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FAQs General
Questions
1. Where do I
start?
By taking the plunge and making
the decision to contact one of the dive schools on this site! Contact them
prior to your arrival or simply note down their contact details and call in in
person when you arrive on the island.
2. Is it rational
to worry about panicking whilst underwater?
Of course it's rational to worry.
But here's a quick test to see if you've got what it takes. Go into your
bathroom, fill the sink with water, close your eyes and pinch your nose.
Duck your head into the water and hold this position for a few seconds. If
you managed to pull your head out without having a panic attack then you'll be
fine when it comes to learning how to dive. All you really need are good
overall health and to feel comfortable in and around water.
3. I'm not
a strong swimmer. Does that matter?
Let's be honest, it's
better for both yourself and those around you if you can swim to
reasonable standard. As it is PADI specify that you should be able to
swim 200 metres with no equipment or 300 metres with a mask, fins and snorkel.
4. Is scuba
diving expensive?
Taking an Open Water dive
course in Koh Chang coasts around 10,000 Baht (~US$250). Owning all your
own equipment is great but you'll find that this isn't necessary as your dive
operator will provide all the equipment that you require.
Like any hobby, you can invest as much or as little as you like depending on
your level of interest - a keen mountain biker or snow skier would spend a
similar amount of equipment as a keen diver.
5. Shark
attack!!! How likely is it?
'Jaws' has got a lot to answer
for. The simple fact is that the vast majority of marine life is more
afraid of you that you should be of it. Humans are not the natural prey of
sharks and in most of the world shark attacks are extremely rare. The
attacks that do happen, almost always do so by accident and happen to swimmers and surfers,
not divers.
The shark mistakes the splashing on the surface for a seal or sea lion, and
takes a bite. As we don't taste like seal or sea lion, one bite is usually the
end of it but, unfortunately, even a single shark bite can cause a lot of
damage.
6. My ears hurt
when I swim to the bottom of a pool, is that a problem?
Your ears hurt because
of the water pressure on your eardrum. It's the same effect that you feel
when the airplane you're in takes off or lands. During your scuba course you'll
learn simple techniques to equalize your ears to the surrounding pressure.
7.
What's in a scuba tank & how long does it last?
Recreational divers breathe air,
not oxygen. The air in a scuba tank is like the air you're breathing now but is
also filtered to remove impurities. People breathe at different rates and
as you go deeper you consume air faster. As a guide a diver in calm, warm
water, 5-10 metres below the surface can spend about one hour underwater with an
standard size tank.
8. What if
I run out of air?
It's true that safe diving does
rely on the use of life support equipment. One of the most important
pieces of equipment is your air gauge. This tells you exactly how much air
you have left at all times. So you are no more likely to run out of air
than you are to run out of gas while driving a car. During your course you will
also learn how to use tables that which show how long your air will last when
diving at certain depths.
9. I wear
glasses/contact lenses, can I wear them whilst diving?
Wearing soft contact lenses or
gas permeable hard lenses to dive shouldn't be a problem while you dive.
Glasses can't be worn for obvious reasons, however those with an aversion to
contacts can have prescription lenses put into a face mask.
10. Is
learning to dive difficult?
No, it's probably easier than you
imagine -- especially if you're already comfortable in the water. PADI's
entry-level course consists of pool diving, classroom-based knowledge
development and open water dives. The course is performance based, meaning
that you progress as you learn and demonstrate knowledge and skill. Your
instructor will ensure that you progress at a pace that is comfortable for
you.
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