Scuba Diving : Choose the RIGHT school for yourself

Miss "Scuba" have heard about all the fun and thrill of scuba diving from her colleague who have just completed her dive training and keen to give it a try. She went to check-out the diving outlets in her area, collecting information as well as consulting other friends who are qualified scuba divers. Unfortunately, she ended-up more confused than before she started on her quest for information. The technical information that she received including some conflicting opinions was overwhelming.

Above is a common scenario of diver-to-be in choosing the right diving school. The common diving schools found in Malaysia are (but not limited to) PADI, NAUI, SSI, BSAC etc. Each of them have their own strength and have produced lots of qualified divers over the years.

Read on for some Do's and Don'ts in deciding the right school for yourself.

Do

• ask about the syllabus/content of the course for comparison - more important than the course fee!
  
• realise that BOTH theory and practical are equally important.
• you think learning theory by watching video/slide pack is sufficient for you or you require conventional classroom teaching where instructor will teach and explain in a lot more details.
• ensure that you go to the doctor (preferably doctor who is familiar with diving related illness) for check-up and ensure that you are fit to dive.
• invite friend(s) to join together- good for encouragement and more fun too!
• take lesson from a qualified instructor (ask for evidence of certification) - dive leaders hierachy vary among the diving organisations. Learn about the scope of their authority, e.g a Dive Master/Marshall (DM) are specifically trained to guide divers and not to teach like an Instructor.
  

Don't

• just pick the school that offer the cheapest deal without considering other important factor s as mentioned in the "Do"- we are talking about your own SAFETY and possibly others here!
  
• accept if someone tell you to skip the theory (probably they will say theory is not important/necessary) and go straight into practical (pool, pond or beach).
• let you ego get over your head and ignore the "rules/guidelines" in diving - these are provided to make recreational diving safe for you. Just like driving a car, you are putting yourself into much greater risk when you exceeded the speed limit assigned.
  
• get misleaded that scuba diving is just a matter of putting on the gears and jump into the water - there are quite a number of important and fun things you need to learn and know before you can enjoy the beauty of underwater SAFELY.

NOTE : these are just some general sharing. Please refer to your local instructor for more details. A good and responsible Instructor will share with you not only the fun parts but the safety awareness aspects as well.

Happy bubbling!