SCUBA diving is an exciting sport that allows divers to explore and learn about the dynamic world that exists under the water’s surface, whether it be in the ocean, lakes, or underwater caves. Diving is such a unique activity that it can quickly become addicting, instilling a sense of adventure that leads people to travel worldwide just to explore new dive sites. However, it is important to recognize the inherent dangers and risks involved with diving and to respect the precautions and measures that must be taken to ensure your safety underwater. While there are certainly people who SCUBA dive without certification, becoming certified is imperative in order to undertake the sport responsibly.
Safety
What is the most important reason for getting a SCUBA certification? Open-water SCUBA classes start by teaching you the basic skills and knowledge that will be integral to your entire dive career, whether you remain at the beginner level or continue to advance your education. You will learn specific diving terms, various hand signals, how to read your pressure and depth gauge, and how each piece of your gear works before ever dipping so much as a toe in the water. You will be given text materials to study and will have to pass a comprehension test as part of your certification to dive in open water. Before you get to try open water on for size, you will be tested on various skills in a pool, which will include an assortment of situations that could be stressful on a real dive, such as losing your mask and having to find it, don it, and clear it of water. All of this study, testing, and demonstration of your understanding is crucial to ensuring that you will be safe while diving.
Buddy System
During your certification course, which can take anywhere from 3-5 days, you will also learn the importance of safe practices in regard to other divers. Open water certification teaches you the buddy system, which means you will also be looking out for the safety of another diver whom you or the instructor has designated as your buddy. Your buddy will invariably change over time as you continue to dive, but the system of checks you use to ensure each other’s safety will not. Because underwater communication is significantly reduced, the buddy system makes sure that everyone is watching each other’s backs on a dive. Before you get in the water, you will perform a gear check on your buddy just to make sure there’s nothing they have missed, and they will do the same for you. A SCUBA certification ensures that you will have this vital training before using it in open water.
Diving Responsibilities
Lastly, but not nearly as important as the former reasons to be SCUBA certified to dive, is that dive shops will generally not rent gear to you without proof of certification. They want to know that you have taken the appropriate steps to become a responsible diver and can entrust their gear to you. While unscrupulous facilities may allow you to rent gear without a certification, you will ultimately be responsible for any harm that could come to you or the gear. Why take the risk when getting SCUBA certified is a venture that will educate you and serve you for the rest of your life?
Would you attempt diving without getting certified, knowing what you know now?
