Acquiring your scuba diving certification card does not have to be an overwhelming process. The first thing you should do is get in touch your local dive shop. A quick google search could locate one in your area. More than likely, the dive shop will offer scuba diving classes. In order to start the process, you can count on purchasing a “student kit”, which contains all of your study materials. Prices for these kits vary, but you can expect to spend roughly $100.00 USD for the kit.
Depending on how the local shop operates, you may be required to sign up and pay for the next step: your pool session. These classes are usually held over the weekend to accommodate people with jobs. Your circumstance may be different, depending on your schedule, and most instructors are willing to work with you in these situations. The price for this pool session varies drastically, but you can expect to pay between $200 USD and $500 USD for this portion of your certification.
The scuba store will usually have some sort of “certification trip” that it puts together so you can finish up the process. The price for this portion probably varies the most because there are so many variables. Location, transportation, entry fees, etc. will all affect how much you pay for these four dives. The cheapest you can get away with a certification trip would be around $200, but do not expect to pay this. For a decent “certification” trip, you should expect to spend about $500 USD.
Once you finish, you will receive a card similar to this one:
Timing is another issue that new divers worry about. If you had no other responsibilities to worry about and could focus solely on diving, you could be certified in four or five days. This is usually not very realistic, though. So the average time frame for people to get certified is two weekends. Assuming that you’ve read through your study materials, the first weekend would encompass the pool sessions. The second weekend would be your certification dives. Remember, these are just averages. Depending on the schedule of your instructor, time frames can vary from one extreme to the other. The most important thing to remember is that you should feel comfortable. If not, make sure you express how you’re feeling with your instructor.
If you would like additional information from a different, visit this scuba store’s site. Even if you do not live in San Diego, they have some great information to help you learn more. You may even come across some gear that you like.
If you have made up your mind already and are ready to get your student materials, go here for Scuba Schools International, here for NAUI, and here for PADI. You can begin the certification process today!
Stay tuned for more articles coming soon!
The video below is an excellent sneak peak of some of the major concepts you will be taught during the certification process. Hopefully, this will give you a better understanding of what to expect.
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