Got Any Questions?
Owner-operator Mr. Kevin Ausman has been working since 2014 toward being able to be an instructor in the amazing sport of scuba and snorkeling. With training started in Ontario and open water completion in 2014 Mr. Ausman moved on to training in the Caribbean and completed many of the basic training programs right up to the assistant instructor.
Achieving instructor status in 2018 with PADI Mr. Ausman went on to complete instructor training in 4 different agencies including the esteemed HSA (Handicap Scuba Association).
If you have any questions regarding Scuba, Mr Ausman who owned and runs Judokaa Dive Center is happy to answer to any inquiries a diver had.
A. If you can read this, you can take part in online training. Any desktop or laptop computer that has an Internet connection and is capable of running a web browser such as Internet Explorer, Netscape, Safari or Firefox will work.
Some pages in the online course contain short video clips. To see these, you will need to have or install Apple’s QuickTime plug-in, which you can download free of charge from Apple’s website.
With the video clips, it also helps to have a high-speed connection. The video clips, however, are a “nice to have” feature — not a “need to have” one. If you have a dial-up connection, you can still take the course (although you may want to skip watching the videos). All the need-to-know information is provided in a non-video form as well.
A. The most important part of learning to dive is getting in the water with a qualified instructor, to develop and practice critical underwater skills. That’s something you cannot do on a computer.
What you can do is eliminate the need to spend valuable time in a classroom setting, going through academic material you are perfectly capable of learning on your own, at your own pace and when it is most convenient.
This ability, by itself, saves considerable time. For some people, this makes the difference between being able to get certified or not.
A. Different people learn best in different ways. For some, it’s a traditional classroom setting. Others prefer to have a real-live textbook they can touch, feel and flip through. Most people, however, find that computer-based learning systems provide the best possible combination of convenience, enjoyment and effective learning.
What’s important to understand, however, is just that because you are learning in the comfort and convenience of your home or office, doesn’t mean you are on your own. The staff at your SDI Dive Center will be monitoring your progress and is available by phone or e-mail if you have questions.
A. Completing your skill-development sessions and final open-water training dives will involve additional fees. These can vary from one dive center to the next and depend on the options you choose. Your local SDI Dive Center can help you with the arrangements. When you are done with all three phases of your training, your SDI Dive Center will order your permanent certification card.
A. This, again, will vary from one dive center to the next. As a generalization, students are typically required to supply a minimum of mask, snorkel, adjustable scuba fins, and wetsuit boots. Do not make any equipment purchases, however, without first consulting your SDI Dive Center. The right equipment can last for years. Thus, it makes sense to purchase the right equipment the first time — and to avoid making any costly mistakes.
With the necessary training and experience, the limit for recreational scuba diving is 60 feet. Beginning scuba divers stay shallower than about 50 feet unless you are a Junior Scuba Diver then it is 40 feet. Although these are the limits, some of the most popular diving is no deeper than 40 feet where the water’s warmer and the colors are brighter.
A. Depending on the course, you may have several options to complete the in-water phases of your training. For example:
You can complete any skill-development sessions and the final open-water training dives with your local SDI Dive Center.
You may be able to complete the skill-development sessions at your local SDI Dive Center, then do your open-water training dives at the vacation destination of your choice.
You may also be able to complete both the skill-development sessions and open-water training dives at the vacation destination of your choice.
The SDI Dive Center through whom you sign up can tell you more.
Sun burn and seasickness, both of which are preventable with over the counter preventatives. The most common injuries caused by marine life are scrapes and stings, most of which can be avoided by wearing gloves and an exposure suit, staying off the bottom and watching where you put your hands and feet.
Feel free to contact International Scuba for information about exposure protection needed for any of your diving. We are always here to help and are happy to answer your questions.
That’s not likely because you have a gauge that tells you how much air you have at all times. This way, you can return to the surface with a safety reserve remaining. But to answer the question, if you run out of air, your buddy has a spare mouthpiece (regulator) that allows you to share a single air supply while swimming to the surface. There are also other options you’ll learn in your SDI Open Water course with International Scuba.
Snorkeling is the casual act of putting on a mask and snorkel and looking below while floating. Snorkelers may not have any training and generally spend most of the time on the surface. Skin diving takes snorkeling a step further by adding short dives underwater. Skin divers may have training that teaches skills, such as efficient dives and snorkel-clearing. Freediving uses advanced breathing techniques and diving skills to increase depth and time underwater. Through training, freedivers learn conserve oxygen while breathholding while practicing different freediving disciplines, such as static apnea, dynamic apnea, free immersion and constant weight freedives.
Scuba diving is a very safe sport, there are just a few things that you need to know. Just like needing to know what the different lights mean at a stop light before you drive a car. In our open water course we teach you what you need to know in order to dive safely.