What to Expect During Your Scuba Diving Certification Training?

The deep waters are magical. It is said that even today, 80% of the underwater remains unexplored by us, humans. It is nature’s deepest secret. If you love the rush of curiosity, then there is nothing more enticing than the sea. Scuba diving has been that tunnel to put your curiosity through. It is the first step towards exploring and enjoying life in the parallel world called the ocean.

However, not everyone can take a professional scuba dive; you need a proper certification. Getting a Certification for Scuba Diving is not an easy task, to be very honest. Still, the best part about it is that it is extremely fun all the way.

The certification is called PADI, which stands for Professional Association of Diving Instructions. PADI only hands you the certificate when you pass all its tests. You have to register yourself on the PADI’s website, to begin with. Let’s dive deep into this and understand what it requires to be a certified scuba diver.

The course which PADI offers is quite simple and is therefore divided into three sections. Academics test, Confined water test, and Open water test. Let’s focus on these sections individually now, so you get a clearer idea of what’s to come when you apply for a Scuba Diving Certification.

Academics:

The academics portion could be considered as the theory section of this subject called Scuba Diving. You will cover topics such as the understanding of the surface and the underwater. You will learn what the various scuba rules are and why they are important. You will learn about all the dos and don’ts of scuba diving.

You will also get to know all the safety measures to be taken to proceed with the dive safely. There will be various quizzes and exams that will help you get academically strong before appearing for the final exam.

PADI is so professionally inclined to get more and more people to learn about this beautiful activity. They have now given you the option to learn from the center or self-learn from your house using your phone. All the concepts are there for you, and they have appointed qualified instructors to clear out the doubts if you have any.

Confined Water:

This is where the fun part begins. As boring as the academic portion was, it is a must but doesn’t worry. After that, it is all practical and extremely fun. In Confined water training, you have to apply all the knowledge you grasped in the academic portion. As the name suggests, you would be in a confined water space like a pool.

You have to practice and then showcase all the techniques correctly that you theoretically learned. You would be placed in several ocean-like conditions to prepare you well.

The Confined Water test would include showcasing skills such as clearing your mark, sharing the regulator from another person, and the finest of the kicking techniques, which are essential for basic survival when you are in trouble. You cannot proceed ahead without completely mastering the skills because these are the basics, and mistakes here could turn out to be dangerous in the open water.

Open Water:

The grand finale. The open water test is nothing but you entering the zone you were preparing for all along. You need to use all your practical and theoretical skills here. This is the endgame, and you should not go for open water diving until you have complete confidence in your skills and learnings.

You will get four opportunities, and in those four dives, you have to convince the instructor that you are well versed with all the techniques, and you can dive with a partner of your own. If you get successful in doing this, you’d be officially handed your certification. However, you should know that it is a little difficult, but the course in its entirety is completely fun.

Even if you don’t pass the test at first, you would be in a much better position in this field of work. If you practice enough and work hard, we can pass the test with flying colors. Finally, when you are done with the course and exams, you would be a certified diver! The sea awaits you then.

Requirements

Now that we have discussed what all is a part of your course when you are preparing for the Scuba Diving Certification let’s talk about all the requirements that you need to fit in so that you are eligible to be a part of this course in the first place.

Firstly, you must be older than ten years to be eligible for taking this course. Certification is only offered to people who are ten years or older.

It would be best if you were an excellent swimmer who can handle himself in the water and can either float or tread for at least 10 minutes without the help of swimming equipment or aids. You should also be able to swim in 660 feet of water without the help of swimming aids. However, if you use equipment like masks, fins, and all, you should swim at least 1000 feet. Do not worry. There is no time requirement for that.

It is very important that you meet all the medical qualifications, which is important for keeping you safe. Before you go for confined water or open water training, you need to pass these medical tests. If you are going for online self-learning, then PADI offers an online medical test. It would help if you were completely honest for the results to be accurate.

If you lie, you are risking your own life, and technically only you and your health would be in danger. Do not worry. Most of the conditions or medical issues don’t stop you from diving unless it’s something extreme. However, if you have an issue, then you should consult a doctor and take precautions.

PADI offers all kinds of tests for people with different medical needs so that they can help you in the best way to dive in without risking your health.

While we are through with everything for adults and teens, here are some things you need to note down if you are getting kids to scuba dive.

The rules are as follows

The child should be ten years or older firstly. Children who are 10 or 11 need to have a parent or a guardian with them when they are going for the dive. Slightly elder children and around 12 to 14 should have an adult diver with them who are professionals at this.

The kids have to follow the rules and meet the requirements mentioned earlier in this article for the adults.
There are certain limitations too for the children. Anyone who is 10 to 11 years old has to stay with the 40 feet criteria of depth. And whosoever is 12 to 14 years older should restrict themselves in the 60 feet criteria.
There is specific swimming equipment specially made for children. The kids need to be equipped with these.