Perth Scuba Diving – Who can learn to dive in Perth?

Tips to get ready for your Open Water Diver Course

How do you know if you are ready to learn to dive in Perth for your Bucket List experience? Can anyone scuba dive? Practical tips to help you decide. To find out if you should jump straight into Perth scuba training or take some time to brush up on the fundamentals first, we’ve splashed out on some advice for you to consider.

Why do you want to learn to dive? Mental preparation

You’ve seen the fabulous images of a whole new blue planet underneath the surface. Maybe you’ve got friends who SCUBA dive and you’ve been dreaming of joining in. Or maybe you’re looking for a family bonding or team building activity.

Some people start diving to complement their studies, or because they dream of a marine or conservation related career.

Whatever the reason, it needs to be something you want. Any professional will tell you they’ve come across both kinds of people. The people who love to scuba dive, and the people who scuba dive because someone else wants them to.

Both are ok, but remember there is training and learning involved in becoming a good diver and being a good dive buddy, even after you are certified. If you don’t have a genuine interest in exploring the fascinating and beautiful secrets below the surface, the journey might be a little tougher than you’d expect.

To some, skills seem to come naturally and to others a little more work is needed. People who want to do something apply themselves more and are not put off if it takes a little more effort and practice then they had expected.

Decide before you start training, am I ready to focus, train and learn?

Are you comfortable with snorkelling or Skin-diving skills?

Like walking before you run, you have to swim before you learn to dive. I know it sounds like common sense but hear this out. There is swimming and there is swimming for diving.

Swimming comfortably for a minimum of 200 meters and floating with your head above water for a minimum of 10 minutes is essential to be able to complete a PADI Open Water Diver course. You also need to be comfortable using a mask, snorkel, and fins.

Some can swim and feel confident in a pool, or if they can touch or see the bottom. Have you ever tested your confidence out a little deeper? If so, that is a tick, you can check out the next section.

If you haven’t tried snorkelling deeper than you can stand in the ocean or not touching the bottom makes you a little nervous, why not try a guided snorkel (aka Skin dive). Doing this is a great first step to building confidence with experienced buddies.

Lots of Perth snorkel guides also scuba dive and can give you advice on the right equipment to use for diving and getting the right fit and tips for using it. A PADI Snorkelling course or experience can help teach you confidence with the fundamentals. If you take the time to become comfortable, the transition to SCUBA will be much smoother.

If you want to learn to dive in Perth, first learn to snorkel.

When you learn to dive in Perth, you equalise.

When you get your PADI SCUBA Diving medical form completed, you will notice questions about wellness and your ears. You may have practiced equalising when swimming or snorkelling before. If not, you are going to become familiar with it as a PADI Open Water Diver.

If you regularly have problems with your ears and sinuses it is worth discussing this with your medical professional. You will rely on these every time you dive and even the smallest sign that something is up with your body must be listened to before making the decision to dive or not dive on any and every given day.

There are tips and techniques to equalising properly, so don’t fear if you haven’t been able to do it before. PADI Online learning resources talk you through the different techniques and if you want to try getting your equalisation skills sorted first, you can have a chat with a snorkelling guide, freediving instructor or scuba instructor. There are also some great equalisation workshops around Perth.

The PADI online learning and the diving medical form is there to help and protect. Lots of common physical and medical conditions do not interfere with diving. Being open and honest before your first day and raising any concerns with your Doctor helps everyone plan to keep the course safe and relevant to you.

How is your fitness?

We’re not talking Iron Man level here, but Perth scuba diving does require a certain level of fitness. There are adaptive techniques your instructor can teach you if there is something you can’t quite get or are physically unable to do, but first you need to be aware of and talk about your limits.

Regular physical activity is important for cardio health and diving fitness.

Granted, most of diving is super relaxing. Floating in the big blue, hovering weightlessly. There are parts that require work, lifting, carrying equipment, surface swimming and sometimes swimming in currents or climbing ladders with equipment on.

Instructors know and have encountered ways to help overcome and adapt to physical limitations. Make sure you are open and honest about your limits and concerns.

Picture by Bucket list Diver

Diving is what you make it. It can be a fun occasional experience or a life changing lifestyle choice. Once you start to uncover the discoveries and adventures that a scuba life in Perth has to offer, you might wonder why you never tried it sooner.

Taking up a Scuba hobby can make you look at your home in a whole new way. What used to be a beautiful beach is suddenly now a thriving ecosystem full of rare and beautiful creatures. After the first glimpse of a window into calmly observing this other world, places that used to not mean much become possible new scuba dive sites to explore with friends and new dive buddies.

When you choose to learn to dive in Perth with Bucket List Diver also means your final day on the boat will be at the gorgeous marine reserve of Rottnest Island or at the stunning Lena wreck in Bunbury.

Image by Salty Dragon – Weedy Sea Dragon

Very soon, you could be exploring the beauty of Crystal Palace at Rottnest Island or spending a Thursday evening in Fremantle meeting the local endangered Weedy Sea dragons. Ask us about the Free PADI introduction to scuba diving online learning or join our Perth scuba instructors on a guided snorkel or introduction dive to find out more about diving courses and when you can learn to dive in Perth.

Divers exploring the wonder of sunlight pouring through at Crystal Palace, Rottnest

What is your Perth Scuba diving dream or Bucket List experience?

Contact us to let us know why you want to learn to dive in Perth.

We will help you make it happen.

When you choose to take a Scuba course or learn to dive in Perth with Bucket list diver, you support small business and local community members.

Help us to continue to offer these incredible experiences to the people of Perth. We’ll show future generations an environment worth protecting.