Is 2024 the year you finally make good on your promise to learn to scuba dive? Good for you. To get started, you’ll want to know that while the capitalized name of this popular aquatic sport is SCUBA (an acronym for self-contained underwater breathing apparatus), it’s perfectly acceptable to use lowercase letters, according to many dictionaries.
How to get started on the process? Launch your scuba education and certification efforts by taking the official Open Water Diver course online—or jump right in by booking a local, in-person training course from a certified PADI instructor. You’ll be qualified once you prove to the instructor that you can float or tread water for 10 minutes and swim 200 yards using any stroke you prefer.
Gear? This is quite the investment, so until you’ve proven to yourself that you want to commit, you can rent or borrow a wetsuit, tank, BCD (buoyancy control device), regulator, and either an SPG or dive computer. Masks, snorkels, and fins are on you since they are personal items.
How to get certified
- Decide whether private or group classes are more conducive to your personal learning style.
- Find local training classes (your favorite search engine can point the way).
- Determine whether it makes more financial sense to pay for individual classes or an entire certification program.
- Expect to spend between four and seven days completing basic training.
- Practice at local swimming pools or find open water resources to hone your skills.
- Check out the dive courses offered at Coco Plum.
Oh, the places you’ll go!
It’s no secret that Belize has become the epicenter of scuba diving, and not just because the world’s second-longest reef is located just off the coast. Caribbean waters are crystal clear, so you’ll be rewarded the moment you undertake your first scuba adventure. Importantly, rely on a certified master as your guide.
One of the easiest ways to get your fill of scuba diving is to book a stay at Coco Plum Island Resort where the diving tours coupled with the All Inclusive Snorkel Package covers every aspect of your sojourn. You’ll dive under the watchful eye of our dive master.
When’s the best time to come?
How would you like to practice your scuba skills at a time the entire country is celebrating a world-favorite menu item? October and November are high seasons for lobster lovers and low seasons for rates, so satisfy both desires by booking a stay during Lobsterfest, where you can dive by day and consume this tasty crustacean at every meal if you like.
If you book the Coco Plum all-inclusive package, you’ll be on hand for the music, games, and activities that take place during this popular annual event. Best of all, you’ll improve your scuba skills. As you can imagine, bookings are already coming in for this festive season. Will you, your mask, snorkel, and fins be among them?
