Facts About Scuba Diving

Scuba diving is a popular recreational sport that can be done wherever there are corals, ship wrecks, fish and undersea formations worth looking at. Given that most people are only familiar with scuba diving from watching National Geographic or Discovery programming, there are misconceptions about the sport that are easily cleared up.

  1. Open Water Certification

    • PADI's Open Water Certificate is sufficient for basic, recreational diving to a depth of 18 m. It typically takes 5 days of day-long courses to complete (see Resources).

    Equipment

    • The basic kit for scuba diving consists of a dive mask, fins, weight belt, buoyancy control vest, regulator, wet suit and regulator. The dive mask and fins, and perhaps the wet suit, overlap with the gear needed for snorkeling.

    Decompression Stops

    • Decompression stops are how divers avoid the harmful effects from the sudden release of gasses dissolved in the blood under greater undersea pressures. For most recreational dives, a short decompression stop is just in case, and not strictly speaking necessary to avoid injury.

    Diving Depths

    • The maximum diving depth for recreational scuba diving is 42 m, with most dives taking place above 30 m. Depths below 42 m are in the realm of technical diving, which requires special gas mixes and meticulously planned decompression stops.

    Dive Duration

    • Divers operating at great depths use air more rapidly because it is more compressed, so dive time is based on a mix of depths visited and tank size. A dive that stays mostly at 10 m can last much longer than a dive that is mostly at 25 m.

    Locations

    • Scuba diving goes on around the world in both fresh and salt water environments. While tropical waters are popular, the more important consideration is visibility, making clear-but-colder waters excellent for diving.