Scuba Schools

Finding the right scuba school can be straightforward if you live in an area where there is only one or two schools and if you are in an area such as a large city you could be faced with a choice of several.

However finding a great school to visit whilst on vacation can be downright confusing. Not only do you have to decide on a destination but you now also have to take into consideration a host of schools, often in countries where licensing, well let’s just say, or might not be a stringent as you would hope.

This is not meant to put you off, just make you aware that making the decision to dive is a BIG decision at the best of times.

Read reviews of the dive schools – not just the ones on the dive schools/shops website, but impartial ones from fellow divers too.

For Kids

Kids are often natural swimmers and many have the motivation to scuba. However due to their bodies still developing they are not typically allowed to try scuba until they are teenagers.

This should not however stop them from experiencing being underwater. There is absolutely nothing to stop kids enjoying snorkeling under the eye of trained professionals. There are plenty of opportunities for kids to snorkel in safe environments which can be great fun and give them encouragement for the future.

For Beginners

Beginners are often cautious about taking their initial steps to try scuba diving,but there is no need nervous. Today’s modern organisations have created some excellent training methods to make the whole process as fun as it should be.

Tuition is mostly in small group sessions and you will not be allowed to progress until you have passed each section. Most beginners courses take anywhere from a few days to a couple of weeks and once completed, you will understand why scuba diving is so popular.

Upon completion your success will be logged with the organisation and you will typically be given an identification card and your id number. With this card you will be able to joins hundreds if not thousands of dive groups under the supervision of trained instructors.

For Advanced Divers

So you have got the urge to improve your diving skills and want to take the next step. Most organisations which train amateur divers will take you to the next level; to where you are sufficiently qualified to dive ‘outside’ of a school environment and without instructors.

For obvious reasons, the training is far more rigorous and the final exam is far more in depth. All of this is to ensure that you understand the dangers of scuba diving and know how to manage them within certain situations.

A large proportion of successful divers will att his point opt to further their education to the next level. Still not an instructor, but a level whereby you are capable of ‘assisting’ instructors with their students. The benefit is traditionally free dives – which by any score is not a bad thing!

For Professionals

Pro divers come in all shapes and sizes. Many spend years working within the oil and shipping industries travelling the world. It sounds very glam and to a degree gung-ho, but these guys are dedicated professionals who put their lives at risk on a daily basis.

Having saved a nest egg, the ‘ideal world scenario’ is often to semi-retire and open up a small dive shop and get to train newbies how to dive.

Professional divers have a hard life, spending hours at extreme depths, then more hours in decompression chambers. However if you feel up to the challenge their are some excellent organisations which offer full training in many specialities.