How To Gain Scuba Diving Certification

A scuba diving certification is needed before you can go on that dive vacation and scuba dive. Dive centers will not allow you to go diving unless you have a certification from one of the world's two certification agencies, PADI and NAUI. Basic diver training will teach you how to be responsible divers and the basic techniques of diving. Specialized diving like cave diving or wreck diving will need different diver training and certification. Read on to find out how to gain basic scuba diving certification.

1. Sign up for a scuba diving class. At this point, you don't need to purchase diving equipment; you can rent scuba gear from the diving school or a diving shop for around $150. When you do get around to buying your own scuba gear, make sure you buy brands that will last you for years.
2. Getting certified for scuba diving is very similar to receiving a driver's license. The courses are structured around teaching safety and techniques. The first part of the course is theory. You'll be reading text book material on scuba's effects on the body, the physics of diving, breathing at a certain depth, and how to use scuba gear. The theory portion is either done in a classroom setting or online.
3. The next part of the scuba course is confined water training, where you receive your first taste of actual diving training and breathing underwater. In a swimming pool, students learn to use diving equipment like masks, and practice their buoyancy and surface skills, like snorkel clearing and snorkel breathing.
4. Finally there's open water training, where the students get to test the skills learned from confined water training. Skill evaluation tests are spread over four separate dives. Most of the dives involve a demonstration of diving skills, and the rest can be spent enjoying the sights of the water. Once you've passed the diving tests, you can now be a certified diver!
5. Children 10 years old and older can also certify with their parents. They will have to be accompanied by a parent to go on dive trips and get certified. After they are 15, they can dive without a parent present.
6. Once you are a certified diver, you can now go up to 130 feet deep, though you should generally stay above 60 feet unless you have more dive experience. You can also get further certification for deep water diving, specialty diving, and to be a dive instructor.
7. This is also the time to start buying your own diving equipment. Ask advice from your dive instructor on which companies or manufacturers make the best equipment. Try on wetsuits, fins, masks, gloves, and boots before purchasing them. The fit and feel of your wetsuit is very important. Inspect the stitching for any weak spots or loose threads. You will also need to get a regulator, a buoyancy compensator, an oxygen tank, and a backup oxygen tank. Make sure you get these from a reputable company so it is easier to have your equipment repaired or serviced.