Comments on: Do you need to be certified in scuba diving in order to go diving?

By: rita_alabama

rita_alabama — Sun, 03 Aug 2008 18:11:45 +0000

Scuba diving is a funny thing: No, you don’t have to be legally certified (no government agency is going to arrest you for diving without certification), but no dive shop will let you sign up for a dive, rent equipment, or get air fills without a certification card. The diving industry is pretty self regulating like that.

A “Discover Scuba” course sounds perfect for you! Basically, they will take you on a short dive, after a pool session and some brief classroom work. It’s a fantastic opportunity to see if scuba diving is for you, before you shell out the $500 for the certification course.

Another option might be PADI’s Scuba Diver course. It’s a shortened form of the standard Openwater certification course, and is designed for divers who intend to dive only occasionally on vacation. It allows you to dive only under the direct supervison of an instructor and only to fairly shallow depths. This course tends to be cheaper than full certification, and takes less time, too.

Hope this helps!

By: Robert M

Robert M — Fri, 01 Aug 2008 12:55:57 +0000

I am a diving instructor, and YES, you can go diving without certification.
You will have to go with an instructor initially, it is not a certifying course. It is more of a closely supervised “experience”. You will be briefed on some basic theory on land/boat, sign some paperwork,get in the water (prob a pool), shown a few skills for your own safety and will be asked to show that you are able to repeat them(underwater).

Then off you go in close contact with your instructor.

This is not a cert course as I said but subsequent dives may be done with that company (or maybe others) with a depth restriction and always with a pro.
This is cheaper than a cert course (a lot) but is a short term thing.
Ask at a PADI dive centre about Discover Scuba Diving.
It may also credit toward your course at a later date.
Hope that helps

By: Leroy K

Leroy K — Thu, 31 Jul 2008 11:36:18 +0000

You’ll need a C-card to rent scuba equipment. Without it, the best you’ll be able to do is snorkel.

By: Jeannie B

Jeannie B — Wed, 30 Jul 2008 10:57:47 +0000

Oh, YES! You must be certified as a scuba diver before any boat will take you out, no matter where you are. My son is a certified diver, teaches diving in fact. When he and his wife go on vacation she takes a refresher course so she can dive with him. She’s never gotten to his level, but she can never go diving at ALL without certification.

There’s so much to learn about the equipment, etc., you would never even WANT to be down in that deep water without the knowledge of how to use your equipment and without having a dive buddy with you.

You *never* dive alone.

It’s worth the money to learn the system properly. Too many inexperienced scuba divers end up dead, usually from carelessness.