What to look for in a Dive Center in Northern Virginia?

The three things that a Scuba Dive Center in Northern Virginia, or anywhere else for that matter, can offer you are the three E’s: Education, Equipment and Experience.  These are the three things necessary to be a Scuba Diver and a quality Dive Center will offer you all three.

Location: Alexandria Northern Virginia & Fairfax County, Virginia

That may sound like a simple question but it is really very important if you want to get the best in service, training and sales support in scuba diving.  We are all somewhat lazy at heart and would naturally prefer that any Dive Center that we patronize be conveniently located.  Since I live in Alexandria, Northern Virginia I would want a Dive Center that is located in that area.  There may be more then one dive center in that particular are so then you have to look at other criteria to narrow your search.  I might start by searching for Scuba Classes Northern Virginia or Scuba Lessons Northern Virginia.

Scuba Diving Training – PADI Certification in Northern Virginia

What certification agency to choose is an issue we have discussed before.  There are several reputable certification agencies and they all offer many quality courses.  Some, however, have advantages over the others.  While all of the Scuba Certification Agencies follow the same guidelines there are some very distinct differences.  The Professional Association of Diving Instructors, or PADI is the Largest Scuba Certification Agency in the world.  Any certification that you earn at a PADI Dive Center is recognized world wide.  However, PADI does stand out in one area that I find to be extremely important.  PADI has by far the finest support materials, books, DVDs, Videos, etc of any Scuba Training Agency.  Thus a PADI course is easier to learn and to master.

Scuba Diving Training – Certification and Continuing Scuba Education – Northern VA

If we are a new diver then we are interested in Learning to Scuba Dive.  If we are already certified as a Scuba Diver then we might be interested in continuing your scuba education.  In addition there are several types of continuing education Scuba Diving Training Courses available.  There are the recreational courses such as the PADI Advanced Open Water or the PADI Rescue Diver.  There are “PADI Specialty Diver Courses” such a Underwater Photography,  PADI Underwater Digital Photography, PADI Wreck Diver, PADI Night Diver, PADI Underwater Navigation, PADI Multi Level or Computer Diving, PADI Deep Diving, PADI  Boat Diving and PADI Equipment Specialist just to name a few.  These are all courses that are available for the recreational diver to assist him or her in discovering new areas of interest.

Scuba Diving Training & Certification for Scuba Divemaster and Scuba Instructor in Northern VA

There are a lot of Dive Centers and they all offer some Scuba Diving Certification.  Only a select few can offer Professional Level Scuba Certification beyond Divemaster Level.  Those that can are knows as PADI 5 Star Instructor Development IDC Dive Centers.   These Dive Centers will also offer training and Certification for Assistant Scuba  Instructor and Open Water Scuba Instructor as well.

The mark of the finest of the PADI 5 Star Instructor Development Dive Centers are the ones that offer the Master Scuba Diver Trainer and the IDC Staff Instructor Course as well.

Major Brands for Sale and Service of Scuba Diving Equipment in Northern Virginia

There are often several Dive Centers in a town or city.  While most of them may offer the courses that you want you will also want Scuba Diving Equipment.  You will want to patronize a Dive Center that offers many different lines of retail scuba diving equipment.  There are many reputable brands available.  Some of the best brands of Scuba Diving Equipment are Scuba Pro, Sherwood, Zeagle, Aeris and Mares Diving Equipment.  Finding all of these quality brands in one Dive Center is very unusual.

Many Dive Centers will carry one or maybe two of these brands.  The advantage to patronizing a Dive Center that carries so many is that such a Dive Center like Aquatic Adventures will offer the best Scuba Regulator, Scuba BCD and Scuba Computer of each brand of Scuba Diving Equipment, giving you a wider selection and more quality and choices often at better prices.  Your quality Dive Center should also offer service on these items once they are sold so that you can get the most out of them.  Here I would conduct a search for Scuba Equipment Northern Virginia or Scuba Diving Equipment Northern Virginia.

Scuba Dive Travel – Dive Center sponsored offered and led Scuba Dive Trips in Northern Virginia

We have looked at the first two E’s – Education or Scuba Certification Courses and Scuba Diving Equipment.  Now we need to look at when and where we will have the opportunity to try and put these things o use.  We all want to go diving but many of us do not know where is the best place?  What is the best time of year to dive at a particular location?  Where to stay?  How to get there?  Your local Dive Center can be a great resource in this area as well.

At Aquatic Adventures Scuba Academy we offer Scuba Dive Trips year round. We try to have at least one every quarter.  We will vary our Dive Destinations to offer a variety of trips throughout the Caribbean and Pacific.  We have been leading Dive Trips for over 25 years and know where and when to dive.  We offer local trips to places like Morehead City, North Carolina for wreck diving,  we offer trips to Florida to dive with the Manatee and get away from the winter cold, we offer live-a-board dive boat trips to the Bahamas, and we also offer trips to the Sea of Cortez and the Pacific Ocean.

The Final Test – What Others Think if the Best Dive Center in Northern Virginia?

Once you have narrowed your selection to one or two Dive Centers be sure and ask other Scuba Divers what they think of your choices?  Once you find a Quality Dive Center be sure and let others know about them.  In today’s world any business that does things well and stands behind their product or service is worth keeping.

Selecting a Scuba Diving Wetsuit in Northern Virginia

Scuba Diving is popular all over the United States, not just in warm climate areas like Florida or the Caribbean.   My Dive Center, Aquatic Adventures Scuba Academy is located in Alexandria, Northern Virginia where we have a large number of scuba divers.  Divers in this area need scuba diving wetsuits for the colder water in this area and often a second wetsuit for diving while on a scuba diving vacation or trip to the Caribbean.

Selecting the right scuba diving wetsuit is important for your comfort and  safety.   There are several sports that use wetsuits but wetsuits designed for other sports generally do not work properly for scuba diving.  That is because sports like kayaking and windsurfing require a loose fit in the arms for paddling and are designed to drain when the participant is out of the water.  Scuba Divers are constantly under the water so the suit fits tighter and has less dexterity since divers do not use their arms.

Scuba Diving Wetsuits for Warm water scuba diving

Many of the scuba divers in this area scuba dive primarily in warmer water locations, like Florida or the Caribbean.  Divers in these areas prefer a thinner scuba diving wetsuit like a 3mm suit.    These wetsuit are usually one piece jumpsuits like the H2 Wetsuit or the Thermoprene scuba diving wetsuits by Henderson.  Henderson wetsuits are the finest made and Henderson is a pioneer in new wetsuit materials.  Women, who traditionally get colder then men would use either a 3mm suit or perhaps a 5mm suit.    Another alternative for women is to use a neoprene shorty on top of the 3mm wetsuit or a hooded vest underneath like the Scuba Pro Hooded Vest.

Scuba Diving Wetsuits for Cold Water Scuba Diving

There are a lot of scuba divers in the Northern Virginia area and many of us train and dive locally.  Aquatic Adventures Scuba Academy offers scuba diving certification year round in Northern Virginia.   We do our training dives in a local lake.  In addition there is a large amount of wreck diving up and down the Atlantic Coast.  Divers in this area would use a 7mm scuba diving wetsuit.  They would also use neoprene hood and gloves for extra warmth. The Scuba Pro Hooded Vest could also be used under the 7mm Henderson Wetsuit.

Henderson USA wetsuits has a new line of extra warm wetsuits called Aqua Lock.  These wetsuits offer an interlocking wrist and ankle to prevent water entry insuring extra warmth.

Aquatic Adventures – Dry Suit Diving – DUI Dry Suits and Dry Suit Training in Northern Virginia:

Some divers in this area also scuba dive with dry suits.  The DUI Dry Suits for scuba diving are very popular and the highest in quality.  The DUI TLS-350 is perhaps the most popular of all dry suits sold in this area.  Dry Suit diving is very different then regular scuba diving and it is recommended that anyone using a dry suit for the first time take a Dry Suit training course like the PADI Dry Suit Diver Course.

Dry Suit diving has become so popular that DUI now has a Dry Suit for warmer water diving – the 30/30 Dry Suit.

Aquatic Adventures – Children’s Wetsuits – Children’s Scuba Diving Courses and Children’s Scuba Diving Equipment in Northern Virginia:

Today children as young as 8 years old can take pool only scuba lessons such a the PADI Seal Team course.  Here they learn the same scuba diving skills that adults learn.  Once they reach the age of 10 they can take the PADI Junior Open Water Course.  Proper scuba dive training for children should be done by Instructors who are experienced in teaching children. At Aquatic Adventures we not only train children but have trained many Boy Scouts in preparation for Sea Base and the Scuba Diving Merit Badge.

Children get much colder then adults and it is vitally important that children have the appropriate thermal protection of a wetsuit.   Buoyancy Control Devices and even the length of scuba regulator hoses often have to be adjusted to accommodate the smaller sizes of children.
The scuba diving wetsuit is a personally fitted item and one of the first pieces of equipment that the new diver should purchase.

Aquatic Adventures – Northern Virginia Dive Center: Scuba Dive Computers offer both Safety & Convenience

For years all scuba divers used special Dive Tables to tell them how long they could stay down at any given depth, and how long they needed to wait prior to making another dive.  The advantage of the Dive Tables is that they are inexpensive, fairly easy to use and most importantly they teach you the basics regarding diving depths and safety.  However, today, most divers use Scuba Dive Computers to calculate these allowable dive times and to record their dives.  In fact the Scuba Dive Computer is usually one of the first pieces of scuba dive equipment that most divers purchase.

All computers are similar in the way they work.  They all include a program to determine how long you can stay down and depth gauge to determine what depth you are actually at.  The Dive Computer is far more accurate then the dive tables since it knows what depth you are at any time throughout the dive.

What are the Differences in Scuba Dive Computers?

Air Only Dive Computers

There are several different types of Scuba Diving Computers from the simplest one button air only dive computer, like the Aeris XR-1 to the far more complex air integrated dive computers like the Aeris Diving Equipment T-3 or the Scuba Pro Diving Equipment Uwatec Luna.  Just what are the differences between them?  The simplest is the air only computer.  It can only be calculate air dive tables so you do not get the extra bottom time that nitrox or enriched air tables might give you.

The One Button vs Two Button Dive Computer

One button dive computers like the Sherwood Diving Equipment Profile Computer are the least expensive.  They are a little more difficult to navigate since one button controls both the function control and the control to move within that function.  A two button computer like the Scuba Pro Diving Equipment Uwatec Aladin Computer  is slightly more expensive but it is much easier to navigate since one button changes function and a second button moves within that function.

Air Integrated Dive Computers

Today many scuba divers like the convenience and ease of an air integrated dive computer like the Aeris Diving Equipment T-3 or the Scuba Pro Diving Equipment Uwatec Luna.  These computers will not only monitor your no decompression dive time but they will also calculate exactly how much air you have in your scuba cylinder and what your remaining.  This adds quite a bit of a safety factor since it almost eliminates any chance of running out of air while scuba diving.  In fact Aeris Scuba Diving Equipment even has an air integrated computer that fits into your scuba mask called the “Compumask” offering hands free use.

Air Integrated Computers with a Hose or Hoseless

Air Integrated Computers can come either with a hose to connect to the scuba diving regulator or with a radio transmitter so that they are hoseless.  The Air Integrated Dive Computers with a hose like the Sherwood Scuba Diving  Equipment Wisdom or the Aeris Scuba Diving Equipment AI are both excellent computers and very easy to use.  Aeris Scuba Diving Equipment also makes a hoseless model like the T-3 or the Scuba Pro Diving Equipment Uwatec Luna which is also hoseless.   The ones with a hose are less expensive.  The ones that utilize a radio transmitter have one less hose to deal with making things simpler.

Other Features – Digital Compass

There are many other features available in Scuba Diving Computers such as a Digital Compass.  Zeagle Scuba Diving Equipment offers the N2ition 3 Dive Computer with a built in digital compass.  The Scuba Pro Uwatec Luna also offers a built in digital compass in a hoseless air integrated model.

READ THE MANUAL

Regardless of which model an what features that you select it is very important that you read the owner’s manual.  This is necessary for safety  and to make sure that you are able to get the most out of your new piece of scuba diving equipment.  Reading the Owner’s Manual will also help you prevent making common scuba equipment related mistakes.  Last but not least – now get out and dive.

Selecting Your Scuba Diving Regulator in Northern Virginia

Why would selecting a Scuba Diving Regulator in Northern Virginia be any different then in selecting a Scuba Diving Regulator anywhere else?  The answer lies in the temperature of the local diving conditions.  Open Water dives in the North Eastern United States is definitely colder then in the Caribbean, therefore the Scuba Diving Equipment being used must be appropriate for the environment.   Aside from that what other factors will determine what Scuba Diving Regulator you will select for you use?  Lets take a look at these factors one at a time.

How Deep Will You Be Diving With Your Scuba Diving Regulator?

A Scuba Diving Regulator will have to pump more air on deeper dives then it will on shallower dives.  Therefore Scuba Divers who often dive deeper will need a Scuba Regulator that is balanced so that it breathes evenly throughout the dive regardless of depth.  All reputable regulator manufacturers make balanced regulators but like anything else some are better then others.  In addition the manufacturers will make balanced regulators in several price ranges so that they can provide product for divers regardless of price range.  For example Sherwood Diving Equipment offers the Brut Regulator, the Magnum Regulator and the SR-1 Regulator which are all come with various features to fit most price ranges.  ScubaPro and Zeagle do the same.   ScubaPro offers the MK25/s600, the MK11/C300 while Zeagle will offer the Mark VII, the  50-D and the DS-V Regulators.  Sub Gear will offer both the Cayman Regulator and the Bonaire Regulator for those divers seeking a balanced regulator.  Obviously if you are doing any type of technical diving you would want a regulator that is balanced for deeper diving.

Diving with Enriched Air – Nitrox:

Not all Scuba Diving Regulators are approved for use with Enriched Air – Nitrox.  Some are approved out of the box and some must have a conversion kit installed in order to use Enriched Air.  Some cannot use enriched air at all.  Scuba Pro Regulators, Zeagle Regulators, Mares Regulators and Aeris Regulators are approved for use with Nitrox out of the box.  The newer Sherwood Regulators are also approved for use with Nitrox.  Since Technical Divers often dive with enriched air or other mixtures your scuba regulator must be able to accommodate these mixtures.

How Cold is the Water?

We mentioned earlier in this article that water temperature has a bearing of the Scuba Diving Regulator that you might use.  In colder water your Scuba Regulator should be either environmentally sealed or have a special heat sink to allow its use in colder water.  Sherwood Regulators, most Zeagle Regulators and many of the Aeris Regulators are environmentally sealed.  Several of the ScubaPro regulators such as the MK25 have heat sinks installed to allow its use in colder water.  The Scuba Pro MK17 is also environmentally sealed.  The use of regulators that are not environmentally sealed or do not have a heat sink can lead to free flows in colder water.

Proper Care of Your Diving Equipment:

Regardless of how good your diving equipment is unless you take proper care of it you will not get the most from it nor will it last as long as it should.  Any Quality Dive Center like Aquatic Adventures Scuba Academy will provide proper support for your equipment after you have purchased it.  This should include both instruction on proper use and service after the purchase.  Proper instruction on your equipment care after the purchase should include the do’s and don’ts of what to do and not to do regarding your purchase.  This includes helping you, the consumer, with warranty repairs if needed.

Where to Buy Your Scuba Equipment?

Deciding to buy scuba equipment is only the first step.  Deciding what to buy and where to buy it is just as important.  Since all major Scuba Equipment Manufacturers make quality products deciding where to buy it may be the single most important decision of all.  Select a Dive Center that has a good reputation, has been in business for a long while and has a good reputation for both quality equipment and standing behind the equipment that they sell.  In Northern Virginia, Aquatic Adventures Scuba Academy has one of the finest reputations if not the finest reputation for quality product, standing behind the products that they sell and post purchase service of any dive center in the Northern Virginia, D.C. Metropolitan Area.

Selecting Scuba Diving Equipment Alexandria Virginia

Taking the plunge and deciding to purchase your own scuba diving equipment is a giant stride forward.  First let me congratulate you on the decision, which I feel is a very good one.  If you can afford to purchase everything at one time that is always your best choice.  Most Dive Centers will usually offer package pricing when you purchase a scuba regulator, alternate air source or octopus, buoyancy control device (BCD) and gauges or dive computer console.

What to buy first?
Many of us, however, cannot financially afford so large an expense.  In that case you would want to purchase the most personally fitted pieces of equipment, such as the wetsuit or buoyancy control device or BCD first.  Which ever route you choose you need to start by deciding first where you will purchase your equipment then what equipment will you actually select.

Where to buy your scuba equipment?
Always buy scuba equipment from a Dive Center.  You want to try the equipment on prior to buying it.  You want to see how it looks and how it feels.  You want the equipment to be properly serviced and put together prior to using it.  Last but by all means not least you want to have someone close at hand to explain and show you how to use it and to be there should there be a problem.  On line purchases, while looking very inexpensive always end up costing you more in the long run, and worse they often end up with you not having the best equipment for you and the type of diving that you do.

Selecting the Dive Center is the first step and often the most important.  There are a lot of very good brands of scuba diving equipment available, such as Scuba Pro, Zeagle, Sherwood dive equipment, Henderson wetsuits, and DUI Dry Suits.  If you go with any of the major brands you will not go wrong.  The real trick is finding a Dive Center that you are comfortable with, that carries reputable brands, can provide scuba equipment service for what they sell and that you are comfortable with.

Selecting you Dive Center:
Today, the internet is very useful in helping you find a Dive Center.  If you do not already have a Dive Center or Dive Shop then try some on line searches based on where you live or where you work.  I live and work in Alexandria, Virginia so I would search for: Dive Center Alexandria, VA, or PADI Dive Center Alexandria, VA or I might broaden my search to scuba equipment northern Virginia.   This should bring up a number of  responses.  Then look at their respective webpages.  Do they carry major brands of scuba equipment.  Is their webpage informative about the equipment or does it just list what they have.  The more informative the webpage the more they care about you and how the equipment will match your needs.  Stop by and talk to the sales people.  Do they seem knowledgeable and are they willing to work with you?  Will they be there for you should you have a problem?  Are they helping you select what is right for you or are they trying to sell you just what is on the floor?  It should not take you long to answer these questions and thus select who to purchase your dive equipment from.

Selecting your equipment
Now you are ready to begin the process of actually picking out your scuba diving equipment.  Take note of where you like to dive and how often you expect to go diving.  What are you favorite dive vacation locations?  Will you dive just on vacation or will you dive locally?  This information will assist the experts at the Dive Center in helping you select equipment that will match your type of diving.  Obviously, water temperature will determine the thickness of the wetsuit that you select, but it may also have a bearing on the BCD and regulator as well.  If you dive in colder water you want a regulator that is either environmentally sealed or that has heat sinks or some other accessory so that it does not freeze up and free flow in colder water.  In addition since you would wear a thicker dive wetsuit in colder water you would use more weight when diving.  Thus your buoyancy control device would need more lift then a BCD just used in warmer water might offer.  An experienced dive consultant can help you match all of these factors so that you get not only the most for your money but even more importantly, the best dive equipment for you.

Tell the Dive Center sales person where and how often you will dive.  The type of diving that you do and they type that you expect to do in the future.  He or she can then assist you in selecting what is best for you.  Be sure and ask questions.  Why is this better for me then that?  You need to be comfortable with the fit of the gear and also you should be comfortable with what you end up with.

Using your equipment:
Once you have you new dive gear it is time to get out and dive.  If you can try it out in the pool.  Dive locally and go on a dive vacation.  The most important thing is to get out and dive.  The more you dive the better you will become and the more you will enjoy it.

Learning to Dive – On Line or In The Northern Virginia Dive Center?

Once you make the decision to learn to scuba dive then you have to decide where to take these lessons?  There are a lot of reputable Dive Centers in Northern, Virginia, where my Dive Center is located.   How do you find them and once you find them how do you decide which to patronize?  Last week we discussed selecting your Dive Center now we will add to that selecting the type of course to take: On Line Training vs In The Classroom Scuba Training.

SELECTING THE DIVE CENTER:
Your On Line Search: Just as we discussed last week we need to start by selecting which Dive Center to associate with.  I live in Alexandria, Virginia so I would start by doing an on line search for any of the following: Dive Center, Alexandria, VA, Dive Lessons Alexandria, Virginia, Dive Classes Alexandria, Virginia, Dive Shop, Alexandria VA or even Scuba Certification Alexandria, VA.  Any of these should show several local Dive Centers.  Since PADI, the Professional Association of Diving Instructors is the largest of the many certification agencies I would start by looking for the various PADI Dive Centers.  PADI ranks their Dive Centers by the depth (no pun intended) of the services that each Dive Center offers.  The PADI 5 Star IDC Dive Center is the highest rating so I would look to see if any of these are listed.

Evaluating the various Dive Centers: Once you find a few start by looking at their webpages.  Don’t go by how flashy the webpage is but by how informative it is.  Everything should be spelled out in an easy to navigate and an easy to understand format.  Look to see if the prices for the Open Water or Beginner Certification are listed.  No one can list all of their prices but since the Open Water Course is the most common one, the prices and schedule for that should be clear.  They should be very clear on what is involved in getting certified to Scuba Dive.  Everything that is included and all prices for not included items should also be listed.  Does their schedule and location fit your needs?

The Complete Dive Center: The last thing to look for is whether or not the dive center is complete.  Do they offer all levels of scuba diving education?  Do they offer Scuba Equipment.  Do they have major lines of equipment.  Do they offer service for what they sell?  Does the Dive Center have a Scuba Diving Travel Program?  Do they have both group trips and do they offer to assist you in booking your own trips should your schedule not match the Dive Centers.  These are all things that you would want from your local dive center.

ON LINE or IN THE DIVE CENTER CLASSES:
Once you select the Dive Center that you want to affiliate with you need to decide what format of course to take.  Today, in this modern world, many people like to do things on line whenever they can.  In fact you did just that to help select the Dive Center.  There are advantages to this and there are definitely disadvantages as well.

On Line Scuba Courses:  The advantages are that they are more convenient.  You can take them when ever you want and where ever you want.  They are great to do if you are traveling as they help fill those long hours when you are not working.  However, there are some drawbacks as well.  Even though you can complete your classroom on line you still need to affiliate with a Dive Center to complete the pool sessions and the four open water dives.  On Line Scuba Courses tend to be more expensive then in the classroom Scuba Courses.  On Line courses are written for a wide range of divers and a very wide range of diving locations.  Therefore they tend to be very general in their course content.  Since you take them on your own they are far less social then the traditional classroom Scuba Classes.

Traditional Classroom Scuba Courses: The traditional course is most often less expensive then the On Line Course and while perhaps less convenient, (you take them when they are offered) the traditional course is much more personal.  The Instructors will work with you directly and answer any questions that you might have.  The traditional Classroom Scuba Course also has you specifically in mind.  While you cover the same material that is covered in the On Line Scuba Course, your Scuba Instructor will personalize the course material to fit you.  He or she will talk specifically about you, where you plan to dive and how it relates to you. The Instructor you have in the classroom is usually the same one you have in the pool and again in Open Water.  It is very nice to know each other and it makes for a more enjoyable course.

Your Scuba Instructor can also help you select any scuba diving equipment that you might want or need.  Your Instructor knows much more about Scuba Equipment and Scuba Travel opportunities.  You Instructor can help steer you in the right direction on these.  The traditional Scuba Course is also a great social opportunity.  You will meet several other new divers with whom you have much in common.  In fact that is how I met my wife – in the Open Water Scuba Course.

ON LINE CONTINUING DIVER EDUCATION COURSES:
There are a number of different Continuing Education Scuba Courses that are also available On Line.  Like the Open Water course the big advantage to taking the classroom on line is the convenience.  The down side is that it is more expensive.  Some courses like the Advanced Open Water course have several options.  Before taking it on line be sure and speak to the local dive center and find out what dives they want you to sign up for on line.  Otherwise you may still have to repeat part of the course in the traditional manner.

Now that you are familiar with what is involved in getting started.  It is time to take the plunge.  Sign up for that Scuba Course, get certified, and go on that next great Aquatic Adventure

.