PADI Discover Scuba Diving
Wreck "King Cruiser", October 2016, Thaïland
Are you curious about the underwater world but never had the opportunity to try?
Are you interested in diving but not sure you would like it?
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Are you a little intimidated by the idea of ​​breathing underwater?
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Look no further, this is the first step for you. It is not strictly speaking a course. I would describe this as an experience. Instead of opting for the first level of certification (PADI Open Water), you can try first. Think of it as a teaser. After the trial, you can decide whether diving is for you.
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BENEFITS
1. You will be diving with full equipment which allows you to assess your interest for this activity.
2. You won't be spending too much time on theory. It will come later if you choose to continue.
3. It is cheaper than a course and certification. The cost becomes negligible if you do not proceed further.
4. Although it is not a certification, your dives can be counted for the PADI Open Water course.
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In short, you have nothing to lose!
WHAT TO EXPECT?
The PADI Discover Scuba Diving will take 2 days to complete. The first day is primarily focused on education and trials in swimming pools. The second day will be the actual diving day.
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Day 1: After arriving at the dive center of your choice, you will likely be greeted with smiles (the instructors are generally nice people and love what they do).
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In the morning, it will be focused on understanding how diving works. After breaking the ice, your instructor will explain the elementary basics of the equipment, such as the Buoyancy Control Device (BCD) as well as some principles of physics including pressure and decompression. Do not worry, this is not nuclear physics or mathematics but a few rules for your safety, i.e. avoiding decompression sickness or eardrum.
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In the afternoon, you will be doing a trial exercises in swimming pools. Your instructor will help you set up your equipment. In the pool, you will perform a few exercises such as breathing using your regulator, recover your regulator if you lose it underwater and empty your mask. These are basic skills that you must learn to ensure your safety underwater!
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Day 2: Depending on the diving center or school and where you are, your dive will take place either from the beach adjacent to the school (a "beach dive" in the jargon) or you will take a boat to go to a dive site directly. If you are on a boat with certified divers, you can probably expect a more interesting dive! During the boat ride, your instructor will remind you of the safety rules including what you will be doing, what you will be seeing, hand signals when you are in the water, the topography of the place etc.
Now, go have fun with bubbles!