Do I have to be a good swimmer?
No. There are two watermanship skills required but rarely do we find anyone who can not complete them.
What are the age requirements?
The minimum age is 10 and there is no maximum.
Are there any medical considerations which may prohibit me from scuba diving?
There are some medical conditions which might prohibit some people from participating in scuba activities. You will fill out a medical form at the beginning of your training. If you answer yes to any of the questions you will be required to obtain permission from a physician prior participating in any in water activity. You can view a copy of the medical form on the RSTC medical form page.
How long does it take?
We utilize the home study or on line method.
This means you do the majority of your academic or classroom work
in the privacy of your own home at your own schedule.
By doing this we minimize your time in the classroom and maximize
your time in the water.
In water training is arranged to meet your schedule. Typically we recommend a minimum of two in water sessions. There is no maximum on in water sessions, it is really how much it takes to make you comfortable and safe.
Open water evaluations can be completed
in as little as two days.
How long is the certification good for?
Certification as a scuba diver is good for life.
You never have to renew your certification however, since it is
something your life could depend on we highly recommend you keep current
with your skills. This can be
done a number of ways. You
can dive frequently through out the year, take continuing education
classes or participate in a scuba skills update program.
What is continuing education?
There are many levels of certification that go
beyond the basic open water diver certification.
For example, there is the Advanced Program which will earn you 4
unique specialties, the Rescue Program which teaches you how to
respond to personal stress issues as well as assist others, individual
specialties such as Navigation, Night/Limited visibility, Photography,
Deep Diving, Dry Suit and so forth or the professional levels which take
you down a path toward becoming a diving professional and teaching others
the joys of the sport.
How do I get started?
It’s quite simple. You will need to stop by our facility and pick up the basic student materials, OR simply return to our home page and follow the steps for on line training.
At Tortuga Bay we offer the ultimate in personalized training. Once you are ready for your in water work, contact us and we will arrange time and staff based around your schedule. Best of all, we don't charge you extra for this service. We also make our pool available to you as many times as needed so you can become comfortable and confident with your new skills.
How
much are classes?
This is
probably the number one most asked question. Unfortunately, it is also one of the most difficult
to answer.
You can get started for as little as $25.00. This will get you your first lesson.
To become a fully certified scuba diver
however, requires completion of all three phases of training (academic, confined
water and open water evaluation) and the procurement of training materials
along with some basic personal equipment.
The costs associated with these items will vary with location and
selection of styles.
Full scuba certification generally falls
into a range of $500 to $800. Remember,
this includes all the training, course materials and basic personal
equipment.