Information and FAQ about SCUBA diving

Certification

(Question 1) What kind of certification do I need?

• You want to get your open water diver certification. This means that you have successfully completed three areas:

(1) coursework in class sessions
(2) initial skill training in a nice calm pool, and
(3) open water checkout dives, where you demonstrate that you can perform the skills in a real scuba environment, such as a lake or shallow ocean.

• Note: There are a number of entry level programs that do not get you to this certification, including programs that just take you out for a day to try out diving. These are often called "Discover Scuba Diving" or "PADI Scuba Diver." You don't want these; you want the open water diver certification.

(Question 2) Does it matter where, when, or with whom I get certified?

• There are many scuba certification agencies, including PADI, NAUI, SSI, and Underwater Schools of America. These are all generally good, but by far the most widely used agency is PADI (this is the certification that Phil has). A PADI open water certification is generally recognized all over the world, and most dive shops are PADI dive shops. You can still use a certification from another agency, but if you want to continue your education (see below), it's often easier to go the PADI route.
• As far as courses go, you can try several options:
  • Take the scuba PE course at Carleton Fall term. It might be booked, so this could fill up fast.
  • Take the course part of the class (the coursework (1) and pool (2) parts) at any dive shop in the country. The class and pool sessions usually take one weekend or four nights spread over two weeks. They course usually costs about $225. The dive shop we use is Scuba Center in Eagan. Here is a link to their open water course schedule. HOWEVER, if you do this, don't forget that you still need to complete the part 3 of the certification--your open water dives. The open water dives usually cost an additional $150. Fortunately, to do this, you can go anywhere in the world by using what's called a referral. This means that your class instructor will fill out a form for you saying that you have completed parts (1) and (2). You then give this referral form to the dive shop/instructor who will do your open water dives. Once you complete your open water dives, you are a certified diver, and you will be issues a temporary certification "C" card.
• As an example, Phil competed his class work and pool training at Eagan and then did his open water checkout dives (the referral) in Key Largo, FL.
• IMPORTANT: Please try to finish parts 1,2,3 and become fully certified before the Australia program starts. If you finish your coursework but need to do your open water checkout dives after you arrive to Australia, you will probably need to spend the 1st independent travel break getting certified in Australia.
• If you have any questions about this, please contact Phil.

Equipment

(Question 3) What kind of equipment do I need to buy now and what can I rent in Australia?

• The main things for scuba that we recommend purchasing are a proper scuba mask (with a nose pocket that you can pinch to equalize your ears), fins (the kinds with detachable straps around your ankles that accommodate booties), snorkel, and neoprene booties for the fins. Here are some photos of what these look like (please note, we are just pulling images off the web for illustration and are not endorsing these particular brands):

mask, fins, snorkel, neoprene booties.

• Here's why we recommend that you buy these:

1. Most dive shops don't rent these things, so they require that you own them before you take the certification course.

2. IMPORTANT: It's critical to make sure that these basic things fit. Rented masks, in particular, are notorious for leaking if they are not fitted to your face properly by someone at a dive shop. We want to make sure that students have the most enjoyable trip possible while diving, so a good mask is the most important part. A good one will run about $50-60, but the price can go higher depending on the model and style. We do not recommend buying a mask online because it needs to be properly fitted to your face.

3. These 4 items can also be used later for snorkeling anywhere, so they are handy to have. Fins start around $75, but go up for more advanced/sporty models. Snorkels are cheap, starting around $15.

4. The neoprene booties, when worn separately from the fins, are great for general beach walking and walking in shallow coral lagoons, where the rocks can be sharp. We will be doing some of this. These usually run about $25.

5. Generally, dive shops cut folks a 5-10% discount when buying all of these together.

• Our group will rent more expensive items, such as the vest, tanks, regulators, wetsuits, and weights, at each of the diveshops we work with. Carleton will pay this expense for you for the dives that we are planning to do as part of the program. If you plan to do additional dives, or dives during the 7-day break, you will need to rent your own gear, which can be done easily through dive shops.
• If you own these additional things, feel free to bring them on the program.
• If you are interested in doing more diving after the program, a wetsuit would probably be the next thing to purchase, because it, too, is better to own if it's fitted properly. A reputable PADI diveshop should also be able to help with any scuba-specific equipment questions. The name of the game is proper fit. Again, Scuba Center (or any PADI dive shop near your home) is a great place to get personalized attention to make sure everything fits.

Diving on the Program, special considerations

(Question 4) Do I have to dive on the program?

• The learning experience of this program is significantly enhanced by your ability to access the underwater environment, so we recommend taking advantage of the opportunity. SCUBA diving in an area as pristine as the Great Barrier Reef is an AMAZING experience--perhaps a once-in-a-lifetime chance to dive coral reefs this beautiful and diverse.
• This said, there can be good reasons not to dive on part or all of this trip:

  (1) If you have an existing medical condition, such as asthma, and your doctor indicates that it is not recommended that you dive (or get certified at all), it's a really good idea to follow his/her advice. The diving medical community generally recommends that asthmatics not dive because they risk suffering decompression illness or lung overexpansion injuries.

  If a medical condition prevents you from diving, we will accommodate your needs by trying to find subsititutes, such as a place for you to snorkel, so that you can still learn about the ecosystems.

  (2) In the unlikely event that you do not feel physically or emotionally prepared to go on a dive (e.g., you might feel ill or be unusually cold), then please don't. That's cool. Although diving is incredibly fun and safe, and we will probably be busy trying to keep you OUT of the water once you get hooked on scuba, you may choose not to make a dive, and nobody will force you to. It's always your call.

Diving and snorkeling sites and charters (emphasizing Queensland and the Great Barrier Reef)

(Question 5) Where is cool to dive and what are my options?

General links

• Diving Cairns (A great site loaded with tons of useful information)
• Underwater.com.au
• Map of GBR reefs

Day Charters: This is when you go to a dive shop in the morning around 8 AM (but check with specific dive shops), and they take you out on a boat to reefs, where you generally do two morning dives and then you hang out doing a surface interval and eating lunch for about 1.5 hours. Then you do may do one additional afternoon dive before heading back to port, where you get in around 4 PM. They are relatively inexpensive and easy to fit into a one-day schedule. These would be easy to do during the 7-day break. They genearlly run between US$120-160, which includes the lovely boat ride, generally a lunch and snacks, scuba equipment rental (BCD, gauges, regulator, weights, and tanks), and underwater tours.

• link to several GBR day charters

Liveaboard trips: These are generally 3-7 day trips where you and about 15 other folks charter a cabin criuser and go hang out on the reefs for several days. It's awesome. Liveaboards are a great way to get in a ton of dives. They provide you with a cabin where you sleep, and they cook all meals for you. These are appropriate if you have both the time and the money, because they can be expensive. Good for either a pre- or post-program vacation, and one of the shorter liveaboards (3-4 days) may be fine for the 7-day break.

• link to several liveaboard charters

Continuing your diving education

(Question 6) Is there a way I can keep taking scuba classes after my open-water certification?

• Once you have your open water certification, you can enroll at your leisure in additional classes and become certified at the following levels:
  • Adventures in Diving (Advanced open water)
  • Rescue Diver
  • Divemaster

  which you can read about at the PADI website.

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