MARINE CORPS AIR STATION IWAKUNI, Japan -- Through the Professional Association of Diving Instructors, with, Marines and sailors can pursue an interest in scuba diving lessons and certification on the basic and advanced levels at the Shark Bait Dive Center here.
To take the course at the basic level, the cost is $260, which includes all equipment and course curriculum.
The specialty courses, which include Advanced Open Water, Rescue Diver, Wreck Diving, Night Diving and Deep Diving, can be taken for $200 for specialty at the Shark Bait Dive Center April through Oct.
The first step in becoming a certified diver is to take the Basic Open Water Scuba Course, which upon completion will grant certification for divers to dive up to 60 feet.
The basic course consists of 3 to 4 days of classroom instruction, confined water training and open water dives on Saturdays and Sundays.
Participants must pass a skill assessment, which includes a 300-meter swim and treading water for 10 minutes.
Once enrolled in the course, participants will learn the importance of diving safety.
“You need to be trained by a qualified, certified instructor,” said Stephanie Brown, aquatics director. “Diving is safe, but you have to make sure you learn the proper techniques and what to do.”
Divers will learn how to handle and maintain equipment.
“Most importantly, PADI teaches divers how to maintain their equipment because a lot of it is really expensive,” said Katie Wall, PADI certified diver.
The basic course teaches divers how to use weight belts to equalize their weight in the water.
The instructor will also teach divers how to clear their masks by inhaling through the mouth and exhaling through the nose to rid the mask of water that may have seeped in.
Not knowing how to properly clear the mask can make scuba diving a less enjoyable experience.
“Lets say you’re down scuba diving and your mask gets knocked off,” said Brown. “You have to know how to put it back on and clear it of water.”
“They set up these classes so that it prepares for emergencies and difficult situations,” said Wall.
Students also learn how to equalize the pressure in the ears when diving deep into the water.
“If divers don’t equalize the pressure in their ears, they risk rupturing the eardrum,” said Brown.
“One important thing to remember is to never dive alone,” said Wall. “You should always go with a buddy.”
Learning how to communicate with fellow divers is also an important safety aspect.
“Obviously, you can’t talk under water so they teach you different hand signals and gestures for certain things,” said Brown.
One thing divers must be aware of is the wildlife that may be either harmful or harmed by interaction or disturbance.
“It’s about safety for you and for the animals,” said Wall. “You learn space."
“You get to see a lot of wildlife,” she added. “You get a chance to learn their behavior, what they like to eat, what they don’t like, and how they interact with other organisms and with you in the water.”
Once the Basic Open Water Course is completed, divers are given the opportunity to pursue the Advanced Open Water course.
The course involves more open water training and will certify basic divers to dive up to a depth of 100 feet.
In the Rescue Diver Course, divers learn self rescue techniques, recognizing and managing stress in the water, emergency equipment and rescuing other divers.
Wreck Diving is of a special interest to some divers, which consists of techniques for diving and exploring shipwrecks.
The Wreck Diving Course will teach divers how to avoid common hazards, how to research and learn the background of wrecks, equipment used, and techniques upon entering a wreck.
In the Night Diving Course, divers learn how to plan during a night dive, organize, procedures and techniques.
Some techniques of night diving include controlling buoyancy at night, navigation and nocturnal aquatic life.
The Deep Diving Course offers a curriculum in deep range dives into depths of approximately 130 feet.
There are plenty of local beaches near Iwakuni that certified divers can explore, including Riazaki, Kataozoe, Oshima and Nodahama Beach.
“It is really pretty in Oshima, and the water is really clear,” said Brown. “It is also deeper, so we take our advanced divers there.”
“Scuba diving is easy to learn, but it takes a lot of confidence,” said Wall. “The most important tool you take down there is your brain. Just remember to trust your equipment, trust your training and your knowledge.”
The Shark Bait Dive Center provides gear rental including wet suits, masks, fins, snorkel, weight belts, buoyancy compensator devices, scuba tanks, dive computers, etc.
In order to rent the gear, divers need to bring certification.
For more information, visit the Shark Bait Dive Center or call 253-6058.