Skin diving is snorkelling while making breath-hold dives for observing aquatic life. If you are unable to scuba dive or if scuba diving is not your thing, then you can simply skin dive to explore the underwater world. In this course, you will learn to explore aquatic life by comfortably venturing under the water for short visits. You can dive in a freshwater lake or an ocean at a dive destination on holiday or near your home.
One must be at least eight years old for enrolling in a PADI Skin Diver course. No prior experience is required. However, you need adequate swimming skills and comfort in the water.
PADI Skin Diver is a beginner course wherein you learn snorkelling and skin diving techniques. Your instructor will teach you the following:
- Checking buoyancy
- Surface swimming
- Clearing water from your snorkel
- Performing effortless surface dives
Academic
The PADI Skin Diver course will teach you the following:
- Going on an optional skin dive at a local dive site
- Choosing, adjusting, and using skin diving equipment
- Basic safety guidelines for being in and around the water
- Snorkelling and skin diving skills such as checking buoyancy, surface swimming, clearing water from the snorkel, and performing effortless surface dives
Equipment
During this course, you will be taught how to use basic snorkelling equipment including a mask, fins, snorkelling vest, snorkel, wet suit, and dive weights as required. The PADI professional will teach you about the gear you will need for this diving course and will clarify any other doubts you have.
Getting started
To learn skin diving and get certified, you can enrol in a local PADI dive centre or resort. Your instructor will also tell you about the PADI Discover the Underwater World video and companion piece– The Snorkeler’s Field Guide. The video has great tips that will help you when you go under the water. The field guide will give you knowledge about different underwater environments as well as common aquatic life.
Myriad of marine life in the Andamans
If you are a nature lover along with an adrenaline junkie as well, then you should know that the Andaman Islands is the best places for diving across India. Your trip to this island would be incomplete without a dip in its serene waters that is oozing with rich marine life. Its marine life is world-famous and thus, considered perfect for scuba diving and snorkelling. Swimming freely in the blue ocean surrounded by colourful corals and a variety of fish is something that you will not forget ever. It’s like swimming in a huge aquarium. Interesting, isn’t it! Especially for divers, the biggest reason to travel to Havelock Island is to witness the majestic aquatic creatures that swim peacefully in the azure waters.
The Andaman Islands are ranked at a pretty high position when you search for the best scuba diving destinations across India. The perfect conditions for a growing underwater world are provided by the sparkling and warm waters of the Indian Ocean. Its thriving marine life includes a wide variety of incredible fish and corals.
If you are someone who is willing to partake in a bit unusual dives, then go for night dives, deep dives, and wreck dives. You can scuba dive all year round, but the best time is between October and May when the water is clearer and calmer. That’s why everything may get extra costly here during the peak season.
However, if you are not confident enough to go scuba diving but are willing to explore the beautiful underwater world, then you should go for snorkelling or skin dive. Dive Andaman will give you the required diving equipment and you can purchase it as well. You will also be provided flippers that help you to swim in the ocean. But you really have to be very careful that you never accidentally step on the living corals as the ecosystem is very delicate here.
Dive Andaman also provide boat trips wherein you stop at the most popular snorkelling or skin diving hotspots. These often include a mouth-watering lunch or a sunset dinner as well. Clicking underwater photographs is highly recommended. So you can bring along a waterproof GoPro to capture the wonderful marine life in your camera or ask its staff for the same.
About Dive Andaman
If you are in the Andaman Islands and are willing to enrol in the Skin Diver program, then trust none other than the best–Dive Andaman. Located in Havelock Island (officially known as Swaraj Dweep now), this 5-star PADI center is a renowned dive shop that offers all kinds of diving programs designed for beginners as well as experienced, along with recreational dives as well. Whether you want to go shore diving or boat diving, its diving professionals will make sure that you get exactly what you want.
It's absolutely fine even if you don’t know swimming. There are fun dives for which Havelock Island is very popular. You will be accompanied by your instructor under the water at all times and he will make sure that you feel safe. Scuba diving is the best way to explore the underwater world and it requires some level of familiarity with the water. Make sure that you go for it with a PADI-certified dive shop, especially if it is your first dive.
At Dive Andaman in Havelock Island, you can enrol in various programs and dives as per your preference. It is absolutely fine if you have never ever dived in your life. Its trainers are experts in teaching newbies. They often have special training pools where you are taught the techniques so that you can get comfortable with being under the water and feel familiar before going out for the actual dive. There is a lot on offer for more advanced divers. All you have to do is show your PADI certification to the dive centre when you arrive and make the most of the island.
Happy diving!
Frequently Asked Questions
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Q. 1 : What kind of diving courses should you take to be a recreational scuba diver?
You need to train at a diving centre to be a recreational diver. You will start with an open-water scuba certification. Thereafter, you can get an advanced Open Water Scuba certification, Rescue certification, and then a Master Scuba Diver certification. To become a professional scuba diver, you need to start from the Master Scuba Diver level. You can become an assistant at a diving centre to learn the professional side of scuba. Thereafter, you need to take an open water scuba instructor course, that trains you to be an instructor as well as certify others. Going forward, you can become a Master Scuba Diver trainer.