Have You Always Wanted to Learn Scuba but Never Had a Chance to Try?
Why You Should Scuba Dive
The underwater world is magical!
As a scuba diver, the world is truly your oyster! You will travel to destinations only seen in movies and magazines!
The tropical islands are breathtaking; with white sand and crystal clear aqua colored water. The list of cool places to scuba dive are endless!
We dive shipwrecks that you've probably read about in history books. We frequently dive Cozumel and the Mayan Cenotes, fascinating places that hold ancient secrets. There are many oceans near and far that make diving a lifetime of special memories and non-stop edu-taining. (get it?)
Every ocean has its own unique characteristics. Once you submerge you'll quickly see why. Each with a new dimension filled with brightly colored coral, active and vibrant marine life. Every dive is different and there’s nothing more thrilling than to discover a new species for the first time!
Swimming Underwater Makes You Feel
Light and Free!
Gliding underwater in zero gravity feels like you're floating in space!
You'll learn what it must feel like to be an astronaut, or how it feels like to fly in slow motion. Yes, even with all that heavy looking
diving equipment.
One of the first questions people ask when they see the dive gear for the first time, "How much does it weigh?"
On land, it’s pretty heavy! Underwater, it’s weightless. You can hold it up with one finger!
This is why we always wear weight belts, to give us stability and help us control our buoyancy. Otherwise, we would be floating underwater and not able to kneel on the bottom or even stand up.
You’ll Develop a True Concern for the Environment
The more you dive the more you learn! The way you perceive marine life and their behavior will forever change your views.
Being a scuba diver will continually enrich your knowledge of sea life. Each time you peer below the surface, you’ll see something new and be that much more amazed!
Whether you spot a pod of dolphins swimming past or you have that rare opportunity to swim beside a huge whale shark, and countless other cool critters; you will be awestruck!
Scuba diving will instill a new excitement for all ocean life. You can't help but wonder how we, as humans, could protect the environment, all of Gods creatures and all its' beauty.
Make New Friends From All Over the World
Diving is a social sport; once submerged we speak the same language!
You will meet many new people during your scuba diving adventures. We spend several hours each morning on the dive boat. This is where new friendships form automatically through daily communications with the same small group of people.
You may meet an individual, a couple, or a family that you'll want to stay in communication for years to come. Others you will enjoy in that moment. Often times you'll wish you had taken the time to exchange contact info.
People from all over the world with many different cultures and yet we have a mutual interest and lots to talk about and learn new destinations through each others experiences. This information is golden, and the friendships are priceless!
The Most Peaceful Place on the Planet
awaits Beneath the Surface!
Your only focus will be on the beauty that unfolds before your eyes.
Through Dive Training You’ll Learn Essential Life Skills
People are surprised at how much there is to learn; yet amazed at how fun, easy, and safe it is, and how well they grasped it.
As you learn more about what it takes to become a scuba diver, during training and the certification dive, you’ll learn many safety procedures.
Once you are familiar with the equipment and how to do all that we do underwater. The rest of the time we spend working through every potential issue then handle each situation by practicing.
We call these practice sessions drills. The more you practice the more comfortable and ready you will be for ANY and EVERY situation. Some are ready the second day in class. Others may be ready on the second day of certification. Whereas, a few have returned for another class and it’s all okay!
It doesn’t matter how long it takes, it’s not a competition. Everyone learns at a different pace. Some excel in the classroom while others do better in the pool. What's most important is that eventually you get it and trust that you are ready and prepared. You will become more and more comfortable with every dive.
It’s normal to be nervous or apprehensive; it may be more concerning if you're not. Even though diving is safer than most people realize (when you truly understand all you were taught). You will be a great diver! The best divers are those who are always aware of their surroundings.
It takes time to trust that you know you have the knowledge you need. This is why Leslie does so many unexpected drills with her students. She wants them to be very confident in their skills, which in turn will make them comfortable and relaxed while diving underwater. You don't have to guess if you're prepared and ready, she's got you. She knows when you're ready. She will only let you go when you are. Leslie works with each and every person as an individual to ensure your comfort and safety throughout every class training, certification, and ocean dive.
The more you practice scuba diving the better diver you will be. It's a wonderful sport that you may enjoy as a single, a couple, or as a family for the rest of your lives.
Consider This!
If 10 year old children and 90 year old seniors can learn this...so can you!
It has been my honor and privilege to train people of all ages since 1984 and several generations.
We all have different thoughts and feelings about water. It's fascinating to see how each individual reacts underwater:
- comfortable as a fish
- fears and phobia's
- every level in between.
It's all about mindset. We form our beliefs from perceptions and past experiences. Many times fears are passed down from previous generations. Stories like this:
"When my great grandma was quite young, something happened to someone she knew which caused her to be extremely afraid of water. No one taught grandma how to move past it, if anything the re-enforced her fear.
Each generation since has just stayed away from the water. No one learned to swim! No one knows why...but this cycle of fear continues."
Over the years, I've worked with many people with deep fears; some were petrified of the water. Most didn't explain this before class.
The only obstacle keeping them from overcoming this, is the false message they keep playing in their minds:
False
Evidence
Appearing
Real
Regardless of what brought them to believe this way, the remedy is the same. Anyone can easily and overcome their fears. Most of the people with extreme fear have since become avid divers. I have many great stories about their wonderful victories, however, their names will remain private; each with a happily-ever-after ending.
Unfortunately, a few people chose to cling to their fears. Sadly, they are not only shortchanging themselves but their future generations to follow. They will miss these amazing opportunities of seeing all the beautiful sights , and making incredible life-time memories with their friends and loved ones.
We can overcome anything! Once we're determined to end the false thinking, once and for all. We have to decide enough is enough! When the pain not to change, exceeds the pain to change, only then will you make the change. Most people will anyway....
Something to ponder: Car accidents are much more common and happen more frequently than scuba diving accidents; yet, people still drive cars!
On a side note, here at Scuba Explorers we have never encountered an accident..ever! Moving right along.... ; )
Scuba Class Prerequisites?
Check out the long list of requirements to become a PADI Open Water Diver:
- 10 years of age
- medically fit
- able to swim
Students 10-18 years old will need an authorized consent from your parent or legal guardian prior to taking the class.
How Long Does it Take to Become Scuba Certified?
The quick answer, 4-full days! Two weekends and you're ready!
Rarely will someone need more pool time and if they do, that's cool too!
- The 1st weekend we do book work (classroom) and learn water skills (swimming pool). We do both class work and pool skills on both days.
- The 2nd weekend are your certification dives. This is when you demonstrate your mastery of water skills. You perform them in an open body of water: a lake, a quarry, or an ocean. Now you're ready for a lifetime of awesome diving!
The two weekends do not need to be back to back. Although you are required to complete the certification dives within 6 months.
I recommend doing it while it's fresh on your mind, within 2-3 months is good. When you dive once or twice a year it's like riding a bike. Well sort of....
We schedule your certification date once we're all together in class. It's fast and simple to decide on a time when we're all together in the same room. Rarely do we have to put someone with another group. Either way, it's all good!
What Equipment Do I need Before Taking the Scuba Class?
You have the option to rent or purchase this basic gear.
- Mask
- Fins
- Snorkel
- Booties
- Wet-suit
I highly recommend purchasing these items and renting everything else and this is why:
Your personal gear should fit perfectly; your face, feet, body proportion. Your fins are designed to match your physical strength for top performance.
An improper fitting mask will not only be uncomfortable but may leak as well. Fins that are too stiff for your leg strength or too floppy will use your energy and make you use too much air.
When you have your own gear, you may relax and enjoy a wonderful dive as you glide effortlessly through the water.
By having your personal gear prior to class, allows you to try them in the pool. If we schedule certification no sooner than 3-4 weeks away, you'll have time to exchange equipment, if necessary and have them in time for certification.
You will be completely prepared for your first ocean diving experience.
Will I Need a Wet-Suit?
Wet-suits keep you warm & comfy in class, yet some people are fine without them.
During class we are in the pool 3-4 hours. We stay busy but it can be chilly for some people. Water conducts heat 20 times faster than air so wearing a wet-suit in class is advisable, especially if you tend to get cold in water.
You will definitely want a wet-suit for your certification dive and for any ocean trips you do in the future. Wet-suits are also referred to as, "exposure suits" since they reduce heat loss and protect you from minor scrapes in open water environments.
Other Essential Dive Equipment
During pool training I'll provide you with:
tanks & air
weights
weight belt
regulator
buoyancy control device
This equipment is far more expensive than your personal gear. I don't recommend purchasing this until you know the frequency of which you will indulge in this sport.
Scuba equipment is easy to rent anywhere in the world, even in more remote locations. The sizing is simple: S, M, L, XL, etc.
The equipment and the pool rental are factored into the cost of your scuba class; you will not pay extra for either of these.
Where is Scuba Training?
Any city, state or country with 8 people and a swimming pool!
Class location depends on where the majority of the students reside. The pool training is held at one of the following pools:
- country clubs
- health clubs
- golf courses
- island resorts
- hotel pools
- YMCA's
- public pools
- private backyard pools
- condominium pools
Where Are the Certification Dives?
It's required to be licensed in a natural body of water.
Lakes
Quarries
Oceans
Rivers
Springs
Aquariums
Caution: special training is required for swift water river diving.
What Learning Materials Will I need for
Scuba Class
- 1PADI Open Water Diver Manual: Five modules that include all classroom, confined water and open water training that you will need to become a certified diver
- 2Recreational Dive Table Planner: informs the new diver of safe depth and time limitations for recreational diving.
- 3Log Book: PADI divers are required to keep records of their underwater diving experience. We prefer to think of the as a diary to write stories of your scuba adventures! Keep it with your certification card, as you need both with you o every dive.
- 4Certification Card: your card is your passport to dive below the surface. You must have it with you all over the world as proof that you’ve successfully completed training. You'll need your card & log book before you may dive, rent tanks, and have tanks filled with air. Keep them in a secure file or safe when not in use.
- 5Student Record File: PADI Medical Questionnaire, Standard Safe Diving Practices Statement of Understanding, Liability Release, and Assumption of Risk Agreement, Student Profile, Open Water Diver Course Record and Referral Form.
Once I have your email; I will send you the details.
You Are Guaranteed to Have Good Time!
From your first breath underwater, we want your entire experience to be fun, safe and positive. Knowledge removes fear and allows you to thoroughly enjoy this incredible sport! The only way you will know is to become certified!
Customers Comments:
“I am very pleased to recommend Leslie because she deserves the praise. She is a great communicator and knows how to work with individuals to get a positive result. I took her scuba class and was thoroughly impressed with her abilities. I know numerous people whom she has trained and traveled on her ocean trips. The one expression has always been; what a great experience!!!"
Herb Seigel
Dentist
"If Scuba Diving is on your bucket list you MUST choose Leslie as your instructor! She is professional, personable and an expert in her field. What I love about Leslie is that she is all about the teaching and not the business. Don’t get me wrong, everyone needs to earn a living but teaching people to scuba and become certified is her PASSION!"
Maggie Lee
Realtor
“Knowledgeable, thorough, trustworthy, caring, energetic and safe… those words best describe Leslie while under her scuba diving tutelage. A great teacher not only for adults but beginning kids as well…. I’ve known Leslie for over 20 years during which time she remains steadfast in these characteristics.”
Greg German
Consulting
Sign up for Scuba Class today!
There's no time like the present...don't put this off another year.
Do I Need to Be A Good Swimmer
to Scuba Dive?
You Need to Be Comfortable In Water
I have had several people in class that could not swim at all; they are great divers now! Much of diving is about what goes on between your ears, how well you adapt and process this new information,
What About Diving with Sharks?
You will be truly fortunate if you even get to see a shark in the ocean!
Although we’ve been conditioned all our lives to fear sharks, the truth is they have much more to fear about humans.
Of every shark related accident and they are very rare; they all involve spear fishing, swimming, surfing or splashing on the service. All of these trigger feeding behavior, mistaken for a seal or a fish.
When we are submerged these mistakes do not occur. You are safe provided you don’t antagonize or provoke them. Simply follow the procedures you will learn in class; and enjoy their majestic beauty!
If you see a shark it will typically be way off in the distance. We are much more interested in them than they are in us. It’s rare to see one, so take it all in. You will discover what you've seen in the movies was completely off base!
Should Women Be Concerned About Menstruation While Diving?
No, menstruation is typically not a concern.
We know little about the physiological effects that diving may have on a fetus, therefore it's recommend to avoid diving while pregnant or trying to conceive.
My Ears Hurt When Diving In the Deep End; How Would I Scuba Dive?
That's normal discomfort's caused by water pressure on the eardrum.
Fortunately, our bodies are designed to adjust for pressure changes in our ears. This also applies when we fly in airplanes only reversed. The first day in the pool you’ll learn how to equalize the pressure.
How Deep Do You Dive?
No matter the depth; it sounds deep until after you're certified.
Beginner divers should stay about 60 feet and shallower. This is easy to do since most everything you will want to see is in 40 feet and shallower.
The water’s warmer, the colors are brighter, and you can stay longer at this depth! As a certified diver you may dive at any depth you wish.
Countless times, when students left for their first ocean dive after certification, they would inform me they will not be diving more than 40-50 feet deep. When they returned, each and every one of them told me they dove 90-100 feet! They said it was no big deal..and they loved it!
Keep in mind, with the clarity of the water and the propulsion of your fins, the depth doesn't seem deep at all! Just remember that you'll know what you're doing; you have full control.
I May Feel Claustrophobic?
This is a common concern for some people. If you think you’ll feel this way you probably will!
I recommend purchasing a translucent, (clear) mask that will allow light to enter from all directions, rather than a solid black mask.
Keep in mind that the pool and the ocean are clear; there is so much to see and enjoy. You’ll have plenty of pleasant things to look at and think about while diving; confinement is not an issue.
Will Medical Issues Keep Me From Diving?
Not necessarily.
Only issues involving your ears, sinuses, respiratory or heart may be of concern, but only a doctor who knows your particular condition will know if you may dive. I wouldn’t ask just any doctor. I have all my students consult with a physician that is scuba certified and truly understand the potential physiological risks, if any.
If you have difficulties locating a well informed scuba diving physician. You can totally rely on DAN (the Divers Alert Network). The staff there is qualified to give you accurate information, medical advice, and answers.
All divers are required to complete and sign a medical waver prior to taking class. If you say yes on any of the questions, a doctor's signature will be required before you may begin class. Please Download the medical statement to print and complete yourself, or possible take to your doctor, if you answered yes on the medical questions.
What if I Use All My Air?
You will check your air gauge more frequently than you look at the gas gauge in your car!
It’s very unlikely that you will forget to look at your air gauge. Periodically, your instructor will be asking with hand-signals how much air you have left; your buddy and the dive guide will also be reminding you.!
You will learn all these safety procedures in the pool; what to do in an out of air situation. We drill on them in the pool until it becomes second nature. We never actually have had to use them, but be practice them all the same.
Your buddy has an extra regulator that allows you to use their air supply while you both swim to the surface. You will learn various options during dive training. There is nothing we can't handle underwater.
More Customer Comments:
"In my opinion Leslie O’Neill is the best of the best! Not only is she an excellent instructor working with true beginners; she also helps experienced divers improve their skills and teaches advanced training.
I’ve seen her work with students ranging from 15 years old to an 84 year old non-swimmer to a 90 year old great grandmother. She makes it clear that each person is important to her and she is there for them in any way they needed her.
I’ve been on Leslie's group dive trips and can honestly say for me it was a very positive life- changing experience. I believe it was for the others on the trip too.
Rarely do you find someone who over delivers on their promises. Leslie has the knowledge of diving and travel that only a lifetime of hands on experience can create, and she teaches in such a way that makes you believe you’re the only person in her class.
These are the reasons why I believe she is “the very best” and why I recommended her to everyone who is interested in scuba diving.”
Paul Titus
President
“Leslie is a fabulous instructor! I enrolled in a class to earn my Scuba certification and I hit a wall about halfway through. Leslie was very patient and encouraged me to keep going even when I wanted to give up.
With her help, I successfully completed the program and afterwards enjoyed the first of several fun and exciting scuba adventures. Thank you Leslie!”
Ruth Carroll
Realtor
“I’ve known Leslie for many years and she continually impresses me. She is a savvy and capable business woman, honest, a credible character, integrity and a genuine passion for what she does.
I can testify to Leslie's ability to train dive students in such a way that certification success is practically guaranteed. Leslie has a great love of life that is evident by the way she lives it to the fullest. I highly recommend her and her services. “
Doug Billings
Vice President
The general consensus; people are glad they took the class. it's changed many lives in a wonderful way! More details about the class and cost here.
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The underwater world is alive with vibrant colors of coral and marine life.
Below the surface is where wonder, beauty and the mystery of the unknown awaits you.
It takes a lifetime to discover and learn about all the amazing creatures. Each dive is an exciting opportunity to discover something new!
If you have a passion for nature and exploration, than scuba diving is the perfect sport to enjoy with anyone!
Diving recharges your soul with a current of life; I personally invite you to join our next adventure!
P.S. Your health and life is not guaranteed so please enjoy what time you have on earth with no regrets! Live full out;
don't wait to follow your passions. God planted those wonderful ideas in you for a reason!
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