January 12th, 2010
Snorkeling and Scuba Diving… info please?
Okay so this may seem a little unusual to ask but if i cannot swim, wouldnt it be a good idea to go snorkeling or scuba diving? i would have someone with me who knows how to swim but i would have though it would be easier as you wear you have an oxygen tank on your bank therefore you wouldnt panic causing yourself to drown? or am i wrong in thinking this?
Speaking as a former lifeguard, and SCUBA instructor, I would strongly recommend you learn to swim properly first, before trying either of these two activities. Both require one to be comfortable about being in the water, including getting one’s face wet, which is not the case for most non-swimmers (and even doggy-paddlers are pushing it).
Although no certification is needed to go snorkelling, and wearing a life vest will stop you from sinking, that may not be enough to enable you to enjoy it. And since that is the whole point of any recreational activity, there is little to be gained from doing so, apart from stress (both for you and anyone who goes with you).
This applies to an even greater extent in SCUBA diving, which has a far higher risk index, including factors that non-divers (and even some entry-level divers, in my experience) have difficulty comprehending. Any diver without a supervisional diving qualification (e.g. PADI Divemaster equivalent or better), who would nonetheless take his non-swimmer friend diving, is destined at best for a stressful experience (for both parties) and at worst, a serious accident, with the accompanying guilt and/or lawsuits (or even criminal prosecution, if the accident is fatal).
One of the prerequisites for becoming certified as a scuba diver is being able to swim, and under PADI standards one of the ‘medical contraindications’ (i.e. absolute no-nos) to starting a course is ‘to overcome a fear e.g. of the water’. No professional instructor (professionalism being defined in terms of ability, knowledge, responsibility, and ethics, rather than simply ‘paid’), regardless of agency, would certify a total non-swimmer to dive.
Having said all that, subject to successful tryouts in standing depth first, I have taken non-swimmers for shallow intro-dives (no certifications issued) in sheltered open water. I had to do everything for them except breathe, but that’s OK, because they enjoyed the experience. However, this very much depends on the individual (both diver and instructor).
