• The Ultimate Beginner's Guide To Scuba Diving

    How to Increase Safety, Save Money & Have More Fun!

  • How to scuba dive to get the most out of it?

    How to get my scuba diving certification?

    The original & valuable Safety-Performance-Fun (SPF) Framework for learning to dive puts you in charge of your own adventure!

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    If you are not a diver yet, grab this in-depth handbook before registering for your open water scuba diving certification course! It is everything you need to know about diving and scuba certification in a step-by-step beginner’s guide.

     

    If you are a newly certified scuba diver and do not yet feel safe & comfortable underwater, this is also for you. This guide will explain what you should do to become as relaxed underwater as you are on your couch at home.

     

    If you are a scuba diving instructor, this reference book will provide a quality framework to use with your open-water divers to prepare them for a lifetime of legendary underwater experiences.

     

  • "Darcy does what no one else in the scuba industry is doing:

    writing actually helpful ideas that come from experience. And also bringing statistics never before seen in scuba diving." ~JC De Garay

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    For newly certified scuba divers & those thinking about making the plunge!

    Start off on the right fin!

    This step-by-step guidebook to learning to dive covers scuba certification courses, dive equipment & dive travel with 550+ pages of actionable information.

    • Should I get a PADI certification or go with another dive training agency?
    • How much does it cost to learn to dive?
    • How long does it take to get comfortable underwater?
    • What can I do to feel & be safe while scuba diving?
    • How can I save money?
    • Will I get a scuba license or certification?
    • What are the scuba certification levels, and which ones matter to me?
    • Typical mistakes made by people who decide to learn to dive.
    • The pitfalls & traps in the dive industry. How to avoid them.
    • Your health & fitness to dive.
    • What dive gear do I need? What should I buy & should not buy?
    • And so much more!

    Note: There are some affiliate links below at no cost to you & with no impact on my recommendations.

  • This book will pay for itself!

    A few dollars now = safety, savings & fun for the rest of your life!

  • The Ultimate Beginner's Guide To Scuba Diving

    available in print, eBook & audiobook

    4 WAYS TO READ IT ON PAPER

    Lulu

    Print-on-Demand

    (They ship everywhere there's diving!)

    Amazon

    Print

     

    Barnes & Noble

    (USA)

    Print

     

    Indigo-Chapters-Cole

    (Canada)

    Print

     

  • 2 WAYS TO LISTEN TO IT

    Google Play

    Audiobook

    (You can use the Google Play app on the iPhone as well!)

     

    Kobo

    Audiobook

    (Android, Apple, Windows & Mac)

     

  •  

    9 WAYS TO eREAD IT

    Apple Books

    eBook

    Kobo

    eBook

    Kindle

    eBook

    Google Play

    eBook

    Nook

    (USA)

    eBook

    Indigo-Chapters-Cole

    (Canada)

    eBook

    Angus & Robertson

    (Australia)

    eBook

    Mondadori

    (Italy)

    eBook

    Vivlio

    (France)

    eBook

  • Best Scuba Diver Log Book for Open Water Diver Certification Course

    And there's a matching scuba diver logbook with checklists!

    Extensive selection criteria come with questions and red flags to ensure you get safety, performance & fun with:

    • The Best Dive Instructor For You
    • A Safe & Reliable Dive Center
    • Quality in Air & Nitrox Fills
    • A Safe & Fun Dive Boat
    • A Green, Environmentally-Friendly Dive Operator or Instructor

    The checklists in the SPF Scuba Diving Starter Logbook match the recommendations in The Ultimate Beginner's Guide To Scuba Diving.

  • The Ultimate Beginner's Guide To Scuba Diving

    Recommendations in this book are backed by industry-wide surveys. And the author shares the stats with you. He also explains ISO international dive training standards so you can prepare for your scuba certification and know if you are being short-changed.

    Why Do I Need a Step-by-Step Beginner’s Guide to Scuba Diving?

    Regardless of your reason for wanting to learn to dive, chances are you won’t go scuba diving after completing your open-water certification. Weird, right? Well, that’s what the stats say! But I'm sure it is not what you want, is it?

     

    There are “holes” in the way scuba diving instructors teach nowadays, and this handbook will lay it bare so you can prepare and get what you need for a lifetime of legendary underwater adventures.

     

    Discovering the underwater world is a life-changing experience. And this book will help you navigate the pitfalls & traps in the dive industry to increase safety, save money & have more fun!

    The Author

    Most books about learning to dive are written by instructors with good content. But Darcy Kieran gives you a 360-degree view from his experience as a scuba diving instructor trainer on top of his expertise as owner/manager of dive shops, dive equipment wholesalers, dive boats, scuba diving university programs & dive resorts.

     

    You will understand the limitations of various dive industry professionals & organizations and get practical tactics on how to get the quality you deserve & need.

    What To Know About Scuba Diving & Learning To Dive

    With this beginner’s guide to scuba diving, you will know exactly what to do before registering for an open water diver course.

     

    This handbook won’t teach you how to scuba dive – you must get in the water for that! But it will show you how to increase safety, save money & have more fun by providing guidance on:

    • Selecting a dive instructor, dive center, dive resort & dive boat.
    • Preparing for your open water diver certification course.
    • What dive gear to buy & what to rent.
    • Where to take your dive certification and with whom.
    • How to save money by spending on what will actually help you.
    • What dive destination is suitable for you.
    • And a lot more! Check the table of content below.

    Learn From Others’ Mistakes

    In this scuba guide, the author shares typical mistakes that would cost you time and money and, in many cases, provide you with such a bad experience that you would want to stop scuba diving.

     

    This diving handbook gives you a chance to learn from other scuba divers’ mistakes! It will help you understand how the dive industry operates so you can navigate it to your advantage.

     

    Do not risk missing out on a lifetime of legendary scuba diving adventures because many dive professionals you’ll encounter are not always professionals. Instead, learn how to be the leader of your own scuba diving adventure!

    A Sidenote To Scuba Diving Instructors

    As you know, going from entry-level diver to scuba instructor can be achieved quickly with minimal training & knowledge, leaving you unprepared to offer the best scuba experience. You will find in this reference book a framework to use with your open water students to bring your dive courses one notch above the competition & train divers who actually dive!

  • Table of Content

    THE ULTIMATE BEGINNER'S GUIDE TO SCUBA DIVING

    How to increase safety, save money & have more fun!

    Have a look at the comprehensive table of content.

     

    1. SCUBA DIVING & YOU
      1. Four Initial Mistakes by People Who Decide to Learn to Dive
      2. The Purpose of This Guidebook & Its Value To You
      3. Scuba Diving: What is it, really?
      4. Scuba Diving: Why?
      5. Learning To Dive: Reality Check
      6. The Safety-Performance-Fun (SPF) Framework for Scuba Diving
      7. A.S.K. Quality
      8. Is scuba diving for me?
      9. Alternatives To Scuba Diving That Are Also Good Preparatory Steps
      10. Discover Scuba Diving / Scuba Tryouts
      11. How To Use This Guidebook
    2. SETTING THE STAGE TO LEARN TO DIVE
      1. Certifications vs. Licenses
      2. Myth-Busting
      3. 5 Types of Scuba Diving
      4. The Scuba Diving Community & Finding Your Tribe
      5. Three Core Ingredients: Gear, Training & Water
      6. Depth, Time, No-Decompression Limits & Surface Intervals
      7. The Depth Limits
      8. The Levels of Certi!cation: Which ones matter?
      9. Buoyancy: Descending & Inflating , Ascending & Deflating
      10. Decompression Sickness (DCS or The Bends) & Barotrauma
      11. Pressure & Equalizing
      12. Other Dangers Inherent to Scuba Diving
      13. You Can Deal With Dangers
    3. THE DIVE PROFESSIONALS & ORGANIZATIONS YOU INTERACT WITH
      1. Dive Training Agencies: What are they?
      2. Which dive training agency is best for me?
      3. A Review of Dive Training Agencies: Survey Results
      4. Dive Industry Standards
      5. The Dive Professionals
      6. The Dive Centers
      7. Dive Center Ratings: Should I Care?
      8. The Traps & Pitfalls In The Dive Industry & What They Mean For You
      9. Can I trust online reviews?
      10. How To Select The Right Dive Instructor For You
      11. How To Select The Right Dive Center For You
    4. SCUBA CERTIFICATION & YOU
      1. Learning With a Coach vs. Buying a C-Card
      2. The Four Stages of Your Open Water Diver Course
      3. Referrals
      4. Mastery & Performance-Based Learning
      5. How long will it take to get my open water diver c-card?
      6. How much will my scuba diving certification cost?
      7. The Cost of Online Learning
      8. A Private Open Water Diver Course
      9. Entry-Level Prerequisites To Learn To Dive
      10. Swimming, Watermanship & Diving
      11. Liability & Liability Releases
      12. Women & Diving
      13. Children & Diving
      14. Disabled & Diving
    5. LEARN TO DIVE FOR SAFETY, PERFORMANCE & FUN (SPF)
      1. Attitude, Attitude, Attitude
      2. The SPF Way To Understand The Theory of Diving
      3. The SPF Way To Master The Pool Skills
      4. The SPF Way To Do The Open Water Certification Dives
      5. You Did a Crash Course. Now what?
      6. The Buddy System, Friends & Spouses
      7. A Self-Reliant Approach
      8. Air or Nitrox?
      9. Dive Tables or Dive Computers?
      10. Checklists, Slates & Routines
      11. Visualizing & Mental Rehearsal
      12. Logbooks
    6. YOUR HEALTH & FITNESS TO DIVE
      1. DAN: Divers Alert Network
      2. The Medical Questionnaire
      3. Your Ears & Equalizing
      4. Seasickness
      5. Dehydration
      6. Nutrition To Dive
      7. Fitness To Dive
      8. Fitness Training
      9. Stress, Anxiety & Panic
      10. Adrenaline Rush & Stop-Think-Act
      11. Hygiene: Dive Gear & Diving in a Post-COVID World
      12. Skills Related to Post-Dive Gear Care
      13. Diving After a COVID-19 Infection
    7. GEAR CHOICES FOR SPF DIVING
      1. Getting Familiar With Your Scuba Equipment
      2. What My Dive Instructor Is Wearing
      3. Dive Gear Brands
      4. Gear Configuration & Streamlining
      5. About Do-It-Right (DIR)
      6. Selecting The Right Scuba Diving Equipment For You
      7. Your Dive Mask, Defog & Mask Preparation
      8. Your Snorkel & Snorkel Attachment
      9. Your Fins, Booties & Socks
      10. Your Exposure Protection & Wetsuits
      11. Your Regulator
      12. Your Alternate/Redundant Air Source
      13. Your Instruments
      14. Your Dive Computer
      15. Your BCD: Buoyancy Compensator
      16. Your Dive Weights
      17. Emergency & Safety Tools
      18. SMB & DSMB
      19. Save-a-Dive Kit
      20. Rinsing, Disinfecting & Drying Gear After a Dive
      21. Repair & Maintenance
      22. What To Buy & What To Rent
      23. Should I buy second-hand?
      24. Should I buy online or in person?
    8. SCUBA DIVING SKILLS
      1. Breathing Underwater
      2. Air Consumption
      3. Returning Pressure
      4. Out-of-Air Drills
      5. The Mammalian Reflex & Diving With A Mask
      6. Propulsion: Finning
      7. Snorkeling Skills
      8. How much weight do I need?
      9. Buoyancy & Trim
      10. Doing Skills While Neutrally Buoyant
      11. Pre-Dive Safety Check
      12. Entries & Exits
      13. Descents, Ascents & Safety Stops
      14. Navigation
      15. Debriefings
      16. The Missing Skills
    9. SAFETY SKILLS & CULTURE
      1. Scuba Accidents & Statistics
      2. Murphy’s Law & The Train Wreck
      3. Don’t Ask For Troubles
      4. Stick To Your Guns
      5. Calling A Dive
      6. Peer Pressure & Self-Imposed Stress
      7. Task Loading
      8. Plan Your Dive & Dive Your Plan
      9. Emergency Action Plan (EAP)
      10. Where is the O2? And the first aid kit?
      11. First Aid Skills & Marine Life Injuries
      12. Recall System
      13. Roster Management: Will I be left behind?
      14. Surface Safety, Identification, Dive Flags & Boat Traffic
      15. Currents
      16. Situational Awareness
      17. Dealing With Decompression Sickness (DCS)
      18. Flying After Diving
    10. CYLINDERS, FILL STATIONS & AIR QUALITY
      1. Cylinders (Tanks)
      2. Cylinder Sizes
      3. Cylinder Valves & Threads
      4. Hydro Tests & Cylinder Inspection
      5. Cylinder Handling
      6. The Silent Killer
      7. Where is the air from?
      8. Analyzers: Nitrox & CO
      9. Cylinder Fills
    11. THE ENVIRONMENT & YOU
      1. The Underwater World & You
      2. Do Not Make Things Worse
      3. Ecotourism & Local Communities
      4. Standards on Environmentally Sustainable Practices in Recreational Diving
      5. Green Fins
      6. Shark-Feeding Dives
      7. Educating Yourself About The Underwater World
      8. How To Select a Green (Blue) Dive Operator
    12. GOING DIVING
      1. Local Diving
      2. How to Pick a Dive Destination
      3. How To Pick a Dive Site
      4. How To Pack & Travel With Dive Gear
      5. Dive Trips With Your Local Dive Center
      6. Liveaboard vs. Land-based Resorts vs. Cruise Ships
      7. “Check Dives”
      8. Picking or Being Assigned a Dive Buddy
      9. Pre-Dive Briefings & Signals
      10. The Three Speeds in Scuba Diving
      11. The Dive Leader’s Role & How To See More
      12. Diving With Sharks & Shark Attack Prevention
      13. Tipping or No Tipping?
    13. WHAT’S NEXT?
      1. Stay The Course: Master The Fun
      2. Learn From Your Mistakes
      3. “Advanced” (Additional) Open Water Diving Skills
      4. The Next-Levels of Training: The Skills That Matter
      5. A Career in Diving

  • The Ultimate Beginner's Guide To Scuba Diving

    available in print, eBook & audiobook

    3 WAYS TO READ IT ON PAPER

    Lulu

    Print-on-Demand

    (They ship everywhere there's diving!)

    Amazon

    Print

     

    Barnes & Noble

    (USA)

    Print

     

  • 2 WAYS TO LISTEN TO IT

    Google Play

    Audiobook

    (You can use the Google Play app on the iPhone as well!)

     

    Kobo

    Audiobook

    (Android, Apple, Windows & Mac)

     

  •  

    9 WAYS TO eREAD IT

    Apple Books

    eBook

    Kobo

    eBook

    Kindle

    eBook

    Google Play

    eBook

    Nook

    (USA)

    eBook

    Chapters & Indigo

    (Canada)

    eBook

    Angus & Robertson

    (Australia)

    eBook

    Mondadori

    (Italy)

    eBook

    Vivlio

    (France)

    eBook

  • Disclosure

    Our work is supported by our users. You! We sometimes earn affiliate compensation when you click through affiliate links on our website. It costs you nothing. It simply means that when you follow the link and purchase the item, we may receive a few pennies to help pay for our coffee, so we keep on writing! Many thanks! All opinions remain our own.

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