You happen to notice more and more of your friends are talking about SCUBA diving. Now you what get into the fun… What are the steps to getting certified?
Step 1: Ask friends where they received their beginning certification training. Meet with the Instructor of the facility. The Instructor will be your guide through your SCUBA Diving certification program.
STEP 2: The Open Water/SCUBA Diver course is the first level of diver certification, your ticket to exciting adventure in the underwater world. This course includes knowledge development (classroom), skill practice in confined water (pool), and actual SCUBA diving in open water (ocean), all under the guidance of a certified SCUBA instructor. The Open Water/SCUBA Diver course consists of 5 academic modules (or home study e-Learning), 5 confined water modules and 5 open water (ocean) modules.
For your convenience, the classroom portion of the Open Water/SCUBA Diver course may be completed one of three ways. You may learn at any time by utilizing the Open Water/SCUBA Diver DVD & textbook or the interactive CD-ROM in the comfort of you own home, then meet up with your Instructor to review your progress.
Some certifying agencies offer a second option callede-Learning.And again, you can start when ever you want at the click of a mouse. e-Learning students do not have to attend classroom sessions and do their training over the Internet, no matter where they are.
The 3rd option is to complete all classroom & DVD modules in a classroom setting with your instructor and other divers.
STEP 3: During or after your academics, you get to hang out in the pool while learning the art of breathing under water. This is the “HANDS ON” portion of your SCUBA training program. The academics and practical applications come together as you learn how to handle your SCUBA gear above and below the waterline. The buddy system, underwater skills, communications and the joy of being weightless in the liquid environment come into play while in the pool.
STEP 4: If you thought you were having a blast in the pool, then you’re going to love being in the ocean. You’re now ready to take it all to the Open Water part of the program.
You and your Instructor will tour the coral reefs, ridges & drop offs of the ocean as you quickly review and put to use the skills you learned during your class & pool work. Depending on your dive location, there will be fish of all types swimming with you. Maybe a grouper, a stingray or an octopus waiting to greet you with open tentacles to their beautiful and colorful world.
After the end of your 4th adventure training dive, your Instructor gives you the “OK” sign, shakes your hand and passes over your Diving Certification card.
Congratulations… Welcome to our Underwater World.
If you have any questions about getting certified, Continuing Education Courses Leadership Programs or info about the different certification agencies, please call 1-800-34-SCUBA and speak with one of our Certified SCUBA instructors at SCUBA.com.
