do you have to be a really strong swimmer to go scuba diving??

Answer 1

If you just want to do an intro dive, where a professional will take you for a quick splash to try diving and look at the fish, you don't even have to be able to swim (although it's easier on everyone if you can!). However, nearly all scuba training organisations require participants in an entry-level certification course to complete some kind of 'watermanship assessment' during their training (and prior to certification).

Such tests are not (or should not be!) intended to show that a participant is a strong swimmer, but that they are reasonably confident and comfortable in the water. This is far more important for a diver than being an Olympic athlete.

e.g. The biggest and most widespread dive training organisation in the world is the Professional Association of Diving Instructors (PADI, not paddy!). They require participants in their Open Water Diver course to show that they can:

(1) Tread water/float for 10 mins continuously
AND
(2a) Swim 200 m (any stroke) without flotation aids, and without stopping (no time limit),
OR
(2b) Snorkel 300m (in mask, fins and snorkel) without stopping, and without lifting the head out of the water (NB this test is not permitted in some parts of the world, because it demands the use of 'specialised [i.e. potentially unfamiliar] equipment')

As a working instructor, I would usually ask my students to complete the swim test before the first pool-training session. That way, I could get a better idea of what to expect underwater, and find out who might need more of my attention (including the overconfident ones as well as the less-than-confident!).

Answer 2

Different associations such as PADI, NAUI, SSI and others generally require that you can swim either 200M or 300M and there is generally not a time limit and you are allowed to roll over on you back and just sort of float along in a lazy backstroke.

I don't consider this a tough requirement. Generally when diving you are pretty relaxed (after you get some experince at it) and it is honestly kind of a lazy man's sport. However you can find yourself in situations were being a strong swimmer is benificial. I've witnessed emergency situations where an inexperinced diver was in trouble and another more experinced diver had to help him out but to swim over 100M to get him and had to do it quickly.

While strictly speaking you don't HAVE to be a strong swimmer to dive, it is a good idea to be fairly good at it.

Answer 3

It is like a whole other world. That is exactly why you must be comfortable in the water to begin with. There is so much stuff going on already with scuba - weights, hoses, suits, equalizing, kicking, etc. that it would be overwhelming if you threw in trying to adapt to being in the water. I don't think you need to be a real strong swimmer, although it helps. In my certification class we had to swim 4 laps, any style, no time limit and tread water for 10 minutes as a requirement. So, you at least need to be able to do that. My advice to anyone who isn't too sure about being in the water is to buy a mask and snorkel and take it to the local pool or your gym pool. You'll need your own mask/snorkel for class anyway. Spend some time in the water breathing through the snorkel. You'll find out if the sensation freaks you out or if it's something you want to learn more about.

Answer 4

Hello,

(ANS) NOT as far as my understanding goes! but you do need to be able to swim reasonably and be in good general health.

To go scuba driving you have to undertake a paddy course, this is a basic level training course in how to use the equipment, what you should know about when driving, & what to look out for in terms of risks and dangers.

**Paddy courses can be taken almost all year around both here in the UK and in places like the south of Israel, or if your wallet size is larger you can combine a holiday in some of the more exotic places with a paddy course such as the carribean,etc.

**After you have completed the paddy course you can legitimately dive any where in the world as I understand it. Its abit like a diving passport that says I'm legit & I know what I'm doing when diving.

IR

Answer 5

No not at all. In fact, the less swimming you do the better (it takes up energy, forces your body to use more oxygen, and therefore breathe more - you end up all over the place under the water) Diving is about bouyancy and being calm and as controlled as possible under the water...swimming has nothing to do with it! The best divers hardly move their arms at all under the water, just leave them folded in front of their bodies.

Answer 6

No. When scuba diving, you have to wear a weighted belt to counter the bouyancy effect of the tank. So your weight in the water is neutral. Flippers are a part of divers' gear and make swimming easy.

Answer 7

No, you probably need to know how to swim, but you are buoyant from your wetsuit and oxygen from the tank. You don't swim far or fast in the 45 minutes you are underwater. You should probably be in OK shape, though.

Answer 8

No but just know that you can swim and wont drown when oyu get in the water.

Answer 9

no,but you need to take diving lessons from a certified instrustor

Answer 10

not necesarrlly. i would recommend good swimming skills, but just average skills are fine