What does it mean to be an Open Water Diver (OWD)?

Being a certified open water diver, you can confidently dive with a certified buddy without being accompanied by a dive master or a dive instructor.

What is Scuba Diving?

The word SCUBA stands for Self-Contained Underwater Breathing Apparatus. It is a system of diving that requires a diver to use a regulator and breathing air thru his mouth while carrying a compressed air tank on his back. Scuba diving is an exciting and fun-filled sport for the young and the old. It offers a real opportunity to discover the marvels of the marine world.

Can I be a scuba diver?

Yes, provided you have the interest and that you are healthy and physically fit. Water confidence can be developed only through immersion in water and being equipped with proper knowledge, techniques and skill in scuba diving. Diving can be learned in four consecutive days or weekends which ever is your preference, however this timetable is not that rigid because what is paramount is your comfort during the training. Your training will be performance based so that you will feel comfortable and thus, enjoy diving while honing your skills.

Wrong Notions About Scuba Diving

• Scuba diving is only for those who have extra-ordinary ears and lungs that can respectively withstand extreme water and air pressure. • You have to be athletic or to be a great swimmer so that you can qualify as a scuba diver. • Scuba diving is extremely dangerous because insurance companies require a higher premium for, if not avoid, scuba

The truth is:

You only have to be generally healthy and physically fit to qualify as a scuba diver. The human body can counter water pressure particularly affecting the ears by means of proper equalization techniques. While it is true that there is a considerable great pressure of air inside a full scuba tank, it is not the same pressure that a scuba diver inhales. Air pressure from the tank is being regulated at two stages to the point that it becomes easily breathable and available upon demand, only you have to use your mouth instead of your nose! Basic skills in swimming and floating can help a would-be diver primarily in developing his/her water confidence; the skills by themselves will just be secondary. In scuba diving you are equipped with apparatus and weights that will help you float, sink, and maintain buoyancy. It is the confidence while in the water that counts most. Just like any other sports there are potential hazards but not as dangerous as you would think. Provided you are properly trained and equipped with sufficient knowledge, diving is certainly safety and enjoyable sports. It is as safe as swimming!