Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: MONDAY, June 14, 1993 TAG: 9306140572
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-6 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: W. LYNN SELDON JR.
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
If I can dive, anyone can dive. It's a simple sport to learn and something that can be pursued for life. Just dive right in. The timing couldn't be better: This year marks the 50th anniversary of the invention of the sport by Jacques Cousteau.
Scuba diving is one of the fastest-growing outdoor sports in the nation. Continuing interest in the understanding and preservation of outdoors resources has made many people want to learn to dive. Last year, more than a half-million people became certified scuba divers through the Professional Association of Diving Instructors. That makes more than 5 million PADI-certified divers worldwide.
"Scuba diving has become one of the most popular ways to enjoy the outdoors," says Scott Jones, communications specialist with PADI. "We are seeing incredible interest in learning to dive."
My interest in the outdoors, sports and the sea recently culminated in earning my "C-card," the certification card for open-water divers. The largest certifying organization for scuba diving is PADI. A piece of plastic from them, or from one of the other recognized certifying bodies, means you can rent or buy scuba equipment, obtain air for tanks, and participate in other exciting diving activities throughout the world. I'll never leave home without it.
The certification process is interesting and easy. It is divided into three parts and takes a total of about thirty hours: classroom (using a book and visual aids), pool (confined water) and open-water instruction. The classroom and pool sessions generally take place at the same time, while the open-water dives (at least four of them) serve as the final test. The entire process can be completed over many weeks or packed into a few days at a sunny vacation scuba school.
The basics of scuba diving are surprisingly simple. In scuba (Self Contained Underwater Breathing Apparatus), divers use specialized modern equipment that adapts to the aquatic environment. Scuba equipment provides a portable air supply that allows divers to spend an extended time underwater, from a few minutes to several hours, depending on factors such as depth and breathing efficiency.
The classroom time demystifies much of the stuff that tends to scare people about diving. You learn that diving is far less risky than skiing, and that sunburn, and not a shark, is usually the greatest danger facing divers.
By the end of our first class, everyone was ready to hit the pool. Breathing underwater for the first time is liberating and the first time in the pool is fun. By our second dive in the pool, we looked like the Cousteau family exploring the water for underwater treasure.
The open-water dives are usually completed at a popular local dive site or at some exotic diving location, where all scuba skills are reviewed and tested.
There are three general ways of getting certified. Everything can be completed locally through a dive shop. The second popular method is to do the classroom and pool sessions locally and the open-water part during a warm-weather vacation. The third option is to complete the entire certification process on vacation.
The cost of getting certified can range from $150 to about $400. The cost for the basic equipment is similar to getting outfitted for skiing. Diving equipment is now considered quite fashionable, whether you're in the water or on the street.
But, for me, getting certified was far from fashionable. It was a way to enjoy a part of the outdoors world that few get to experience. I got my C-card and so should you.
The top certifying body is PADI. Contact PADI at 1251 East Dyer Road, #100, Santa Ana, Calif. 92705, (714)-540-7234.
Ask PADI or check the phone book for the dive shop nearest you. They can give you the schedule of upcoming certification classes or make recommendations for getting certified at some sunny scuba diving destination.
\ AUTHOR W. Lynn Seldon Jr. is a free-lance writer who lives in Richmond. His work has appeared in Scuba Times, Ski, Golf and other publications.
by CNB