Physical Requirements
- Everyone must be able to swim at least 200 yards without stopping and must be able to tread water or float for at least 10 minutes without assistance or flotation device.
- In addition, everyone must be in good mental and physical health to safely participate in scuba diving and scuba diving classes. Therefore, all participants must complete a Diver Medical Participant Questionnaire to determine whether they may have, or be predisposed to, any conditions which might put the diver, and/or those diving with him or her, at risk. Anyone with at-risk conditions will need to be evaluated by a physician, preferably a physician who is familiar with scuba diving, who can determine whether the person is fit to dive safely. If in doubt, check it out. Anyone who feels ill should avoid diving. Anyone who currently has a contagious disease or contagious disease symptoms, or anyone who may have been exposed to a contagious disease, such as COVID-19, should protect themselves and others by not participating in scuba diving activities until medically cleared (as appropriate).
Age-Specific Limitations
- To become certified scuba divers, kids must be at least 10 years old AND must be mature enough to understand and apply course content.
- Understanding and applying course content includes completion of Knowledge Development, quizzes, and the final exam as well as being able to proficiently perform all skills required in both confined- and open-water dives. All quizzes and final exams are “closed-book” either online or administered by a PADI Professional. Oral exams are allowed if the student has a learning disability documented by a health care practitioner.
- Kids 15 years of age and older may earn the same Open Water Scuba Diver certification that adults can earn.
- Kids under 15 years of age may earn a Junior Open Water Scuba Diver certification.
- Once certified as a Junior Open Water Scuba Diver, 12- to 14-year old divers must dive with an adult who is a certified diver.
- Once certified as a Junior Open Water Scuba Diver, 10- and 11-year old divers are restricted to diving with a parent, guardian, or PADI Professional (Certified Divemaster or Instructor) AND no deeper than 40 feet. (Note: 8- and 9-year old future scuba divers may participate in the PADI Bubblemakers or PADI Seal Team programs we offer. The maximum depth for these programs is 12 feet.)
- If you have any children 10- or 11-years of age who will be participating in your scuba diving classes, we can train up to 4 family members at a time in open water. For safety reasons, we won’t put more than 4 students in open water if a 10- or 11-year old kid is participating; and we will take no more than two (2) 10- to 11-year old students at a time. For example:
- If a family of four has 11-year-old twins and no other children, we can train the entire family together.
- If the family with 11-year-old twins has another child who is 13-years-old (for a total of 5), we may train everyone together in the pool; but we will need to take one parent with 1-2 kids at a time into open water. Please understand this is for safety reasons.
- If a family has two adults and three teenagers, we can most likely train everyone together, depending on the ages and maturity levels of the kids. We do, however, reserve the right to refuse to take everyone into open water together if we have reason to believe anyone’s safety could be in jeopardy.
- If you have any questions about how we can train your family, please reach out to us!
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