Want to get certified for Scuba Diving

Try Underwater Adventures on Government Street.

How is her health? Maybe a dive shop would want her to have a doctor sign something before you started taking classes?

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I was thinking about getting as a bday present for my mom a certification to scuba because she's always wanted to

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Maybe start off with one of those beginner classes where you see if you would really be interested in doing it....then you take the more expensive classes if she decides it's for her.

The "Explore Scuba" classes are usually like $50 at a dive shop and you don't have to buy all the gear first(snorkel,mask,fins, etc) like you do for regular scuba classes.

Or get really bad ear infections in both ears at the same time like my husband and I did



OP...make sure she REALLY wants to do this for herself. Don't be like me and do it for someone else and then realize just how much you really don't want to dive

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I was thinking about getting as a bday present for my mom a certification to scuba because she's always wanted to

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Just remember that a certification often times costs more than JUST the class. You've got the equipment most places require (mask, fins, snorkel, booties) then any costs associated with an open water certification dive which is often held along the gulf coast.

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I think we spent over a grand total for both of us

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The gear alone is probably $200 per person (on the cheap end), classes are about $100 each so it can be done for $1000, but alot depends on where the open water cert is. If it is in the Gulf in Destin it will be more than if it is in the fresh water srpings in Ponce Deleon.

I meant to say that as well. Paying for someone else to get certified would be quite the investment. Unfortunately, it's not a cheap hobby.

Thanks for all the help. I a) knew it would be quite an investment b) I grew up snorkeling and just really want to go further and I'm fascinated by scuba diving c) she's always mentioned it throughout my life about going scuba diving, but she always says stuff she never ends up doing. I was going to ask her more if she really wanted to do it, she will most likely say no, but I was just seeing if it was even logical. And she's in pretty good health. No heart problems or any medical issues. Except that she had hand surgery a year ago after her dog undercut her

We did our open water in a lake here in AZ in January. Water temps 50 degrees and you can't see shite for visibility. Felt like a fricking teletubby in the thick wetsuits and the hood made me feel like I was being strangled(I'm claustrophobic). Thick gloves made it really difficult to handle anything underwater as well. To make things even more cheery that day...it rained all day long.

But yeah...did those damn underwater regulator sweeps over and over and then I start feeling extreme pain in one ear.....rushed up to the top (I was only like 25 feet down) not thinking and BAM...felt like my ear exploded. We had to reschedule dives cause of the ear infections and we both got certified(me just barely). I tried a dive in warm water in Costa Rica(cause everyone said it would be more enjoyable in clearer, warmer water). No it wasn't...made it down like 15 feet and realized I just wasn't enjoying it at all and all I was focused on was being back at the surface. My instructor did tell me that I could always technically still rent a tank and just do deeper snorkeling at say 10-15 feet and just pop up to the surface when I wish....may consider that, but that's the closest I'll ever come to diving.

Ever had asthma?

If so, and you say you did, they'll scrap your app.

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My two instructors were probably pushing 60. Granted, they've been doing it for decades but still shows that it's possible. She can do it if she wants. I love it. Wish I could go more often.

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Our instructors were older as well. One is my sister in law's father in law so we see him at all my nephew's bday parties and he still tries to encourage us to try diving again. I really, really wanted to like it...would see all the cool videos of all the stuff you see underwater and sooo wanted to have that experience. Just could never overcome my fears I guess.