We love to answer your questions

What is the minimum age for the PADI Open water diver class?

The minimum age to begin the PADI Open Water course is 10 years old. Student divers who are younger than 15 earn the PADI Junior Open Water Diver certification, which they may upgrade to PADI Open Water Diver certification. The JR card will be recognized as a full Open Water cert upon turning 15 (and you can choose to simply re-order the cert. card if you wish to change the divers title.) Children under the age of 13 require parent or guardian permission to register for PADI eLearning, or to use PADI Open Water Diver Touch™. Children ages 10 and 11 will have a 40ft depth limitation.



Is scuba diving safe?

The most common medical issues associated with scuba diving are sunburn, seasickness and dehydration (all of which are preventable). There are actually few injuries requiring any sort of medical attention associated with diving. On average, there are only 1092 scuba-related emergency room admissions in the US each year.

Compared to other popular sporting activities, average annual ER admissions in the US are:

Diving – 1,092/year

Snowboarding – 4,438/year

Bowling – 19,802/year

Volleyball – 57,303/year

Fishing – 170,216/year

Source: NCBI



What about sharks?

Dogs, snakes, crocodiles and even hippos kill more people every year than sharks. Statistically you are more likely to be hurt by a falling vending machine than a shark attack. Just in Australia, there are 20 horse-related deaths each year compared to only 1.7 shark-related fatalities: Horse Week, anyone? Most divers love sharks and are ambassadors for this greatly misunderstood animal.



What level of scuba certification is best for a beginner? How do I get there?

Master Scuba Diver! The path starts with earning a PADI Open Water Diver certification, followed by PADI Advanced Open Water Diver and PADI Rescue Diver. You also need to earn five PADI Specialty Diver certifications and have logged a minimum of 50 dives.



What gear will I need for class?

The only gear that we encourage every diver to invest in is a mask, snorkel, fins*, booties and gloves. These are personal items that you will want for every dive after your course. Please note that properly fitting the gear with us is absolutely essential. Each piece of gear has a specific purpose and fit (especially the mask!) These are not things that should be ordered on the internet without a proper sizing. We take the time to schedule a personal fitting with each student, so that no questions go unanswered. It's up to you what gear you would like to choose. We are here to ensure you have all the information needed to make the best desicions for yourself. *fins vary widely in style and shapes. The majority of dive fins will almost always require a bootie to protect your feet from: the weather, boat ladders, slips, and added sole protection when carrying the extra weight.



Am I too old to dive?

Absolutely not! We love to teach students of all ages and there is no maximum for the Open Water Diver certification. There will be a basic medical questionnaire upon sign-up to determine if you need to seek medical advice before our training. During class, there will be a couple very basic waterskills exercises to make sure you are comfortable: Swim 200 metres/yards (or 300 metres/yards in mask, fins and snorkel) without stopping. There is no time limit for this, and you may use any swimming strokes you want. Float and tread water for 10 minutes, again, using any methods you want.



Do I need to be a good swimmer?

Some swimming ability is required. You need to have basic swim skills and be able to comfortably maintain yourself in the water. Your PADI Instructor will assess this by having you:

  • Swim 200 metres/yards (or 300 metres/yards in mask, fins and snorkel). There is no time limit for this, and you may use any swimming strokes you want.
  • Float and tread water for 10 minutes, again using any methods you want.

Any individual who can meet the performance requirements of the course qualifies for certification. There are many adaptive techniques that allow individuals with physical challenges to meet these requirements. People with paraplegia, amputations and other challenges commonly earn the PADI Open Water Diver certification.



Where can I scuba dive?

You can dive practically anywhere there’s water – a swimming pool, the ocean and all points in between, including quarries, lakes, rivers, springs or even aquariums. Where you can scuba dive is determined by your:

  • Experience level
  • Dive site access and conditions
  • Interests



What if my ears usually hurt when I go deeper into my pool?

Assuming you have no irregularities in your ears and sinuses- The discomfort is the normal effect of water pressure pressing in on your ear drums. Fortunately, our bodies are designed to adjust for pressure changes in our ears – you just need to learn how. If you have no difficulties adjusting to air pressure during flying, you'll probably experience no problem learning to adjust to water pressure while diving.



What if I feel claustrophobic?

People find the “weightlessness” of scuba diving to be quite freeing. Modern scuba masks are available in translucent models, which you may prefer if a mask makes you feel closed in. During your scuba diving training, your instructor gives you plenty of time and coaching to become comfortable with each stage of learning. Your scuba instructor works with you at your own pace to ensure you master each skill necessary to become a capable scuba diver who dives regularly.



Still have any questions?

Please fill out our simple contact form or just give us a call. We are more than happy to answer any questions!



Is there diving in San Francisco Bay?

No. The only divers that dive in the bay are commercial divers. Reasons for that is ZERO visibility, boat traffic, and fast currents.



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