It's not like riding a bike. To scuba dive safely, you need professional training. Today, we answer your questions on how to engage in this exciting, yet dangerous sport, responsibly.
Question: Do I need to get certified? Complete a certification course from either NAUI (National Association of Underwater Instructors, naui.org) or PADI (Professional Association of Diving Instructors, padi.com), and dive shops around the world will let you do your thing up to 50 feet deep with minimal supervision. Courses take about 30 to 40 hours, with the main focus on safety and understanding the equipment. Lukewarm about all the time and money required? Skip to question #3.
Question: Where should I get certified? At home or on vacation?
Outfitters at popular diving spots teach the entire course in four days, but it's more pragmatic and affordable to do most of the coursework at a neighborhood pool. You then get your certification card after a few training dives out in the open seas. "I always recommend that the academic and technical work be done before going on vacation," says Jean-Michel Cousteau, president of the Ocean Futures Society and son of diving legend Jacques Cousteau. "Most ocean diving is so idyllic, and there are so many distractions, that it's best to be qualified and competent beforehand." Contact NAUI, PADI, or a local dive shop to find out where courses are offered.
Question: Can I go diving without getting certified? Yes, to an extent. Many hotels and dive shops offer "resort courses." These typically consist of a morning session in a pool followed by a shallow dive in the ocean with an instructor. "The resort course is good for someone not quite sure about scuba diving," says Malen Thompson, a PADI representative. "It gives you a taste of the experience."
Question: How long will I be in the water? For certified divers, the morning typically consists of two dives, each using up a tank of compressed air (a two-tank trip, as it's called). You venture out for a 40-minute descent, take a break, then motor over to a shallower site for a second dip. By lunchtime, most people find they're had their limit of saltwater for the day. "any of our divers want the afternoons free to hike, mountain bike, or kayak," says Karen Moise, owner of Nature Island Dive, on the Caribbean island of Dominica (natureislanddive.com). If you're not a morning person, afternoon and even night dives--with flashlights--are often available.
Question: What will I see? It depends on where you go. Australia's Great Barrier Reef is a cold-water favorite, with chances to see sharks and three-foot-wide clams. Boat wrecks are the big draws in the Bermuda Triangle and Micronesia.The South Pacific is famous for warm waters, spectacular visibility, and colorful corals. Much of the Caribbean has a good mix of wrecks and reefs. There are often dozens of options within each region, so ask around.
Question: Should I rent or buy? There's always that one guy huffing and puffing in the airport as he carts heavy tanks and the latest nifty regulators. Just rent the stuff! That said, many divers always travel with their masks. It's hard to find the perfect fit around the bridge of your nose.
Question: What's the diver-to-instructor ratio? Many boats have space for 20 or more divers, but big groups can be overwhelming. With fewer divers, guides are more relaxed--and more likely to show you that moray eel hidden in the crevice or where puffer fish can be found puffing. Aim for a diver-to-instructor ratio of about four to one. If you're stuck with a large group, ask if it's OK to leave them behind. "More-experienced divers like independence," says Buck Butler, editor of Scuba Diving. "They don't mind a big group if they can go off on their own."
Question: How far is the boat ride? Getting to the reef off the Caribbean's Grand Turk takes five minutes by boat. But at Raiatea, French Polynesia, boat rides can be a rocky 45 minutes, which might make you too woozy to dive. Take non-drowsy seasickness medication if you're going to be on a boat more than 30 minutes. Or skip the long ride entirely.
Question: How deep will we go? There are instructors who lead divers to depths of 100 feet, only to be immersed in darkness. The finest dives are usually 40 to 60 feet below the water's surface, where fish are bountiful and the reef is awash in sunlight. "The only reason to go deeper is to find a wreck," says Butler.
Question: How much will it cost?
Prices vary. In Cozumel, a two-tank dive with a company called Aqua Safari costs $55 (aquasafari.com); a similar dive in in Kauai, with North Shore Divers, is $135 (garden-isle.com/nsdivers). But the biggest expenses on dive trips are lodging and transportation, not the actual dives. You often get the best overall price with a package that includes any combination of diving, accommodations, food, and airfare. Two more ways to save: Visit during a destination's low season, and go where the U.S. dollar is strong.
Related places
Amsterdam's Eastern Docklands
Not too long ago, Amsterdam's Eastern Docklands was the turf of squatters, prostitutes, and drug dealers. Today, the loosely defined region also known as the New East, the New Amsterdam, or Eastern Islands has become more of a destination for modern-design junkies. The area's man-made islands and peninsulas--named Java-eiland, KNSM-eiland, Sporenburg, Borneo-eiland, Veemarktterrein, Abattoirterrein, and the Oostelijke Handelskade--were constructed in the late 19th century and thrived up until the 1970s, when shipping was diverted to the west of the city. But in the late '80s, Amsterdam hatched an ambitious plan for the region, primarily in response to its chronic housing shortage. Consider it a success: In the past decade the Docklands has blossomed into what's now a colorful, densely built mishmash of gentrified warehouses, modern canal houses, and quirky, eye-catching bridges. Each of the smaller islands and peninsulas has a unique character. For example, the Oostelijke Handelskade is filled with spruced-up warehouses. The narrow Java-eiland feels like a mini-Venice, with four waterways that transect it. And the KNSM-eiland features classic buildings with a twist: One highlight includes a massive, rounded wrought-iron gate designed by Antwerp artist Narcisse Tordoir that's considered a triumph of public art. The gate scales the entire height of an eight-story building that resembles an Italian opera house in the island's Barcelona Square. The best way to get a sense of the place is to take a tour. Rederij Lovers has two-and-a-half-hour architecture tours, via boat, which are currently only offered in English for groups over 20 and depart every Sunday afternoon. Alternately, Arttra and Bakker & Bakker both lead English-language walking tours for smaller groups. However, it's far cheaper--and more fun--to go off on your own: ARCAM, the Amsterdam Center for Architecture, sells a helpful map with noteworthy sites on it. Architecture is definitely the main draw. Check out the Scheepstimmermanstraat (Shipwright Street) on Borneo-eiland. Nine years ago, 60 narrow plots of land were parceled out to buyers, each of whom was encouraged to use a different, innovative architect. Though each home is on the water, measures exactly the same width, and incorporates tall windows, the designs are remarkably varied. From afar they come off like a standing row of deconstructed dominoes. On the nearby Eastern Dock, be sure to visit the copper-clad NEMO National Center for Science and Technology, a museum that is a large-scale approximation of a ship's bow, and Muziekgebouw aan 't IJ, Amsterdam's newest concert hall. Opening this summer, the hall will feature a mix of opera, classical, contemporary, jazz, and electronic music. As one would expect in a neighborhood with a lot of cutting-edge architecture, there are a number of design-centric boutiques. Many of them are in one small stretch of the KNSM-eiland, so it's possible to spend an hour or two window shopping. Pol's Potten sells bright and functional home and garden accessories; Dominio has a whimsical collection of Italian clothes, furniture, and housewares. The five-month-old Lloyd Hotel allows travelers to make the Docklands more than a day trip. Built in 1921 to house Eastern Europeans as they awaited ships to emigrate to South America, the Lloyd was converted into a juvenile prison in 1964. Now the 116 uniquely designed rooms--some of which used to be former cells--showcase Dutch furniture and cost between $100 to $380 (though only 14 are at the lowest price). And the Lloyd's bright, modern Snel Restaurant has long hours, from 7 a.m. to 1 a.m. The area's most famous new restaurant is Fifteen, an outpost of celebrity chef Jamie Oliver's London flagship. Open since December, the restaurant (which is located in a huge warehouse on the waterfront) isn't cheap, but the adjoining trattoria has a similar style and decently priced pasta and risotto à la carte. Given the Docklands' seafaring roots, a more fitting place to eat is in one of the several restaurants housed in boats. Once a Ukrainian vessel used for shipping, Odessa is now a French/international restaurant. Sip an Odessa Special cocktail ($8; vodka, crème fraîche, champagne) in the low-ceilinged below-deck lounge, or, if weather permits, dine outside. Also in a ship--a barge, to be precise--Einde van de Wereld (End of the World) serves humble food cooked by former squatters, on Wednesdays and Fridays from 6 p.m. For a picnic in one of the Docklands' many parks, stop by Roos en Noor, a deli in De Walvis, an office building that resembles a beached whale. Dishes like goat cheese quiche, Vietnamese salad with peanuts, and Thai curry are priced by weight. A day of high-design hopping is best finished by revisiting the Docklands' wild roots. For that, head to Azart, an eccentric, Felliniesque cabaret boat--also known as the Ship of Fools. A man named August Dirks is the unlikely captain of a motley crew of performers. The boat, only open on Fridays from 11 p.m., has burlesque theater and cheap drinks. If only the boat would take you back to your hotel.... Getting to the Eastern Docklands Amsterdam's main train depot, Centraal Station, is practically on the doorstep of the Eastern Docklands, so it's feasible to walk to where the neighborhood starts--though the wind can be relentless. Beginning in June, a tram (#26) will start running from Centraal Station to the area. Another option is to arrive by water; two ferries run a route every 20 minutes from Steiger 8 (Pier 8) behind the station and drop you off at Java-eiland. It's a 10-minute trip and costs $1.30. Alternately, bus 42 heads from the station to the Oostelijke Handelskade, then Java-eiland and KNSM-eiland; night bus 359 takes over running the route from midnight to dawn. You'll need to buy a strippenkaart, a card priced according to how far you travel. For more information, consult the transit authority (gvb.nl, 011-31/20-460-0606). Operators Rederij Lovers 011-31/20-530-1090, $25 including coffee, tea, and cake Arttra 011-31/20-625-9303, $144 per hour per group Bakker & Bakker 011-31/20-683-6359, $102 per hour per group Lodgings Lloyd Hotel Oostelijke Handelskade 34, 011-31/20-561- 3636, lloydhotel.nl Food Odessa Veemkade 259, 011-31/20-419-3010, three courses $35 Einde van de Wereld next to Javakade 2, 011-31/20-419-0222, cash only, dishes from $7 Roos en Noor Baron G. A. Tindalstraat 148, 011-31/20-419- 1440, dishes $2-$3 per 3.5 oz. Fifteen Jollemanhof 9, 011-31/20-509-5011, à la carte plates average about $26 Azart Azartplein 117, no phone, azart.org, beer $1.90, no cover Attractions NEMO National Center for Science and Technology 011-31/20-531-3233, e-nemo.nl Muziekgebouw aan 't IJ Piet Heinkade 1, 011-31/20-788-2010 muziekgebouw.nl Po's Potten KNSM-laan 39, 011-31/20-419-3541 Dominio KNSM-laan 301, 011-31/20-419-0546 ARCAM Prins Hendrikkade 600, 011-31/20-620-4878, Tues.-Sat., 1 p.m.-5 p.m., maps $9.60