PADI - Skin Diver

Skin Diver in Mexico

Who should take this course?

Skin diving is snorkeling while making breath-hold dives to observe aquatic life, up close and personal. It’s a great way to explore the underwater world when you’re not able to scuba dive or if scuba diving just isn’t your thing. The PADI Skin Diver course teaches you how to enjoy watching life below the surface and comfortably venture underwater for short visits. For those avid Skin Divers, you may want to look at the PADI Freediver programs. This is a program where you learn to stay for longer periods of time underwater!

To enroll in a PADI Skin Diver course, you must be at least 8 years old. You need adequate swimming skills and comfort in the water. No prior experience is required.

What will you learn?

The PADI Skin Diver course teaches you about:

  • How to choose, adjust and use skin diving equipment.
  • Basic safety guidelines for being in and around the water.
  • Snorkeling and skin diving techniques including checking buoyancy, surface swimming, clearing water from your snorkel and performing effortless surface dives.
  • Going on an optional skin dive at a local dive site.

How can you start learning now?

Enroll in a course at your local Beach Cities Scuba Center, and get started earning your PADI Skin Diver certification. Ask your instructor about the PADI Discover the Underwater World video and companion piece – The Snorkeler’s Field Guide. Although not required for the course, the video has great tips that will come in handy when you hit the water and the field guide covers different underwater environments along with common aquatic life.

What gear will you use?

The PADI Skin Diver course teaches you how to use basic snorkeling equipment including a mask, snorkel, fins, snorkeling vest, exposure protection like a wetsuit and dive weights as needed.

Check with your local Beach Cities Scuba Center about the gear you’ll need for this course and get advice about skin diving from your PADI Professional.

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