Diving in Texas???
One of the first questions people ask me when they find out I dive is, where is the best place you have been? This is a hard question because every dive has been a new adventure. Diving in central Texas is great, because a lot of our local dive spots are spring fed, meaning warm in the winter and cool in the summer (about 72F). The next question is what they need to do to learn. Well if you are at least 10 years old and comfortable in the water, we can teach you to dive.
What does it take to get certified?
Learning to Scuba Dive is probably a lot easier than you expect. If you are comfortable in the water, and have the desire to explore earth's last frontier, then come on out and give it a try. Class is generally conducted over two weekends. The first weekend consists of class room and a lot of time in the Neutral Buoyancy Laboratory (aka the pool, which is indoors and heated). These sessions are conducted at the Divemasters facility on Grissom Rd. The classroom work is an introduction to the academics of Scuba Diving. After a couple hours in the classroom, we will spend the rest of each day in the pool learning how to use the equipment in a safe, controlled environment. The second weekend is spent at a local lake or river where you will get a chance to dive under the guidance of your instructor. We generally make these open water dives at Aquarena Springs in San Marcos, the Comal River in New Braunfels, or Lake Travis near Austin. All of these sites offer outstanding freshwater diving under safe conditions.
Still have questions? This is a list of the FAQs I have been asked and Dive Training magazine has a great FAQ for new divers here.
How much does it cost?
There are a few different costs involved in getting certified, but most new divers spend between $500-$600 to get certified. Tuition is $250, and you will also need to purchase your basic gear (mask, snorkel, fins, and booties), a student pack (text book, dive log, tables, and Certification Card) and rent the remaining gear for the second weekend. Discounts on tuition are also available for groups.
What does this get me?
After this, you will be certified to dive through Scuba Schools International (SSI). This certification is good for life, and allows you to purchase or rent the necessary equipment. While the certification is good for life, it is recommended that you obtain a Scuba Skills Refresher if you don't dive for six months to a year.
Want to get started?
Check out SSI's free online training. Not only will it give you a great intro to Scuba, it will give you a huge head start on your course by doing your academics before class. Just click on the link below to start now. Best of all...IT'S FREE!!!
(Please remember to list Divemasters of San Antonio as your dive shop so that we can retrieve your completion certificate)