Learning to dive
How certification works, who can learn and what happens in the pool and open water.
Scuba Q&A for every diver
Scuba diving questions, answered
Scuba diving questions come up long before your first breath underwater: Can I learn if I'm not a strong swimmer? What gear should I buy? How soon can I fly home? My Dive Forum gathers the questions divers ask most in dive shops, on boats and in online forums, and answers each one in plain English.
Pick a topic
Four places to start
Every answer on the site sits under one of four topics. Start with the one that matches where you are as a diver.
Scuba gear
What each piece does, what to buy first, what to rent and how to look after it.
Dive safety
Equalizing, ascents, safety stops, buddy checks and how long to wait before flying.
Dive travel
Choosing where and when to go, resort or liveaboard, packing and dive insurance.
Why this site exists
The answers divers keep looking for
Ask ten divers the same question and you will often get ten different answers. Dive forums are full of good advice, but it is spread across long threads, mixed with personal stories and sometimes years out of date. A new diver who wants to know whether a cold will stop them diving, or how thick a wetsuit should be for the Caribbean, has to read a lot to find a clear answer.
My Dive Forum does the reading for you. Each question gets a short answer first, then the detail behind it, written so a beginner can follow it and an experienced diver can check it quickly. Where training agencies or diving medicine groups publish a rule or guideline, the answer follows it.
- Short answer first, detail underneath
- Plain English, with the dive terms explained
- Follows training-agency and diving-medicine guidance
- Written for new, returning and travelling divers
The answers are general information. They never replace training from a certified instructor or advice from a doctor,, and every topic page ends with links to the next questions worth reading. Start with the rules that keep divers safe.
Asked most often
Six questions almost every diver asks
The short versions are here. Each links to the full answer, and the complete list of scuba diving questions covers many more.
Do I need to be a strong swimmer to scuba dive?
You need basic water skills, not speed. Most entry-level courses ask you to swim about 200 metres without stopping (or 300 metres with mask, fins and snorkel) and to float or tread water for 10 minutes. The guide to learning to scuba dive explains the full course.
How deep can a beginner scuba dive?
An entry-level Open Water certification qualifies you to dive to 18 metres (60 feet) with a buddy. Younger junior divers have shallower limits, and further training such as an advanced course extends the range to about 30 metres (100 feet).
How long should I wait to fly after diving?
Divers Alert Network (DAN) recommends at least 12 hours after a single no-decompression dive and at least 18 hours after several dives in a day or several days of diving. The scuba diving safety answers cover the reasons.
Should I buy or rent scuba gear?
Most new divers buy a mask, snorkel and fins first because fit matters most for those, then a dive computer. Regulators, BCDs and tanks are easy to rent at most dive centers. The scuba gear guide for beginners goes piece by piece.
Does a scuba certification expire?
No. Recreational certifications from the main agencies do not expire. If you have not dived for a year or so, though, most dive centers will ask you to do a short refresher in a pool or shallow water first.
When is the best time to book a dive trip?
It depends on the destination: water temperature, visibility, wildlife seasons and storm seasons all vary. In the Caribbean, for example, the Atlantic hurricane season runs from June 1 to November 30. The scuba diving travel guide shows how to weigh them.
Planning your first dive?
Start with how certification works, then read up on safety before you get in the water.