Exactly what do you need to do it?
You can scuba dive without being certified. If you travel to one of the popular scuba diving locations such as Acapulco, the Caribbean, or the Florida Keys, you can take a one-day crash course with a dive master. It won’t allow you to go out on your own, but you can dive in a group and under supervision.
This is a great way to try out scuba diving to see if it’s something you would like to take up as a hobby or sport.
To get certified, there are, first of all, certain physical and mental requirements that you need to meet. Simply contact any local dive shop. They’ll give you all the information you need about certification courses.
A course will typically run you between $300 and $600. When you start you’ll probably begin by renting equipment, which will be about $150 for the training. One thing you do want to consider is buying the facemask because a mask that fits your particular face will make the dive much more enjoyable. Go for a high-quality mask here.
As you get more experience you can add equipment: A wet suit, booties, hood, fins, a snorkel, a diving computer, etc. The dive shop will fill you in.
The scuba diving certification is similar to getting a driving license. You begin with the academic part and then move on to swimming pool instruction with an instructor. To be certified you need four dives. The whole course can take anywhere from several days to a few weeks, depending on your time commitment.
When you’re certified you can dive down to 130 feet. The recommended depth when you’re inexperienced is at or above 60 feet. If you want to go deep water diving there are other certifications involved.
