Articles

Getting Certified To Scuba Key West
by Christine OKelly

The benefits of these certification courses are worth the time and effort. Once you're certified, you can explore the open ocean in a way that few people ever enjoy. You will see live fish swimming past you that other people will only ever see in pictures and will experience sights that few people have seen. When you're ready to head to the island, one of these courses will be the right one certify you for the scuba dives you desire.

Open Water Courses

With open water courses, you'll gain the skills needed for certification to dive anywhere in the world. You can scuba Key West, the Bahamas, or any other prized location. If you believe that scuba diving is a big part of your future, an open water course is probably best for you as you can dive anywhere upon completion.

An open water certification course takes about three days to complete. You'll spend the first day in the classroom learning rules, safety precautions, and more. Day two will have you jumping in the water of a pool as you learn techniques before heading out for your first boat dive under the supervision of an instructor. You'll complete more complex supervised ocean dives on day three of your open water certification course. If your instructor thinks you're ready, you'll earn your certification and can head out on your own.

Check-Out Referral Courses

It's a lot more common than you might think for a person to have completed the coursework and pool dives necessary to earn their certification without completing the supervised ocean dives required. If this is something that sounds really familiar, you will benefit from a check-out referral course.

This course typically takes two afternoons to complete where you'll participate in two supervised ocean dives daily. To qualify for this course, you must have the proper documentation and proven knowledge and skills from the knowledge development and confined water sessions of the open water certification course.

Refreshers

If you have your scuba certification, but haven't been to the ocean floor in 24 months or more, you should consider taking a refresher course. During a refresher, you'll go over everything in a pool with your instructor who will answer any questions and will review any techniques that may be rusty. A refresher course ensures you're at the top of your game so you can thoroughly enjoy your scuba Key West adventure.

About the Author

Christine O'Kelly is a writer for Key West Dive Center. They offer a scuba Key West adventure.