millions of dives happening every year, the risk is significantly low.
Let’s take a dive location like Koh Tao, for example, there are about 50 shops on the island. Each shop takes roughly 20 people on 2 dives a day or 40 individuals on a dive each day, and they do this for 350 of the 365 days a year. So on just Koh Tao, there are 700,000 divers on a dive. And if we say that there are 50 such locations (a low number), then we are talking 3.5 million divers on a dive each year. Therefore your risk is 0.0002% of getting attacked.