5 Scuba Diving Requirements Before You Get Certified
Have you tried Scuba Diving before? Are you ready to take your first steps to getting certified so you are officially a scuba diver? Well here is what you need to know to prepare yourself to start your certification.
Try a Dive
Getting certified in diving is an investment, and making sure you like breathing underwater is the first step towards committing to that investment. Sign up for a Discover Scuba Experience, and get a brief glimpse and a little experience in a controlled setting of what you’re getting yourself into. Diving is a wonderful life changing experience that can be very addictive but make sure you enjoy the experience of weightlessness in a vast ocean with tons of marine life around you.
PADI Discover Scuba dive experience
Purchasing Dive equipment
You will most likely be provided all the equipment you need to start your scuba diving experiences. However some basic equipment used in scuba diving is very personal and unique to each diver. It’s a great idea to buy your own mask, fins, and snorkel that fit you the best. Most rental gear is made to fit the general population. However there are many products that are designed to fit specific divers’ traits like larger noses, smaller faces, small mouths, narrow feet, and so on. Finding equipment to fit your body’s profile insures a more comfortable and confident experience. If you are sure you will love being a diver you can also go the next step and buy the full set of diving gear so you can begin your training in the gear you will be diving in. Buying the full set gives you a chance to slowly work out all the quirks in owning a new set of diving equipment and you will be on your way to being a more confident diver when your are certified to dive on your own.
Know your Theory ahead of the Course
You will get your material ahead of the course which includes, but is not limited to, an Open Water manual, Dive tables, and DVD. It’s a good practice to learn all of the material before the course so you spend your time asking pertinent questions about the theory of diving and going over in depth the theory that proves a bit more challenging than other parts (i.e. Dive Tables). You will be well prepared for the discussions and well informed about what you are about to perform.
Prepare for your first days on the Water
Either on a boat or shore diving there are a few things to have before your dives. Make sure you eat a meal at least an hour before and make sure it’s a good one. Stay away from greasy items and stick to your grains and dairy such as granola, muffins, bagels, and yoghurt. This gives you a full stomach without the chance of it sliding around while on the boat or surface of the water and helps prevent sea sickness. Make sure you bring sunscreen but make sure it’s a biodegradable sunscreen. You don’t want to pollute the ocean you are trying to enjoy. If you bought new equipment make sure that all of it has been prepared for your dive; make sure the mask lenses have had the manufacturer protective coat removed (can be done with toothpaste scrubbed into the inside lens, left to dry, and then washed out), check the fit of your fins and booties, and check that other equipment is set up properly to begin your diving experience. If you are prone to sea sickness make sure you take medication before the dive to make sure you are in the best shape you can be in.
Plenty of Rest and hydration
Diving is definitely a physical sport and with any sport you must stay hydrated. Its even more important to do this in diving because dehydration can be a catalyst for Decompression Sickness. Being tired from not enough sleep or out too late the night before can also cause unwanted side effects that can lead to dive related injuries. Just remember that this is a sport that requires energy, concentration, and to enjoy it to the fullest remember to prepare your mind, body, and equipment!