So you been thinking about getting into Scuba Diving, What’s stopping you?

So you been thinking about getting into Scuba Diving, What’s stopping you?

Scuba diving is a wonderful and safe sport and the best part is it can be done almost anywhere. You do not need to live in a tropical climate to enjoy the adventures of scuba diving. I have spent most of my diving career diving the east cost of the United States and only recently got to travel overseas to go diving. Scuba diving offers everyone the ability to participate in the sport and to gear their diving to their interests, be it ship wrecking diving, exploring old rivers and creeks for antiques, photography or exploring coral reefs.

It is true that the initial cost of diving is a bit expensive but when you compare it to other adventure sports and what you get it really is not that costly, especially since the your certification is good for life. Most open water classes are in the 350 to 450 range depending where you live (based on asking a few local shops). This cost normally includes rental gear (normally 9 rentals, 5 pool sessions and 4 open water sessions), air fills, class room time, books / material, instructor time, pool time (this is one of the largest costs), and insurance (the second largest cost). Once you are certified though, you are certified for life. Though if you don’t dive for some time we do suggest you take a cow cost refresher course before heading back into the water for your safety. The other thing that makes diving very affordable is the ability to pay over time. If you figure paying 50.00 to 100 dollars a month you would be paid off in no time. One thing you need to remember is you get what you pay for. I have seen Open water offered for 100 dollars or less over seas and watching those classes and students was scary.

Another issue I commonly hear from those that are on the edge about getting into Scuba Diving is the cost of equipment. This is not an issue either. If you are not going to be out diving every weekend and are worrying about investing into gear, don’t worry! Most shops rent gear at a reasonable price to certified divers. This saves you on yearly repair costs and owning your own gear at first. Gear is expensive but you can acquire it over time. Many shops offer payment plans and loyalty discounts on merchandise including equipment.  I would suggest you start off with mask, snorkel, fins and boots. Once your open water class is over I would suggest you look into purchasing your own regulators, dive computer and bcd. These are items that will last forever if taken care of. Also keep your eyes open for vendor deals, for example Aqualung currently (at the time of this article) has a deal if you buy a primary regulator you receive your octo for free. I would suggest sticking to renting tanks as it is cheaper if you are not diving all the time to rent one then to purchase one and maintain it. My first set of dive gear lasted over 10 years and I still use it today when I am doing recreational diving.

The final issue I hear is not having a buddy or a place to dive. I live in a land lock area and I dive locally regularly. There is really no excuse unless you live in the desert all by yourself.  With the use of social media (Facebook, Twitter, ScubaBoard, divebuddy.com, scubaearth.com) there is no end to the number of dive buddies you can make. There is also the old way of finding dive buddies, hanging at the local dive shop and attending their events. Once you get out and socialize it is only a matter of finding a place to dive.  This is actually very simple. You can ask your local shop, Google for dive sites near you or go exploring (though remember stay within your training). I search for public water ways and do dives in them often to change the scenery of hitting the same dive spot all the time. Many times I find allot of historic items.

Let me here your excuse! Post a comment!