Scuba Basics and Knowledge for Non-Divers

Since I recently received a comment from a non-diver, I'd like to answer her questions, and provide other non-divers with some information about diving in general. Thanks for your interest, and I hope if you're interested in diving, this post can help you learn more and get started on training to dive!

Basics of Scuba
Scuba diving is all about swimming underwater for long periods of time to enjoy the underwater world. You can dive for an hour or more, depending on how deep you dive. The deeper you dive, the faster the oxygen in your tank gets used, because of the higher water pressure.

Scuba Certification
There are multiple organizations that provide scuba courses and certifications. For your first course, you will have to read all about scuba diving, safety regulations, rules, and the technical aspects of diving. You want to be sure and understand how your body changes as you dive! Here are agencies that you can take courses through:

• Professional Association of Diving Instructors (PADI)
• National Association of Underwater Instructors (NAUI)
• Professional Diving Instructors Corporation (PDIC)

To find a scuba shop to get PADI, NAUI, or PDIC scuba certified, search "PADI scuba in city, state" using Google or another search engine (change "PADI" to your preferred agency). There are more agencies than listed above, but these three are the most known. I trained using PADI, and it has been a great experience.

Scuba Equipment
To dive, you need items to help you navigate, breathe, and keep track of time and direction. The gear you will need includes personal gear and more expensive gear to rent at first.

Personal equipment you should purchase when you first start to dive:

• Mask - basically goggles to cover your eyes and your nose
• Snorkel - used for when you surface swim, to preserve your oxygen in your tank
• Fins - the flippers for your feet to help you propel through water
• Booties - the cloth-type shoes for your feet so the plastic fins don't give you blisters, and for use when exiting your dive. It is not easy to walk in fins, so the booties serve as walking shoes.

Personal Scuba Gear (Source: Snorkeling Packages Blog¹)

Gear you can rent at first, and once you become a regular diver and can afford it, can purchase:

• Oxygen Tank - the cylinder filled with compressed oxygen and some other gases, which is your source of breathing while diving.
• BCD (Buoyancy Control Device) - a "vest" that you wear that allows you to carry your oxygen tank and other devises; you can inflate it with air to help you float, and then deflate it when you dive.
• Regulator - this is what attaches to the oxygen tank, and allows you to inhale its oxygen and exhale bubbles into the water through the mouthpiece. It also connects to the BCD to help the BCD inflate.
• Gauges - the compass, dive computer, clock, and air gauge can all be considered your gauges. These devises monitor your direction, depth, time spent underwater, amount of oxygen left in your tank, and more.

Scuba Gear (Collage made by Amanda J., with photos from DSE²)

Visit Dive Shops
Scuba diving all begins with the basics, from the gear and their functions to the options for certifications. The best way to learn about scuba is to start by visiting your local dive shop. Divers (including myself!) love to explain scuba equipment, how training courses work, and their diving experiences.

Footnotes

[1] Promate Scuba Dive Fins Mask Snorkel Boots Gear Set. (2011, February 27). Snorkeling Packages. Retrieved March 29, 2011, from http://allplayoutedit.blogspot.com/2011/02/promate-scuba-dive-fins-mask-snorkel.html

[2] Feature Scuba Equipment. (n.d.). Divers Scuba Equipment. Retrieved March 29, 2011, from http://diversscubaequipment.com/index.asp