Boo!!! asked:
im currently the age of 13 and mum dad and myself are going on a holiday to Queensland we decided to skip the theme parks and go up near cains.
we have all decided we would like to go to the Great Barrier Reef, i was wondering what kind of licenses i will need to go scuba diving with a group and also were i could take the courses currently i live on the great ocean road is there any around were i live ?
im currently the age of 13 and mum dad and myself are going on a holiday to Queensland we decided to skip the theme parks and go up near cains.
we have all decided we would like to go to the Great Barrier Reef, i was wondering what kind of licenses i will need to go scuba diving with a group and also were i could take the courses currently i live on the great ocean road is there any around were i live ?
1 response so far ↓
1 scubabob // May 15, 2009 at 3:49 am
I’m sure there are places near you to take your Open Water course.
I’m not sure where “Ocean Road” is, but if you use an online tool like PADI’s Dive Shop Locater here: or NAUI’s one here:http://www.naui.org/trainer_locator_details.aspx?id=1031
you’ll find one very close to where you live.
What you’ll want is what’s called a Junior Open Water Certificate. As for your Parents, they’ll want a Open Water cert. It’ll take a week or so at home with classroom and pool instruction, exams and your final open water assessments.
With these certifications, your parents or guardians may take you diving to your maximum depth of about 40 feet. Don’t quote me on that depth limit but I believe it’s fairly accurate. They may go to 60 themselves as they are adults. Once you’re 15 your Junior OW cert will convert to an adult one and you can dive with any other certified diver that’s not a parent or DM/Instructor and you too can go to 60 feet. Until then…you’re with either of those two and limited depth. The good news here…..the best things to see on a living reef are within your reach as a junior open water diver as a rule.
There is an alternate way of doing all this if the resort or dive operation you stay with permits. Some operators offer a sort of “try before you buy” or “reef experience” program. You’ll get some basic instruction and dive under the supervision of an Instructor in a safe environment. Not every location offers this though.
You’re still better off getting your certs at home and then diving at your destination. You get more diving in for your buck. You won’t be stuck in a classroom or learning things in a pool on your vacation at first. You’ll be diving the reefs instead and have no worries.
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