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| Do I need to know how to swim to learn to scuba dive? | Well, believe it or not the answer is yes and no. If you just want to try diving (an introduction), then the answer is no. But if you plan on getting certified, then the answer is yes. Part of the certification course is a 200 yard freestyle and a ten minute tread. Now before you shave your body to get ready, remember there is no time limit on the swim. |
| Is it difficult to learn to dive? | Not for most people (if my wimpy sister can do it, anyone can!). The class is designed to teach you the skills that you need to be a safe diver. As long as you can swim (see above) then you can dive. |
| Can I dive if I have asthma? | Generally the answer is no but that's up to your doctor. If you have asthma then you need to consult your physician. If he gives you the OK, simply have him sign the medical release form and bring it with you. |
| Can I get certified without spending too much time in a classroom? | Yes. You can begin the certification process right there at home. You can either take a PADI scuba course at a dive shop near you or you can order the study guides from Fathom Five/ Ocean Quest to prepare before you get to Kauai. Also, with the PADI CD Rom, a lot of the classroom work is done before the class. Remember, the amount of time you spend in the class depends on how much you study. |
| How old do you have to be to learn how to dive? | Most certifying agencies require that you be at least 12 years old (with PADI it's 10) when you start your scuba diving course. You will normally receive a junior certification which can be upgraded to a full certification when you are 15 years old. |
| I just plan to dive to 10 or 15 feet...do I really need to be certified? | Absolutely. Diving for the most part is safe but there are rules and precautions that need to be taken. Being certified gives you the tools to dive to any depth and be safe. Even dive less the ten feet can be dangerous on SCUBA if you don't know what you are doing. Most companies won't even sell you gear without that card. But if you just want to do a shallow dive and experience the feeling, then you can do a Discover Scuba Diving program. This program requires no experience and includes a dive with an instructor. |
| How long does it take? | The certification process is 3 days. The introduction to SCUBA is 4 hours. |
| Can I wear contact lenses or glasses while diving? | Absolutely! If you wear glasses, the solution is a prescription mask. You can purchase your own ahead of time and bring it with you or we can rent one to you. Regarding contact lenses... Jeannette, one of our owners, has been wearing contacts for years while diving and has never lost a single one. If you do happen to lose a contact lense in the ocean, however, trying to find it would be a b....well let's just say it would be tough. |
| How long will I be able to stay underwater? | Time underwater depends on how long the tank of air lasts and that is dependant on depth and how comfortable you are in the water. For most people 45 minutes is the average time but we have had some divers that can take that out to an hour. With our new Rebreather we are able to stay at very deep depths for very long times (and the captains hate that) |
| In the movies and TV, divers are always running into sharks and eels. Are marine animals really much of a concern? | No. although the movies and Baywatch want you to think that the underwater environment is dangerous, it's not. Sharks and eels, while intimidating, are not a threat to divers. Heck...some of our best friends are sharks (we can introduce you to "Stumpy" on your dive if you'd like). |
| Is diving dangerous? | Not unless you fail to follow the basic rules. Almost all diving accidents occur because the divers fail to follow basic rules or go beyond the limits. The statistics show that you have a better chance of getting struck by lightening then you do getting injured while diving. Now, if you get struck by lightening WHILE diving, you could throw those statistics completely off. |
| It sounds interesting but I'm not sure if diving is for me. Is there a way to try out diving without signing up for the full course? | Sure! Try out the Discover SCUBA diving program. It's fun and safe and the dive counts toward your certification. All it takes is a sense of adventure and the rest is up to us. |
| I have more questions. Who should I talk to ? | Our goal at Fathom Five/Ocean Quest is to make you not only comfortable about diving but excited. Give us a call at 808.742.6991 or e-mail us at ocnqst@hawaiian.net anytime and we will be happy to answer your questions. |
These are
real questions that our customers have asked...
|
Question...
|
Our
Answer...
|
| Is this island surrounded by water? | Only at high tide. |
| Are those waterfalls in the mountains fresh water? | No...in fact giant life ending waves caused by an alien space craft are right at this moment pounding the other side of the island. What you are seeing is the small amount that has made it over the top and is trickling down this side. Aren't you glad you didn't go over to that side today? |
| If you go really deep, does your head explode? | Yes, and your hair falls out (just ask our owner, George) |
| Do you live here? | No, I commute but I have to tell you...all that rowing is killing me. |
| Are
you going SCUBA diving? (asked while George was standing chest high in the ocean in full scuba gear) |
No...but I've found that if you buy a bunch of this scuba stuff and stand in the water until a really cute girl walks by on the beach, you can act like you've been scuba diving. It is easier to get a date. (The response: "Really") |
|
What
elevation are we at? |
Us
- "How tall are you?" Him - " 6'1" " Us - "OK...then your elevation is 7'4" " Him - "Cool...Thanks!" |
| Have you ever been eaten by a shark? | Yeah but don't worry...it grows back. |
| So, the boat dive is...uhhh...on a boat, right? | This one just happened (See, guys...I told you we would put you on our website!) |
| If I go diving, is my hair going to get wet? | Swear...it's true. |
| OK...this one isn't a question but a conversation and we had to include it in this section |
We are on a boat off the big island of Hawaii. We are talking to a woman from Iowa and this is what occurred... Her
- "So, this is the Pacific Ocean?" |
Have an "interesting" question asked to you about diving?
Send it to us!
fathom5@fathomfive.com
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©2002-2006 Fathom Five Divers. All Rights Reserved.
