Scuba Diving FAQs
Click on a scuba diving question to expand the answer
How old do you have to be to get certified?
PADI requires you to be at least 10 years old to become a PADI certified Junior Open Water Scuba Diver. Ten and 11 year olds must dive with a certified parent, guardian or PADI Professional to a maximum depth of 12 metres. Twelve to 14 year olds must dive with a certified adult. At age 15, the Junior certification upgrades to a regular Open Water Diver certification.
Why do I have to get certified to dive?
In the scuba class, you will learn how to dive safely and correctly. Your PADI scuba diving certification card is proof that you have taken and passed the scuba course. No reputable Dive Centre will rent you gear, fill your tank, or let you dive at their facilities unless you are a certified scuba diver.
For how long will I be certified?
How deep may I go?
Will the fish bother me?
How expensive is SCUBA diving?
Once you are certified, scuba diving costs about as much as 18 holes of golf, or a good ski-lift ticket. Starting out is the most expensive. You have to pay to get scuba certified, and buy some gear. To get started you need to participate in the PADI Open Water Course. This course will give you full certification and is the most popular diving course in the world. If someone says “I’ve got my PADI” they meant “I’ve just completed the PADI Open Water Course”. Dive equipment prices vary but we can provide you with a basic set of equipment at a budget price or you can push the boat out and treat yourself to a top of the range set of gear for a bit more. Please call us for some great package deals. A two-tank dive in the Red Sea will cost you around £50, The Caribbean will cost about £65, in Florida you can expect to pay about £50. Most inland quarries in the UK charge about £12 for all day diving. Diving Air fills are around £5. If you’re not looking to dive that much during the year and only plan to dive on holiday then it’s probably worth just purchasing your mask, fins and snorkel and hiring the rest of your kit. You can hire a full set of kit from £45 per day or £85 per weekend.
I've always wanted to learn to scuba dive. How do I get started?
The easiest way to get started is call 2DiVE4 on 01279 815559 and we’ll be able to take your booking over the phone. Once you’ve decided on the course dates we will send out your starter pack containing your study materials. You will need to read the Open Water manual, completing the five knowledge reviews as you go along. You will also need to watch the Open Water dvd before you come to your first class session.
Is it hard to learn to scuba dive?
No, in fact, it’s probably easier than you imagine. Especially if you’re already comfortable in the water. The PADI Open Water Course is conducted over four days with two days devoted to theory and pool skills and two days allocated for your four open water dives. The course is “performance based”, which means that you progress as you learn and demonstrate knowledge and skill. There is some home study required first.
Does it only take four days?
PADI courses are “performance based”, which means that you earn your certification when you demonstrate that you have mastered the required skills and knowledge. We structure our courses over four full days which is generally plenty of time for you to master the theory and diving skills. If however you don’t master the theory or skills in the set time then you can join the next course running for some extra tuition. There may be a small fee for this as we will need to allocate extra Instructors for the course.
Do I have to be a great swimmer to be certified as a PADI Open Water Diver?
What's in a scuba tank? Oxygen?
How long does a tank of air last?
My ears hurt when I dive to the bottom of a pool. Won't they hurt when I scuba dive?
Is scuba diving dangerous?
Do I have to buy SCUBA gear?
All scuba equipment for the PADI Open Water Course and PADI Advanced Open Water Course is provided in the price of the course, except mask & snorkel. Thes are available at 2DiVE4. For all other courses each student will require there own equipment, or it can be hired from 2DiVE4.
What is the Bends?
I lost my certification card how can I get it replaced?
If you call PADI on 0117 300 7234 they will be able to send out a new card to you. There will be a small fee though.
Alternatively you can go to https://apps.padi.com/scuba-diving/replacement-card/ and do it online.
Why are some Dive Centres so much cheaper than others?
Most Dive Centres charge about the same amount for complete Open Water Diver certification. Between £500 and £700. The difference is some dive centres do not tell you about all the costs. Be careful, if the course price sounds very cheap there maybe a reason for this:
- Does that price include the four Open Water Dives?
- Does that price include the book, log book & DVD?
- Does that price include the scuba equipment hire for the four open water dives?
- How many students will be in your class? Some dive centres wait until they have several students before they run the course.
- Does that price include the PADI registration and your scuba certification card?
You might end up paying more than you expected. Do your maths and you will find us one of the most competitive on the market. At 2DiVE4 we have no hidden extras. The price you see is the price you pay. 2DiVE4’s PADI Open Water Course is £599 + dive site entry fees (approx £20 per day). Our student to staff ratio in open water is 1 on 1 on EVERY dive. This helps us maintain our excellent safety record. No other dive school to our knowledge provides you with that level of supervision on all of their open water training dives
