With summer quickly approaching, vacation planning has begun. If you always wanted to make scuba diving part of your vacation plans, now is the time to get your certification. If you live in the NJ area, there are several Centers that offer classes and certifications.
How to Begin
First you should know how to swim. Certification requires the ability to swim 200 yards in any type of stroke and to be able to float or tread water for approximately 10 minutes. Secondly, make sure that you are healthy and have been checked by a doctor recently.
Finally, choose a diving center that fits your needs and take a look at the facilities in person before signing up.
Underwater Adventures Dive Center, Short Hills, NJ
508 Millburn Avenue – 973-258-1300
The Underwater Adventures Dive Center focuses on introducing new divers to scuba. Divers need to be at least 10 years old to take courses. Underwater Adventures offers PADI educational programs.
The Dive Center offers the Open Water Diver course. This course is the entry level scuba diving certification class and it costs $275. The Open Water Diver course is a combination of classroom, independent study, pool sessions and open water training. At the end of this course, students will receive a certification card that will let them dive anywhere in the world. The course can be completed in four combined classroom and pool sessions and a weekend of Open Water Training.
The Dive Center supplies basic gear for all pool sessions. Basic gear includes the regulator, buoyancy compensator, tanks and weights. Students are responsible for their personal fit equipment, such as their mask, fins, snorkel and boots. Total cost of program depends on the training and gear selected The Center can customize the program and give different pricing options.
Hoboken Dive Center, Hoboken, NJ
300 Park Avenue – 201-795-DIVE
The Hoboken Dive Center has trained thousands of divers and offers the PADI Open Water Certification Course. The Course consists of two parts, classroom and pool training and open water training dives. There are two options available. The weeknight course meets once a week for six weeks alternating every week between a classroom and a pool session, and costs $225. The executive course takes place in one weekend. It starts on a Friday night and ends on Sunday, and costs $299.
The course price includes the use of all the Scuba equipment, except for a mask, snorkel and fins. These three items must be purchased from the Center. There will also be another cost of $89.95 for class materials. You will receive a text book, instructional video, dive tables and a log book. Also, the Open Water Training Dives are not included in the price of the Classroom and Pool Training.
1 877 ScubaUSA offers the SDI Open Water Scuba Diver Course. You can learn all the academic information on-line at your own pace from the comfort of your home. Then you can complete your in-water skill development training in their full size swimming pool with a SDI Instructor. Finally you will need to complete the required four open-water certification dives. You can also complete your open-water training dives at your vacation destination.
The Open Water On-Line Academics course costs $109.95. The Open-Water Diver Lessons Pool Sessions cost $99.95. You will receive your permanent Certification Card when you are done with the three phases of your training.
Talk to the instructor and visit the location before you sign up for classes.
Make sure the course you plan to take and its instructor are certified with one of the major scuba diving training agencies. (PADI, NAUI or SSI)
Bookstores should have training manuals for most of the courses. It’s a good idea to look at these books before you decided which program to try.
A good scuba course will train and educate their students about diving, AND instill respect and appreciation for the oceans and lakes and their habitants.
When shopping for scuba gear, look for brands with a reputation for quality. Inferior materials wear out quickly.
You will most likely need to take a refresher course if you haven’t logged any dives with the last two years.
