Nearly everyone can learn to dive. There are certain exceptions though, people with forms of heart or lung disease or with ear problems. It is always wise to undergo a medical test before you go for a dive in order to make sure that you are fit to do the sport. Still, most people (even those with a history of astma) should have no problem at all.

There are some myths about scuba diving that imply it is very hard of scary. The most commom myths are listed below.

Technical aptitude

You don’t have to some sort of technical wizard at all. If you are not, you just make sure that you always dive under the supervision of a dive instructor or dive master who is. You don’t have to own any equipment and the training for certification will teach you all you need to understand about dive equipment.

Swimming

You also don’t have to be a great swimmer. You just need to comfortable in the water. Many very experienced divers are not very good or stylish swimmers at all.

Swimming too much under water while diving can even be a disadvantage, since it makes you unstable and it will be harder to control your buoyancy.

If you don’t freak out when your hair gets wet and you are comfortable to hold your breath and put your head under water, you are ready to go.

Marine life

Marine life is not scary, as long as you don’t touch it. When you properly control your buoyancy, there is no need to touch anything at all. When you do not disturb marine life, it will not hurt you. Most marine life (even sharks) is many times more scared of you than the other way around.

Breathing under water

Another myth is that it is hard to breathe when you are under water and therefore snorkelling is much easier. In fact, breathing through a snorkel needs more practise, in order to be able to blow the water out of the snorkel in case any gets in.

With a regulator, the device that helps you breathe under water, you can always breathe as long as there is some air in the tank. You can spit, cough, sneeze or throw up in it, with one push on the button up front your regulator is cleared and you are free to breathe again.

You will get extensive training in shallow water first, teaching you how to clear your regulator and what to do when you loose your regulator.

Expenses

No one can deny that diving is an expensive sport, comparable to golf or skiing. Still, the experience is very much worth the money.

The most expensive part of diving is the scuba gear. If you don’t know how much you will be diving yet, there is no need to buy your own equipment, because every dive shop has gear for rent, as well as underwater camera’s and everything else you need. The more you dive, the more it might be worth while to buy your own gear.