Is Scuba-Diving a Relatively Safe Activity for Teens?
My teenage son is taking scuba-diving lessons right now. In all honesty, it is really difficult for me personally but I don’t say anything to him…I want him to have these experiences. However, I have had some personal experiences with the ocean/sharks that have added to my dread of diving. If you have been diving before, I would love to hear some of your personal experiences (preferably positive) or words of wisdom that may lessen my anxiety for him. Thank you!
rj…I went to look at your site – looks great! I bookmarked it and will be going back to look over some things, thanks for the link!
Just thought I would add that the instructor is a friend and has many, many years experience.
*** It depends on the teen. *** Scuba-Diving in general is a huge assumption of Risk. Because I for one can’t breath underwater. However that being said let’s peel back the onion… You’re getting a book here, but personally I believe it’s that important to go in as educated as possible… and the guy at your local store may or may not leave some of this out.
It depends on the teen, does he listen and will he be able to understand and obey the rules that are being taught to him? Does he understand the consaquences of not following the rules?Does he have the physcial ability to complete the task? (the answer to this in most cases is yes. and Much more so than you and I as adults.) Do they have the desire… Ok so you’re good there.
Now let’s look at the lessons… The important thing about scuba lessons is the instructor and the program.
I’m going to generalize here so forgive me. If the program is 4 days and the instructor is a 22 y/o kid who is in great shape and constantly talks about shooting fish and is doing it to make some money and meet some chicks, this is probably not the program a parent would want their child if they knew all the facts. However / your son may think he’s the coolest instructor ever.
These basic openwater classes are one of the times where "less is not more" if you took lessons just on price, you probably are getting the short end. You want your son to have as much time in the water (pool and open water) with an instructor as possible. I see that the majority of divers here in flordia complete their open water class with only 2 pool dives. If you can find a program that will have a 3rd / you’ve given them 50% more time to get used to what they are doing. More is better. Some classes have multiple pool session and these are the best for the new students. It also gives the instructor more time to evaluate and guide the student rather than turn out the required number of divers this month.
As a parent what can you do to ensure he’s safe? Well one thing is to make sure he’s diving with someone who is expierenced and safe. Find him a dive mentor / someone who will watch our for him a bit knowing he’s new. Someone with some advanced training that will know how to handle a rough situation that "could" occur. This is the best insurance. I would advise not to have him do dive with another novice without having some good dives under his belt. My wife and I went though openwater together / and learned a lot together "on the job" we are lucky that we know each other’s limits and communicate well. 2 teens (assuming he’s a diver and not a junior diver) that are new divers and diving together may push each other a bit and put themselves in a situation that is riskier than it needs to be. Two teens with supervision / not a problem.
Oh, and as a new diver you tend to focus on the immediate space around or the big nothing. By diving with someone who knows that area / knows what to look for you will see sooooooooo much more. This in itself is a way that people get hooked on diving. You’d be suprized how much you miss if you don’t know it’s there.
The second thing would be advanced training. After a few dives have him go back for the advanced course. (not saying this to make a dive shop more money as some people may think…) but it puts him back in a learning mode in the presents of an instructor. (again this is a safety blanket) It also is a review of skills that he learned in openwater (that was the first time he’s seen them) now that he’s had some dives to understand them, and instructor can help him refine them. This will also make him more comfortable in the water and keep his intrest level peaked.
This isn’t meant to scare, but there’s the normal way / and a better – safer way. Tons of divers get by going through the normal channels and many go on to become good proficient divers. While a lot of them make a big investment / do it once or twice don’t have the comfort level they thought they would and hang up the fins.
Good training builds solid comfortable divers who have an interest if their sport and the water around them, they are safe divers and don’t take unnecessary chances. It becomes a passion. And I must say it’s just plain cool.
The positive words would be this . Diving is way to open up a world you only thought you knew. As a begining diver you will see a lot of cool stuff / with a little more time you will see what you missed. Diving can take you in many directions / In the last 2 months alone I found some 10 million + year old sharks teeth in shallow water (something even new divers can do on the west coast of florida) I dove on 2 shipwrecks and in a cavern (takes a little while and a lot of training to get into caverns and caves) I even dove in a great big aquarium at Epcot. I’ve seen sharks, eagle rays, goliath grouper (think WV size
) and Manatee. Even saw an aligator! What’s cooler
ANY structured activity is good for teens – Just look at the alternative! Yes diving can be dangerous if you are not careful, but I would be more worried about him driving a car (much more than scuba), doing drugs, etc..
Scuba diving is as safe as you make it. The courses are geared to make you aware of what might happen, proper steps in preventing problems and what to do if a problem occurs.
I can understand your concerns even though I don’t have kids. I have been teaching scuba to people who range in age from 10 to 75 years of age for the last twenty six years.
I also manage a dive store/training facility.
http://www.visibilityunlimited.com (if you wanted to take a peek)
I do remember one 12 year old that was getting low grades at school which turned around to almost straight As after he took the course. I found that Scuba Diving teaches you to think before you act and I found it to be a great way to relax and reduce stress.
As far as the marine life, it is rare to see sharks while scuba diving (not including nurse sharks). I hate to say this to you, but when I do see a shark, I am in total awe. They are graceful creatures.
I doubt that you will totally be worry-free after reading this but hopefully you will be able to worry less.
I made only one mistake prior to my first Ocean dive which was to watch Jaws one and Jaws 2 the night before my trip. Talk about nervous. But in order to make movies like that they have to make the plots exciting otherwise it would just be a documentary,
I had already been in my 25th year of diving, when my Mother began watching the animal planet channel. After seeing some of the stuff on it such as shark diving and cavern diving she began saying "You don’t do that stuff do you? My answer is usually the same "Already did it Mom" To which she replies " As long as you are safe doing it"
yes
Well I think that scuba-diving is safe. Just be make sher that he has a good instructor and he will be well trained. It is just a mom thing that your going thru. My mom is the same you will never get over it. I is just the way you are supposed to be. But you can just remain com and it will all be good. I hope he likes scuba diving!