FAQ’s
Hopefully, the questions and answers below will resolve any concerns you may have.
Click on a question below to reveal the answer. If you can not see the question you have, please feel free to call Gary on 01268 520111 and he will gladly answer any question you have.
How old do you have to be to Scuba Dive?
You can Scuba Dive from the age of 8 with the PADI Seal Team course in the pool, or from the age of 10 you can complete the PADI Open Water Diver course.
How long does it take to learn to Scuba Dive?
The PADI Open Water Diver course comes in 3 parts Theory, Skills in the pool, Skills in Open Water. The course is performance based so we move at your speed. Normally, you learn the theory in your own time (but have access to instructor support if wanted), then its one night a week for 6 weeks followed by 2 days in Open Water to complete your qualifying dives.
Do I have to be a good swimmer?
No. For the PADI Open Water Diver course you have to be able to swim 200 meters in the swimming pool. You can use any stroke or combination of strokes you like and you can take as long as you want. The only requirements are that you don’t stop or touch the bottom.
I have tried Scuba Diving before, but my ears hurt?
This is a very common occurrence, we will explain how to equalise your ears properly and give you plenty of time to learn this skill.
I have a medical condition will this stop me diving?
It requires a Doctor to answer this question.
All students complete a medical statement before starting any diving course.
If they answer yes to any of the listed conditions we advise how to find out if they can proceed or not.
Will I get bitten by a Shark?
Err, no!
The risk of being attacked by a shark is very very low. Many divers dive with sharks on a daily basis and have no problems at all.
What if I run out of Air?
As part of the PADI Open Water Diver course, we teach you how to monitor your air constantly, so this won’t happen. You’ll also learn how to plan your dives so that you end your dives with a safety margin. Finally, we’ll teach you how to breathe from your buddy’s supply.
How deep do we dive?
On the PADI Open Water Diver course, you will be qualified to dive to a maximum depth of 18 meters.
I sometimes feel claustrophobic, will this affect me diving?
A difficult one to be sure about. A few people find the mask a little claustrophobic, but most love the freedom of being weightless and being able to move in 3 dimensions. We recommend that you have a go with the Discover Scuba Diving (DSD) experience. This is a supervised “try-a-dive” in a pool, so that you can see if you love scuba diving like we do.