Broadly speaking, you need to deal with two questions:
- Am I mentally ready to dive?
- Am I physically capable of diving?
Mental Readiness
Diving is, at its best, a deeply relaxing activity where one can visit an alien environment and explore the aquatic world.
Are you at ease floating in water too deep to stand up in? This is a sport with infinite rewards for those who love being in and around the water. However, it can also accentuate any deeply felt fears and phobias that you may harbor.
Are you mature enough to be a buddy? This question is geared more towards potential Junior Divers (under 15 years of age) but is equally applicable to adults. When you get in the water with someone (your buddy), you need to understand that you are diving as a team. This requires a heightened sense of awareness regarding the status of that individual during the dive. If your buddy is experiencing difficulties (even minor ones), his/her safety is your first priority.
How do you react to unexpected problems? Although most dives occur without a hitch, occasional issues do arise. These issues are generally minor and manageable, so long as one maintains a clear head. Panic is a significant contributor to avoidable dive accidents.
Physical Requirements
You need to know how to swim. I know this may sound like a ridiculous point to raise, but you wouldn't believe how many incredulous stares I have received from individuals when I tell them this in response to inquiries.
Age. For a Junior certification (for which there are depth and buddy restrictions), the minimum age at certain training agencies is 10 years old (recently reduced from 12). I won't go into my personal views on this right now. I am simply reporting what is available. The "adult" certification age is generally 15 years old. There is no stated maximum age, assuming medical fitness.
Medical Fitness to Dive. When you sign up for your open water class, you will be asked to fill out one of these. If you answer "yes" to any of the questions, you will be required to obtain the approval of your physician prior to being enrolled. Needless to say, the details regarding individual medical fitness and diving are well beyond my expertise. I strongly encourage you to do more research on any condition you may have prior to diving. There are two very good web resources for this: Divers Alert Network's Medical FAQ and Dr. Ern Campbell's Diving Medicine Online. Dr. Campbell also has a blog called The Ten Foot Stop.
Physical Fitness. When you complete your certification you will run across plenty of fat divers who pull out a marlboro immediately after a dive. Just be aware that a lack of cardiovascular fitness, obesity and smoking are factors which can increase your risk for diving injury. A physical handicap is not necessarily a contraindication to diving (contact HSA International for more info)
Next: Training
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