Getting Certified for Scuba Diving in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia

The underwater world for centuries has been one of the unknown frontiers for man. Not having the capabilities to breathe underwater, or the body makeup to withstand the immense pressures of the deep, it is relatively recently that the world has been opened up to us in the form of scuba diving. There are now many courses for learning to scuba dive, and qualifications you can get. So, what is the best way to learn about diving? We got our certifications for scuba diving in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, and below is the process we went through.

The course we have both done is the PADI course. This is a universally recognized course and many dive centers around the world will certify divers using this system. The PADI is made up of various stages for different levels of divers, ranging from pure novices, to becoming rescue divers and dive masters.

The first step is called the Open Water Diver and this will allow you to dive to 18m. It teaches you the basics of diving and how to react in an emergency situation so it is an essential first step.

As this article is about getting certified for diving, this is the part we will cover, outlining the steps involved in the course.

 

The Buildup of the Course

The course is in three stages;

1. The online PADI Scuba Certification
2. The confined dives in a pool
3. The ocean or sea dives

The timeframe to get the course done is in your own hands as once you register you have a full year to complete the first section of the course online. Once you complete this you can then contact your local dive centre and they will take it from there.

 

The Online PADI Scuba Certification

The first thing you will need to do is to register for the course, this can be done through https://apps.padi.com/scuba-diving/elearning/purchasecourse.aspx?CourseType=ow. Once this is done, you can now take the first step to stepping into the mysterious world beneath the waves.

The theory part is split up into five sections. The sections are composed of slideshows and voiceovers. They outline everything you need to know as a beginner, ranging from the equipment, to the techniques, and a whole lot of valuable and interesting information. Getting through the sections doesn’t take a lot of time; it can easily be done in five days. Less if you really put time aside for it.

As you are tested at the end of each section, it’s a good idea to take notes so you can review them before doing the tests, and also for the final test once everything is completed. It’s good to have the notes too just to refresh yourself if ever needed even when you are certified as you cannot refer back to the course after a year.

The hardest part of the course is definitely the dive tables. Even though divers are supposed to have computers, (and do have computers), you still need to know how to work out the tables. This can be a very confusing and complicated thing to do, so practice these as much as possible.

Exams

If you do not achieve the required score on your end of section exam, don’t fret! You can go back over it and do it again until you get the score you need. Now don’t use this as an excuse to skip over everything and get to the end quickly! Because what you learn is valuable information, and can be life saving information! So no short cuts please.

Once you have successfully passed all your exams, you will need to print out your results as they will be required by the dive center that will be doing the practical parts of the course with you. You will also need to fill out the medical questionnaire for their records too.

 

The Confined Dives

The confined dive is where a lot of people will put on the scuba equipment for the first time, unless they have done a Discover Scuba Dive course. Before this, you need to show that you’re able to swim a little, about 200m, and thread water.

After this, the fun really begins! If you have revised your notes and looked at videos online about how to put the scuba unit together it will be no problem to you. Your instructors are of course there to show you as well. Feeling the weight of the bottles, the tightness of the wet suit, and the array of gadgets hanging around you, it feels a little daunting. But then you get in the pool, put your mask on, take your regulator in your mouth, and submerge. Then you take your first breath underwater. It’s a surreal experience. Being able to see perfectly underwater and not have to come up for air. Being able to sit on the bottom of the pool and really notice what its like down there. After you have had a minute or two to get used to the unit, its time to begin your tests.

The Tests

These tests are the same as what you will have learned in the online course. You will need to clear your mask, first half filled with water, then fully filled. Remove your scuba unit and put it back on. Relocate your regulator if it gets dislodged from your mouth and clear it before reinserting it. Achieve neutral buoyancy, which is not as easy as you think it is. And of course, what we think is the hardest one, remove your mask and put it back on, remembering to clear it when you put it back on.

You will also learn about the entry into the water such as stepping in or falling backwards, and how to do the safety or emergency ascents and sharing air with your dive partner, or ‘dive buddy’ as they are termed. All the time remembering the most important rules – equalize, and breathe.

 

The Open Water Dives

After successfully completing the tasks, some of which you may take a few tries to get right, the next step is to take what you have learned into the open waters. Now this is the part you have been waiting for. And it is worth the wait! From the moment you first put your head under the water and see the life that is abundant in the waters, which is invisible from above, you realize that your perceptions of the underwater world is forever changed.

 

Doing the Tests in Open Water

Slowly descending to about five metres, you will go through the first stages of the practical tests again. This time in the salt water it may feel a little different but the principles remain the same. There are four dives you do where you need to do the tasks, and at the end of each one of these you can take a small amount of time to go on a short dive with your instructor and other students.

This is where you can relax and enjoy your new temporary environment. As the magnitude of fish swim around you, avoiding you as if you are an inanimate object, you can’t help but be amazed at their numbers and varieties. If you happen to be in an area where there are divers that are much deeper than you the only evidence of them is the air bubbles that pass you by momentarily. A lot of dive spots used for teaching will have a submerged platform where you can relax and watch everything go by and life go on around you.

Neutral Buoyancy

These platforms are a good place to practice your buoyancy again. This is one of the most important parts of being a diver. Learning to control your position by breathing is a vital first step. Trying to achieve neutral buoyancy while not holding onto anything may be a little difficult at first. But as you learn to control your breathing it becomes second nature.

After your fourth dive, and with all your tasks completed and passed, you can take another dive, this time as a certified diver. Lasting about 45 minutes, you will now use your newly acquired skills of compass reading and navigation underwater, and buoyancy control when you want to stop and look at something. You may not notice as much as your instructor and they will often point out something that they have spotted which it may take you a little more time to see. This is because they know exactly what they are looking at and where to expect to find things. This will come to you eventually too. For now, you can just relax and enjoy your dive.

 

Post OWD Courses

Once you have your OWD certification achieved, you can start planning your next level. This is the Advanced Certification and will allow you to dive to 30m. In this course you will learn about night diving, perfecting buoyancy control, and other modules like multi-level diving and deep diving. For more on the PADI Advanced OWD course, please click here.

After this you can advance even further and do your Rescue Diver course. For the most experienced divers, the Dive Master course.

 

Conclusion

Diving is an extremely enjoyable hobby. If you go to exotic destinations or tropical areas you will definitely want to partake in some dives. Diving with whale sharks or with manta rays is an amazing experience. You will be the envy of a lot of people if you have done these.

The PADI course is a great way to start on this adventure. It teaches you a lot of valuable information and the practical side of it is educational while being very enjoyable at the same time. If you have the opportunity, you should try it once. Your eyes will be opened to the beautiful and long unknown world just off our shores.

 

Thanks to RDA Divenet

Our instructors for the course were RDA Divenet, and through the whole thing Raul and his team were excellent. We had done the online part ourselves beforehand, but the rest of the course we did with them. The confined dive we were able to do in the pool in the compound we live in. The open water dives were organized in Jeddah by RDA. Obviously flights, hotel, and transport you need to book yourself as this is not covered in the cost of the course.

Throughout the course, the instructors were great; if there was any issue with a task then they took the time to make sure you could perform it properly before moving on. There was no pressure from anybody and it was very relaxed and very enjoyable.

If you fancy learning to dive and you’re based in Riyadh, look them up and you won’t be disappointed. RDA Divenet can be found on this link.

 

Our Saudi Arabia Travel Guide

• For our Saudi Arabia Travel Guide with information for people looking to travel to Saudi Arabia please click here.

Related Articles about Saudi Arabia

• For what its like Living and Working in Saudi Arabia please click here. 
• To get a feeling of what its like at the King Abdulaziz Camel Festival please click here.
• If you are looking on information about the Cultural Festival in Janadiriyah in Saudi Arabia please click here.
• If you want to see the Edge of the World Riyadh please click here. 
• To see how to Rent an ATV in the Red Sand Dunes please click here. 
• Looking to try some Yemeni food in Sanaani House Riyadh? Please click here.