Is there good diving in Jacksonville?

Jacksonville is home to more than 100 artificial reefs with hundreds of colorful species of marine life off our Atlantic Coast shore. The extensive reef system, a diverse array of marine life, and affordable diving rates make Jax one of the best diving destinations on Florida’s East Coast.

Do you need a permit to scuba dive in Florida?

While the Sunshine State is home to some more than 100 of the best scuba diving sites in the nation, Florida does not legally require any certification for those who want to give it a try, but you won’t get very far from land until you earn one anyway.

Is there good diving in Jacksonville? – Related Questions

At what age should you stop scuba diving?

After all, according to certifying agencies like PADI, SSI or other scuba diving organizations, there is only one scuba diving age restriction. You can begin to dive when you are 8 years old, and there is no maximum age.

Do you have to be in shape to scuba?

Scuba diving can be physically taxing, and you should still be physically fit before you start PADI certification classes.

What do you need to scuba dive in Florida?

You will need: Mask, fins, snorkel, BCD, regulator, weights, and tanks. If you do not have these items we have these items for rent here! Additional items you might want to bring along: dive computer if not diving with tables, lights, surface marker buoy, watch, underwater camera, whistle, and appropriate wetsuit/skin.

How do you get certified to scuba dive in Florida?

As of this post, to receive your PADI Open Water Certification, you must complete:
  1. 8 laps in a pool.
  2. 10 minutes treading water.
  3. followed by 4 confined (i.e. pool) dives with training exercises.
  4. and then 4 open water (ocean/river/spring/lake) dives with training exercises.

What is required for scuba diving?

You need to have basic swim skills and be able to comfortably maintain yourself in the water. Your PADI Instructor will assess this by having you: Swim 200 metres/yards (or 300 metres/yards in mask, fins and snorkel). There is no time limit for this, and you may use any swimming strokes you want.

Who Cannot scuba dive?

“If you can reach an exercise intensity of 13 METS (the exertion equivalent of running a 7.5-minute mile), your heart is strong enough for most any exertion,” he says. You also need to be symptom-free. If you have chest pain, lightheadedness or breathlessness during exertion, you should not be diving.

What is the golden rule of scuba diving?

If you had but 30 seconds to teach someone to scuba dive, what would you tell them? The same thing Mike did — the Golden Rule of scuba diving. Breathe normally; never hold your breath. The rest, in most cases, is pretty much secondary.

What should you never do while scuba diving?

Never hold your breath while ascending. Your ascent should be slow and your breathing should be normal. Never panic under water. If you become confused or afraid during a dive, stop, try to relax, and think through the problem.

Why do sharks not bite scuba divers?

To put it most simply – we are not their food. They do not seek us out, we are not a natural prey of sharks, and they do not like the taste of humans! It is not right to say that sharks do not attack divers, however such incidents are extremely rare.

What happens if you stop breathing while diving?

If you hold your breath while ascending to the surface, your lungs and the air within them expand as the water pressure weakens. Since that air has nowhere to escape, it keeps swelling against the walls of your lungs, regardless of the organ’s finite capacity.

What is the number one rule of diving?

Always breathe continuously. Never hold your breath. As I mentioned earlier, this is arguably the “number one rule” of scuba because breath holding while scuba diving can lead to serious injury, even death.