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Scuba
lessons and dive travel in Nashville with PADI scuba dive instructor
Marcos. learn to dive and get PADI certified in Nashville. Scuba training
and dive lessons with PADI instructor.
PADI SCUBA LESSONS
OPEN 7 Days a Week!
8:00 AM to 11:00 PM
- I've always wanted to
learn to scuba dive (or snorkel). How do I get started?
- How old do I have to be to get
scuba certified?
- Why do I have to get Certified to
dive?
- For how long will I be certified?
- Will the fish bother me?
- How expensive is SCUBA diving?
- How
long do scuba lessons take?
- How deep may I go?
- Is it hard to
learn to scuba dive?
- Do
I have to be a great swimmer to be certified as a PADI Open Water Diver?
- How
long does a tank of air Last?
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My ears hurt when I dive to the bottom of the pool.
Won't they hurt when I scuba dive?
- Is scuba
diving dangerous?
- Do I have to
buy scuba gear?
- Why are some
Instructors so much cheaper than others? What do I need to ask about
the price?
- What are the
bends?
Dive Tables help Link
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Lost Card?
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What
exactly will I have to do to get PADI certified?
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DOWNLOAD
20
SCUBA Skills Required During 4 check-out dives
For how long
will I be certified?
Your PADI SCUBA certification does
not expire. It is highly recommended that you keep in practice.
You should dive more than once a year. You may take a SCUBA Tune Up from
any PADI instructor. PADI offers continuing education classes which
are very informative. Continuing with your SCUBA education is an
excellent way to keep in practice and learn more safe diving skills.
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How old do
you have to be to get certified?
PADI requires you to be at least 10
years old to become a PADI certified Junior Open Water Scuba Diver.
Ten and 11 year olds must dive with a certified parent, guardian or
PADI Professional to a maximum depth of 40 feet. Twelve to 14
year olds must dive with a certified adult. At age 15, the Junior
certification upgrades to a regular Open Water Diver certification.
Why do I
have to get certified to dive?
In the scuba class, you will learn
how to dive safely and correctly. Your PADI SCUBA certification
card is proof that you have taken and passed the SCUBA course. No
reputable Dive Center will rent you gear, fill your tank , or let you
dive at their facilities unless you are a certified SCUBA diver.
How
deep may I go?
PADI is a recreational SCUBA
organization. The maximum depth for a recreational SCUBA diver is
130 feet. I do not recommend you ever dive the maximum depth.
You should not dive deeper than 60 feet without proper training. In
the PADI Advanced Open Water course,
divers are shown the correct and safe way to make a deep dive.
Will the
fish bother me?
Most fish are afraid of you or will
ignore you. It is very exciting to see fish. The
larger the better. The prettiest and most abundant fish are in the ocean.
The best place to see fish is near shipwrecks and reefs. Some
fish will let you get close to them but will stay out of your reach.
Some fish are curious and will follow you around. I have been
diving for a long time and have seen many sharks, eels and barracudas.
The sharks and eels are very shy and are difficult to see.
Barracudas are curious and might follow you around making it easy to
photograph them. Game fish seem to know when you are looking for
dinner. Grilled snapper or flounder taste great. Most of the
time I just take pictures, but every now and then I get hungry for sea
food. You are more likely to be attacked by a cow or a pig than by
a fish. Be safe stay off the farm and go diving.
How
expensive is SCUBA diving?
Once you are certified, SCUBA
diving costs about as much as 18 holes of golf, or a good ski-lift
ticket. Starting out is the most expensive. You have to pay
to get SCUBA certified, and buy some gear. Classes cost between
$350 and $450. The minimum amount of gear will cost about $150.
You should have your own mask, fins, and snorkel for the class.
A two-tank dive in the Caribbean
will cost about $90, in FL you can expect to pay about $60. Most
SCUBA quarries charge about $20 for all day diving. Air
fills: Caribbean=$8, FL=$5, Rock quarries=$5.
You can rent a tank with air for about the same amount it will cost
you to fill your own.
You don't have to buy all your
gear. Most dive shops rent gear and don't charge students rental
during class. A complete set of dive gear rents for $40 to $60.
You can buy all of your own gear (BCD, Regulator with SPG and Octo)
for as low as $600. I recommend you buy good gear. Don't
skimp on your life support gear. Mine cost about $1400.
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I've always wanted to learn to scuba dive. How do I get started?
The easiest way to get started is
to sign up and pay online. We'll Priority Mail you the study materials.
You may receive them as early as the next day. You study at home at your
convenience, then come to class. Call us (615)-955-3483, 615-955-DIVE or e-mail to
set your schedule.
Marcos@ScubaMarcos.com . The Study materials contains;
an Open Water dive manual, dive tables, and 2 videos. You
read the book and watch the videos at home. We will schedule a
convenient time for you to take the short quizzes and the final exam.
Then we are off to the pool to practice what you read and watched.
Once you have mastered the pool skills we go diving and you are certified
after the fourth dive. You can be a PADI Certified SCUBA Diver in
three easy steps; class, pool, diving. It's that easy! I
believe the best way to learn how to SCUBA dive is by actually diving.
I emphasize diving and maximize your time underwater practicing Scuba
diving.
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Is
it hard to learn to scuba dive?
No, in fact, it's probably easier
than you imagine -- especially if you're already comfortable in the
water. PADI's entry-level diver course is split into
knowledge development, confined water (pool) skill training and four
scuba training dives. The course is "performance based," which
means that you progress as you learn and demonstrate knowledge and skill.
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Does it only take three days!?
PADI courses are "performance
based," which means that you only earn your scuba certification when you
demonstrate that you have mastered the required skills and knowledge.
Some people learn faster than others, so how long it takes you may vary.
The PADI Open Water Diver course
(beginning scuba) is typically split into five or six sessions with
tremendous flexibility. The course may be scheduled over as little as
three or four days, or as much as five or six weeks, or something in
between depending upon student needs and logistics. As a rule
of thumb, most students complete their initial certification in about
twenty-five hours spread over 2 or 3 weekends. The academic session
takes about 8 hours, the pool a minimum of 4 hours, usually in three 4
hours sessions. You must master all the pool skills before going on
the the 4 Checkout dives. The 4 checkout dives are completed over 2 days
with no more than 3 dives completed in one day. So yes, it is rare
but you could complete your PADI scuba certification in as little as 3
days. We can do class and pool on Friday and go diving Saturday and
Sunday. I teach most scuba lessons over 2 or 3 weekends.
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Do I have to be a great swimmer to be certified as
a PADI Open Water Diver?
No. All you need to be is a
reasonably proficient swimmer who is comfortable and relaxed in the
water. The swimming requirement for certification is an easy 183
meter/200 yard nonstop swim (with no time or specific stroke requirement)
and 10 minute tread/float.
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What's in a scuba tank? Oxygen?
Recreational divers breathe air,
not oxygen. It's filtered to remove impurities, but otherwise, it's
air like you're breathing now.
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How long does a tank of air last?
This is a common question that,
unfortunately, doesn't have a single answer. People breathe at
different rates, and you breathe faster when you're swimming than when
you're resting. Also, the deeper you go, the more you use your air, and,
you can get different size tanks. So, the answer is "it depends;"
this is why divers have a gauge that tell them how much air they have at
all times. As an approximation, a diver sightseeing in calm, warm
water at 20 to 30 feet deep can expect the average tank to last about an
hour.
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My ears hurt when I dive
to the bottom of a pool. Won't they hurt when I scuba dive?
Your ears hurt because water
pressure pushes in on your ear drum. In your scuba course, you'll
learn a simple technique to equalize your ears to the surrounding
pressure, much like you do when you land in an airplane, and they won't
hurt at all.
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Is scuba diving dangerous?
Not really. Statistics show
that recreational scuba diving is about as safe as swimming.
Certainly there are potential hazards -- which is why you need training
and certification -- but like driving a car, as long as you follow the
rules and use common sense, it's pretty safe. To put it in perspective,
the drive in your car to go diving is more dangerous than the diving.
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Do I have to buy SCUBA gear?
No you don't have to buy SCUBA
gear. I provide Scuba tanks, buoyancy compensator, regulator, and
weight belt. You will have to have a mask, fins and snorkel.
Most dive shops rent gear and don't charge students rental during class.
A complete set of dive gear rents for $40 to $60. You can buy all
of your own gear (BCD, Regulator with SPG and Octo) for as low as
$600. I recommend you buy good gear. Don't skimp on your life
support gear. Mine cost about $1400. You can always get the
best gear at the best prices at with us.
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Why are some Scuba Instructors so much
cheaper than others?
Most SCUBA Instructors charge about
the same for complete certification, between $300 and $450.
Be careful, if the lessons price sounds very inexpensive it might not
include everything. Dive Centers have to pay rent and labor, so
they will typically charge more. Find a good Independent or Private
Scuba Instructor who will give you better friendlier personal service.
www.ScubaMarcos.com
Questions to ask your instructor.
-Does that price include the four Open Water
Dives? Where? (+ $180 to $380)
-Does that price include the book? The book,
log book and dive tables retail for about (+$59).
-Does that price include the SCUBA gear or free
rental for the four Open Water Dives?(+$60 per day)
-How many students will be in your class?
Some dive shops wait until they have a big crowd of students for class.
-Does that price include the PADI registration
and your Scuba Certification card? (+$25)
You might end up paying more
than you expected.
Beginning SCUBA is taught in three parts Class,
Pool training, and Diving. You must complete
all three Parts to be a certified scuba diver. Some Dive
shops break up the payments and advertise only the first cheap payment.
You end up paying 2 or 3 time what you expected. I suggest you ask
how much for each part and what is included in the price. Add
them ALL up, you might be surprised. Also make sure you
know when and where you will make your four Open Water Checkout
Dives. A Florida trip can add another $480 to your cost. I charge
$250 for a Florida Certification trip.
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What are the
Bends
A long time ago when the workers
were breathing compressed air while working underwater, sometimes they
would get decompression sickness or "the Bends". Their joints would hurt
and make them bend over. This is caused by staying under water too
long and coming up too fast. Tiny bubbles would form in their
joints, something like the tiny bubbles form in a soda bottle when you
open it. Just like the soda bottle, if you shake it and open it too
soon or fast too many bubbles will form. With all the new
technology "the bends" is easily avoided. PADI divers are
recreational divers. I will teach you how to safely dive within the
limits so you will never get the bends. Don't worry diving is
fun, easy and safe. I will teach you how to relax and enjoy your
dive.
Dive Tables help Link
I
lost my Certification card how can I get it replaced?
The best way is to tell you
instructor, he can take care of it for you. Any PADI instructor can
help you. Most instructors charge between $20 and $25 to replace
your card. You may need another passport sized picture.
If you forgot your C-Card while on vacation, PADI has a member check
on-line or by calling 1-800 -729-7234, 1-800-SAY-PADI.
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What
exactly will I have to do to get PADI certified?
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Scuba Certification is completed in 3 parts.
1. Class room (Academic book work),
2. Pool Training
3. Four Scuba Dives
PADI
Certification is performance based. You must comfortably
perform and show mastery of
all the skills to earn your certification.
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1. "Class"
Knowledge Development - 5 Knowledge Review Modules
Read the Book and Watch the DVD. There 5
Chapters or modules.
For the 5 modules of theory, you'll read the
PADI Open Water Diver manual in conjunction with watching the PADI
Open Water diver video and complete the five knowledge reviews at the
end of each chapter. After I have made sure you understand
everything in the knowledge review questions, you'll be given a
ten
question quiz for that module.
Don't worry I'll go over any questions that you don't understand. At
the end of the 5th module and knowledge review you'll be given the
PADI Open Water diver final exam. Just like the quizzes this is
multiple choice and, again, just like the quizzes I'll go over
anything you don't understand. Hopefully by then you'll pass with
100%. But all is not lost as long as you score 75% or better
you passed! And I'll go over any questions you get wrong so you
are completely happy and understand them all. If you score less
than 75% we'll go over everything you missed and you may take the
test again. |
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2. "Pool Training"
Confined Water Pool Skills
You must complete the following skills before
the end of the course. |
200m/yard continuous swim (or 400m snorkel swim)
10
minute swim/float |
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Prior to completing Open Water dive 1 you must practice and master the
following skills in confined water dive 1 |
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Equipment assembly
and disassembly
Equipment donning and adjustment
BCD inflation and deflation at the surface
- low pressure inflation
- oral inflation
Regulator recovery
Regulator clearing (blast and purge methods)
Mask clear (partial)
Underwater swimming
Submersible pressure gauge use
Alternate air source use
Hand signal recognition
Ascent |
Prior to completing Open Water dive 2 you must practice and
master the following skills in confined water dives 2 & 3. |
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3 |
Pre-dive
safety check
Deep
water entry
Snorkel
clearing - blast method
Snorkel/regulator exchange
Descent
Surface
swimming with scuba
Mask
removal, replacement and clearing
No mask
breathing
Disconnect low pressure inflator
Proper
weighting
Air
depletion exercise
Weight
removal at the surface
Deep
water exit - remove equipment
Fin
pivot (both methods)
- low pressure inflation
- oral inflation
Neutral
buoyancy swim
Cramp
removal
Tired
diver tow
Air
depletion exercise/1 min alternate air source swim
Free
flow regulator breathing
Controlled Emergency Swimming Ascent |
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Prior to completing Open Water dives 3 & 4 you must practice and
master the following skills in confined water dives 4 & 5 |
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5 |
Equipment assembly and disassembly
Equipment donning and adjustment
Proper
hyperventilation
Headfirst surface dive
Skin
dive ascent and snorkel clearing
No mask
swim
Hovering
Scuba
unit removal and replacement
- underwater
- surface
Weight
removal and replacement
- underwater
- surface |
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3. "Check-Out Dives"
4 Open Water Scuba Dive - Skills
For Open Water Dive 1 of the
course a PADI instructor must lead the entire dive. For dives 2-4
however, a PADI Divemaster may lead the underwater exploration part.
With adult student divers, dives 1 & 2 are completed to a maximum
depth of 40 feet and dives 3 & 4 are to a maximum depth of 60 feet. |
DIVE
1 |
Equipment preparation, donning and adjustment
Predive
safety check
Entry
Buoyancy
check/weight check
Controlled descent
Underwater exploration
Ascent
Exit |
DIVE
2 |
Equipment preparation, donning and adjustment
Predive
safety check
Entry
and weight check
Descent
Buoyancy
control (fin pivot - with low pressure inflation)
Mask
clearing (both partial & full flood)
Alternate air source use (donor & receiver + oral inflation on
surface)
Regulator recovery/clear
Underwater exploration
Ascent
and exit
Weight
removal at the surface |
DIVE
3 |
Equipment
preparation, donning and adjustment
Predive
safety check
Entry
and weight check
Free
Descent
Buoyancy
control (fin pivot - with oral inflation)
Mask
clearing (full flood)
Underwater exploration
Ascent
and exit |
DIVE
4 |
Equipment preparation, donning and adjustment
Predive
safety check
Entry
and weight check
Free
Descent
Buoyancy
control (hover)
Mask
removal, replacement and clear
Underwater exploration
Ascent
and exit |
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Open
Water Dive - Dive Flexible Skills
These are the dive flexible skills that must be
completed. Surface skills may be completed on any dive, but
underwater skills may only be completed on Open Water Dives 2,3 or 4.
Cramp removal
Tired
diver tow
Surface
swim with compass
Snorkel/regulator exchange
Remove/replace scuba
Remove/replace weights
Controlled Emergency Swimming Ascent (CESA) + (oral inflation on
surface)
Underwater compass navigation
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