SCUBA stands for: “Self Contained Underwater Breathing Apparatus”

Essential scuba diving equipment includes a mask, snorkel, fins, regulator, buoyancy control device (BCD), and exposure protection (wetsuit or drysuit). You’ll also need weights and a tank filled with compressed air. Normally as a beginner you do not need to own any scuba diving equipment as it comes included in your course package, but check with your local dive shop before the dive to confirm.

The duration of scuba diving certification courses varies, but most entry-level courses, such as the PADI Open Water Diver course, take about 2-3 days to complete.

It depends how long does your air lasts underwater and that is effected mainly by 2 factors: your air consumption and the depth. Your air consumption is directly related with your breathing control, stress levels and healthy habits. For example people who practice cardio activities more often or are non smokers have better air consumption. In the depth, the pressure of the water increases as you go deeper, and your body needs to work harder to breathe against the increased pressure, hence you will use more air.

Some health conditions may preclude individuals from scuba diving. It’s essential to consult with a physician and complete a medical questionnaire before the immersion to ensure you’re fit to dive.

The cost of scuba diving varies depending on factors such as certification courses, equipment purchase or rental, dive trips, and additional expenses like accommodation and transportation. For example the price in the Caribbean region of Colombia of the PADI Open Water Diver course moves around 1,500,000 COP ~ 390 USD and Fun Dive around 350,000 COP ~ 95 USD for 2 immersions.

Compared with other popular adventure sports and outdoor activities, learning to scuba dive isn’t expensive. It is a great value when you consider that you learn to dive under the guidance and attention of a highly trained, experienced professional – your PADI Instructor. What’s more, you receive an internationally recognized certification to scuba dive at the end of a PADI course.

Scuba diving courses typically include a combination of classroom sessions, confined water (pool) training, and open water dives. You’ll learn essential diving skills, safety procedures, and dive planning. The theoretical part is mostly online, where you can study in a confort of your home or wherever you find yourself at the moment.

Underwater communication primarily relies on hand signals. Divers learn a standardized set of signals to communicate with their dive buddy and others underwater.

Marine life varies depending on the dive location, but common encounters include tropical fish, coral reefs, sea turtles, rays, sharks (often harmless species), and sometimes larger marine mammals like dolphins or whales.

In Tayrona National Park in the Caribbean coast region of Colombia, you can spot many lobsters, angel fish, trumpet fish, pufferfish, moray eels, tortugas, seahorses, octopus, squids, brain corrals, elkhorn corrals, among others.