Why sit in a classroom on vacation?

You've paid for the hotel, done the research on the top dive sites, dreamed of swimming beneath the sea, probably even finished the bookwork prior to coming, and now leave via taxi to the vacation dive center in your tropical paradise.

Meeting with your instructor, you review the completed bookwork going over your knowledge reviews, taking several short quizzes and one final exam which, itself takes approximately an hour to finish. Meanwhile, the tropical breeze is blowing outside and the sun is shining...outside.

Now you'll move to the pool. There are 20 basic skills you need to learn to dive. Whether PADI, NAUI, SSI or any other certification agency, we all teach the same things you need to know underwater. Your instructor will explain and demonstrate each skill, then have you try and demonstrate the skill until you show mastery at each one. A minimum of three to four hours will be required to complete the pool portion. Meanwhile, the tropical breeze is blowing and you hear the waves crashing...on the beach.

Usually the next day, you'll be taken out for your first two dives. One day wasted, spent in the class and pool, when your goal was to look at the fish.

In any locale throughout the United States, local dive instructors are available to do the "pre-work" at home so you can spend your hard earned and expensive vacation time IN the water, instead of in the classroom. Through evening or weekend courses, you are able to do the class and pool ahead of time, and quite often, more thoroughly than on vacation.

Who wants to sit through a class on vacation, when with a little pre-planning, you can start with your Open Water certification dives in paradise. Isn't this what you went on vacation for in the first place?

If you need recommendations for local instructors in your area, feel free to contact us and we'll be happy to refer you to a great instructor near you.

Mask, snorkel, fins, hood, gloves, BCD, regulator, drysuit and tank...check!

One of the most frequent questions from would-be scuba divers is "how much does it cost to buy all of your equipment once you're certified?" And, depending on who you ask, the answer can sometimes deter one from taking the first step in exploring another world.

For the average diver, renting equipment at the beginning of your dive journey is an economical and intelligent way to go. Most scuba centers have rental departments and with a little forethought, you can enjoy the sport of scuba for the same price as any other one-day outdoor activity.

Forethought: Check out your local dive centers rental equipment. Visit three or four shops, compare pricing and actually LOOK at their gear.

How old is the equipment? Sure, the equipment will be "used", but if it appears more than a year old, you may want to keep shopping. Two years, on most rental equipment, is the max life. If the shop is managed properly, the daily rental rate should allow for upgrades every year or two on all of the vital rental equipment.

Is the equipment designed for local diving? If you're certified in a cold water environment, your instructor probably talked about weight integrated BCDs and how important it is to split your weights up, not wear a 30# weight belt that could slip off at depth. Are the BCD's weight integrated? Do the regulator sets come with a dive computer, or are you relegated to a gauge setup? Most dive centers have comparable rental pricing, so find the shop with the best (and safest) rental for your dollar.

Do your part. What size are you? How much weight do you wear? What size boot, hood, gloves? Some dive centers have the organizational ability to record all of this information, but the rental department in most locations is a "sideline" and, quite honestly, the staff doesn't usually have every customers size and weight recorded. If you're a frequent renter, ANY shop would be happy to keep a printed copy of your sizing and weight requirements so they can pull your gear with a simple phone call.

Scuba can be as costly of a sport (as can any other outdoor activity) as you'll allow. However, the undersea world is available to those who are wanting to start with baby steps first. Take the plunge, get certified. Daily rental rates generally run from $70-85 per day/weekend and offer the opportunity for a full day of diving beneath the waves in one of the most abundant ecosystems in the world.