FAQ

Frequently asked questions

Frequently Asked Questions

How soon after the class will I get my license?

You will receive either a digital license or temporary card immediately upon completion of the class so you can start diving right away. Plastic PADI cards can take up to 2 weeks to process and arrive at your home.

What about flying and diving?

You can safely fly and then immediately dive but you must wait 18 to 24 hours AFTER diving before flying. I include a dive computer on all training dives and it will keep track of your flying wait times automatically.

Can you do the training dives from our own boat?

If your boat is big enough and set up for diving (tank holders, dive platform etc) and you know where the dive sites are then yes.

How long does it take to get SCUBA Certified?

With the use of Digital Learning, the Open Water Class takes three days to complete. One day of academic review and pool work and two days of Open Water diving. However, by request the class can be stretched out to 4 or 5 days if you are trying to make a kids camp out of it.

How old do you have to be to learn to dive?

The minimum age to get your SCUBA license is 10. I advise that kids close to this age be strong swimmers and mature enough to study their training materials with minimal help.

Any class with a 10 or 11 year old in it is limited to a maximum ratio of 2 students to 1 instructor. When the child turns 15, you can convert their license from Jr. OW to Open Water. Divers aged 10 to 14 must dive with an adult certified diver at all times.

Where do the classes take place?

The beauty of private classes is the flexibility of the location of the classes. I can come to your home for the academic and pool classes (pool has to be at least 6 ft deep) or we can use one of the many city pools in the Jupiter area. I use the Blue Heron Bridge location for Open Water dives 1 and 2 which is a great location with calm conditions and wonderful marine life to enjoy as well. Open Water dives 3 and 4 are completed from one of the many local dive operators in the area based on schedule and dive depths needed. With this schedule you will learn about shore diving and ocean diving techniques.

Do I need license to dive?

You must have a SCUBA license in order to rent SCUBA equipment and safely go dive with friends for fun. If you do not have a SCUBA license and want to try diving before taking the whole class, there is a program called Discover Scuba that is perfect for you. This one day class starts with a brief academic session followed by a confined/open water dive at the Blue Heron Bridge all while under direct supervision of your instructor. Please contact me for availability and prices.

I lost or forgot my dive license…can I still dive with you?

If you hold a PADI or SSI Certification Card I can verify it through the internet. If you had another training agencies license you will have to contact them and ask to have a proof sent to you. I suggest you take a photo your certification card so that you always have access to it.

I am already certified but want to be a part of the class?

If you would like to join a student getting certified on either the beach or ocean dives, you may do so as long it does not exceed the allowable supervision ratios. You will have to sign a waiver and pay any fees involved with the dives in this case. Also parents, it has been my experience that kids pay better attention and perform much better when they do not have a parent that is already certified with them in the water during the class. If you are taking the class as a family then that is great, otherwise let them succeed in their own class so you can start diving as a family once they are certified.

What is your cancellation policy?

All classes are non refundable once payment has been made and a start date has been agreed on. If the sea conditions force a day a day of the class to be cancelled, we will reschedule to the soonest day that fits both our schedules. It is an agency standard (PADI, SSI etc) that if one year lapses since the last training session (pool, boat dive etc) then the class is no longer valid. In this case the class will need to be started and paid for again.

Will there be sharks and do I need to be worried about them?

The bottom line is that we share the ocean with all of its inhabitants, including sharks. Sharks in general are very shy and tend to stay out of sight of divers. Of the times that we do encounter sharks, everyone-including those that think that they are afraid of them- are fascinated by them and at the end of the dive and have a whole new (positive) approach to these magnificent animals.

Do you have more questions?

Feel free to contact me at:

Tel: 561 614 4177

Email: info@scubar.com

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