Learn to SCUBA dive

Insider secrets of the successful diver

SCUBA Diving is a sport you can take with you everywhere, and as almost two-thirds of the world is covered in water, there is no limit to where and when. So whether you just want a dip now and then when you're on holiday or you fancy exploring the mysteries of submerged shipwrecks, it's a good idea to become a certified diver.

SCUBA stands for ‘Self-Contained Underwater Breathing Apparatus’ – an appliance that allows you to swim underwater using a cylinder that contains breathable compressed air� – and it's one of the planet’s most popular water sports, with over a million people becoming certified divers worldwide every year. Whether you want to dive recreationally or professionally, with the help of PADI master instructor Steve Ware and SCUBA enthusiast Rob Cantle, WideWorld gives you the low-down on how to get started.

Steve has been diving for 14 years and has accrued five-thousand-plus dives. He has worked his way through the PADI system on a gradual basis and has dived all over the world, including Indonesia, Malaysia, Canada, the Mediterranean, Djibouti and the UK. Rob has been diving for 25 years, having trained in England and then taken his PADI open water qualification all round the world.

Why dive?

“Most people are concerned about what is happening with the surface of the planet,” Ware says. “But now many people are becoming concerned what is happening underwater. It has been predicted that in 50 years time, many corals will change beyond recognition and disappear.

“When you dive, you enter an environment which has hardly been explored,” he continues. “You get such a buzz from diving, especially when you see certain species, some of which are on the verge of extinction.”

Where do I begin?

There is a wide variety of SCUBA schools and organisations. In Britain the two most popular are PADI (Professional Association of Diving Instructors) and BSAC (British Sub Aqua Club). PADI is the largest and most recognised diving organisation in the world, with courses ranging from Snorkelling to Course Director. BSAC is the UK’s leading dive club and the sport’s....

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