Seriously though, how “dangerous” is scuba diving?
Scuba diving is as dangerous as you make it
Life is about risk management and in scuba diving, reducing risks require:
Diving is equipment intensive
* Be familiar with their equipment. Very few people are eaten by sharks. Following is a list of tips and questions to use while conducting your research to choosing a Scuba instructor:
Phoenix has over 20 different dive shops that can certify divers. Each dive shop and/or instructor has an affiliation to a Dive Agency. Ask what qualities make up a good instructor. Also, consider alternatives to dive shops.
Interview potential instructors before you take a class.
Following is a list of questions to ask your instructor:
The Scuba industry breeds a lot of part time instructors.
If the instructor has certified very few people at this level, he or she may not be familiar with the curriculum and material being presented.
Do you certify all of your students?
Do you teach skin diving skills? What skin diving skills will I learn? If your instructor is not teaching you some valuable skin diving skills, you may want to look elsewhere.
What is the maximum ratio (dive professional to students) in the pool and open water?The lower the ratio the more 1 on 1 time you have to develop skills with an instructor. If a class is overloaded with students, the instructor may not be able to spend the personal time you need to master the key Scuba diving skills.
Any instructor who is not actively taking classes is destined to become a stale instructor. Further, by taking classes, an instructor can learn different styles and techniques from a student perspective.
Some instructors breeze through class without any regard that you are there to immerse yourself in Scuba. If an instructor isn’t diving for fun, then he will not be fun from which to learn. A Scuba instructor must have passion.
Was the instructor patient? If the instructor wasn’t patient, or talked down to you, while answering these questions, he will probably have the same character trait during class. Only you can answer that question. Good and bad instructors come in all sexes.
Would I let this instructor take my loved ones underwater?
Scuba diving offers a lifetime of adventure.