Frequently Asked Questions

1. Can anyone learn to scuba dive?

If you're healthy and reasonably fit, can swim unassisted in deep water for at least 5 minutes and don't suffer from heart disease, high blood pressure or breathing difficulties, then you can learn to scuba dive.

Obviously, the more comfortable you are in the water and the more skilled a swimmer you are, the quicker you'll learn the skills required.

2. How safe is scuba diving?

According to statistics, scuba diving, when practiced responsibly according to your training, is safer than most sports, including bowling. Of course there are inherent dangers to being underwater and being dependent on mechanical equipment for survival, but proper training will minimize the risk. Those who get hurt are most often those who have not taken the training courses or practiced in the safe confines of a pool before attempting dives in open water or are those who act recklessly and dive beyond their abilities.

3. Is scuba diving expensive?

Depending on how much diving you intend to do, it can be relatively inexpensive (~$90 to rent equipment for a full weekend of diving or ~$35 for a "Wet Wednesday" evening dive).

If, like some of us, you fall madly in love with the sport, then you're better off buying your own equipment. Like any sport, you can buy top-of-the-line or shop for quality used equipment at season-end sales.

You can buy a few pieces each season until you're fully equipped and rent what you don't have or buy a complete professional kit (fins, mask, snorkel, wet suit, tank, belt, buoyancy control device and regulator) for $2500 and up. It's up to you.

4. Does the OUT Divers club teach scuba?

No. We are not a teaching club, but we can point you in the right direction to get quality instruction and we often will get personally involved to schedule and attend practices and pool sessions with new students. It's a great way for us to get to know new members as well as to practice our own skills.

5. What's involved in learning to scuba dive?

Well, first you should sign up for a "Discover Scuba" session to make sure you'll enjoy it and to see what it's like. This is a free lesson where an instructor shows you the bare essentials to operate the equipment, then takes you underwater in a pool to try it out for a while. There's no obligation and an OUT Divers member may be able to arrange to accompany you when you go if you like. OUT Divers periodically schedules group Discover sessions so watch our web calendar or join our Yahoo group to be kept informed about them.

Once you've decided that it really is for you and you want to go ahead with getting certified, you can sign up for a course with a local dive shop. OUT Divers occasionally arranges group courses if enough individuals are interested so let us know and we'll try to arrange something if we can.

The course includes either several weeknights of class and pool work, or can be concentrated over a single weekend.

Once your class and pool work are done, you must complete four open water dives with an instructor to get your Open Water Certification. This will allow you to dive to a maximum depth of 60 feet.

You can then continue your training to learn other specializations like:

6. Are there other GLBT scuba clubs?

There are quite a few other GLBT clubs and we often plan dives and trips together. Check out the Links section for a list of other clubs in Canada and abroad.

7. I'm claustrophobic, afraid of heights, afraid of going under water, etc...

Lots of us have fears that stop us from doing fun things and many people decide not to try scuba because of fears. It's unfortunate because as a result, they miss out on an amazing opportunity.

There are many scuba divers that had fears (of enclosed spaces, of wildlife, of heights, etc...) and overcame those fears to learn to dive.

The important thing is that you take things slowly and patiently. Sometimes it's only a question of perspective...

For example, instead of thinking of that snug wet suit, weights, BCD and all that surrounding water as heavy, oppressive and entrapping, think of it all as a means to total freedom of effortless movement though a wild and exciting landscape of exploration and discovery.

As students, I think we all have had moments of panic or fear at the situation we were in (ex: the first time you look up and realize there's 50 feet of water between you and the surface) but overcoming those fears by trusting in our skills, our equipment and our dive buddy makes us stronger and enhances our appreciation for nature.

The free "Discover Scuba" program that's offered by most dive-teaching shops is an excellent way to try scuba in a safe, indoor environment. With the help of a dive professional, you can first try it out in the shallow end of the pool and whenever you're ready, you can move into the deep end and decide for yourself if scuba is right for you!

Do it at your own pace... No one will ever rush you.

8. I don't have a buddy to dive with... Can I still scuba dive?

You should never dive alone. It's one of the first things you learn when you take a scuba course.

However, one of the main reasons we started OUT Divers is so that scuba divers can meet other divers and through this type of networking, ensure that you'll always have a dive buddy at hand on any dive. Don't let the fact that none of your friends scuba dive stop you from taking up the sport; we'll find you a dive buddy!