| SCUBA stands for "Self-Contained Underwater | | | | or hold their noses and blow gently. Others like to |
| Breathing Apparatus." The sport is so popular that | | | | yawn and wiggle their jaws from side to side. |
| there is an estimated one million people becoming | | | | Whatever the method, it sometimes takes a pretty |
| certified scuba divers worldwide every year. The | | | | long time to kick in. If you are having trouble equalizing, |
| Scuba gear is designed to allow human beings to dive | | | | don't go any deeper. Tell your buddy (more on him |
| into deep waters with enough oxygen to breath. The | | | | below) to hold up, and make sure you pop your ears, |
| scuba diving course requires specialized training. | | | | because the alternative can be ruptured eardrums. |
| However, almost anyone who knows how to swim | | | | Classroom training explains the basic physics of diving |
| can take on the course and become a certified scuba | | | | (which helps divers understand the skills they will be |
| diver. | | | | learning and the function of each piece of gear). It also |
| Certification courses are offered by recognized | | | | covers the all-important rules of calculating how long it |
| associations such as PADI (Professional Association | | | | is safe to stay underwater at different depths, the |
| of Diving Instructors) and NAUI (National Association of | | | | science of diving illnesses such as the bends and |
| Underwater Instructors), the YMCA, and a few other | | | | nitrogen narcosis, first aid, and concepts that will be |
| groups. Legitimate scuba diving courses are offered | | | | practiced in the pool and open water parts of the |
| through SCUBA shops, resorts, dive operators, | | | | course. |
| YMCAs, colleges, and community centres. | | | | The fun part of the course is the open water section. |
| In the beginning, you first must determine whether you | | | | Students practice assembling scuba gear, doing a |
| are physically able to scuba dive. Even if you know | | | | preliminary pre-dive safety check, donning gear, then |
| how to swim, scuba diving can be tiring, so your | | | | entering the water using techniques such as the |
| swimming skills should be fairly strong. If you are | | | | backward roll and the giant stride. Students then check |
| overweight, tire easily or have diabetes, a heart | | | | their buoyancy and descend under the supervision of |
| condition or any other predisposition to drowning, talk to | | | | a diving instructor. Skills such as sharing air, clearing |
| your doctor before scuba diving. | | | | masks, clearing a regulator, controlling buoyancy, and |
| Some people have problems getting used to breathing | | | | using a compass are practiced during the dive, and the |
| through their mouths instead of their noses. This | | | | rest of the time is spent diving - getting used to the |
| problem can be easily fixed through practice with a | | | | experience of being and breathing underwater. |
| snorkel or regulator in "safe" environments like a pool | | | | Scuba education from Scuba Schools International |
| or bathtub. A harder problem to overcome is equalizing | | | | (SSI) is the best way to start your scuba diver |
| the pressure in your ears as you descend lower and | | | | adventure. Why? Our training programs are designed |
| lower into the water--that is, being able to "pop" your | | | | with one goal in mind: for you to have serious fun |
| ears, like on a plane. As you go deeper in the ocean, | | | | when you dive! And the only way to have a great |
| pressure builds, and it is crucial to your physical being | | | | time diving is to become truly comfortable with the |
| that you be able to pop your ears. Some people find | | | | skills and the equipment you'll use. |
| this easier than others. Some can just swallow, yawn | | | | |