Where to get certified for scuba diving in Destin

Have you always wanted to see the natural limestone reefs and sunken ships that dot Destin-Fort Walton Beach’s shores for yourself? Well, guess what? It’s never been easier to get certified to scuba dive. In fact, you can get your certificate before even setting foot in the Gulf.

Two local dive shops in Destin are ready to help you become the scuba diver you’ve always wanted to be. Scuba Tech in Destin and Emerald Coast Scuba both offer combination online/in-person options for certification. This means you can be completely landlocked, yet well on your way towards striking “Learn to scuba” off the bucket list.

Start from Home

Here’s how the course works: The open water certification begins with a PADI (Professional Association of Diving Instructors) Open Water Diver course that you take at your own pace. The course is available online, or in DVD or book format.
In this first portion, you’ll learn the concepts and terms needed for a safe dive, before continuing to the Confined Water Dive portion. For that section, you will need access to a swimming pool to practice your underwater skills.

Once you’ve completed the Confined Water Dive, it’s time to head to Destin-Fort Walton Beach, put on scuba gear, and prove your knowledge in the swimming pool with dive instructors.

Head into Open Waters

After being given the go-ahead, it’s time for the open water dives. You’ll spend two days conducting four dives in the Gulf. These open water dives are at depths up to 60-feet, with dive instructors observing to make sure you’re ready for scuba certification. If you pass, you’re now a certified open water scuba diver.

The scuba industry has worked hard to make this fun activity more accessible, and it shows. There’s nothing complicated about getting certified for scuba or a need to travel to an exotic, far-flung location. You don’t even have to take extensive time away from work or school.

Take the Fast Lane

But, what if you’re the impatient type? Short on time? Excited? Maybe you’re determined to explore the Gulf’s depths before check-out?

The divemasters at Scuba Tech understand that sometimes it’s hard to wait once you’ve made your mind up. That’s why they offer a half-day Discover Scuba class. With this class, you will be in the water, diving to a maximum depth of 40-feet, at the Destin Jetties on the same day.

Students are fitted with scuba equipment, instructed in safety procedures, and are taken to the Destin Jetties. Once there, divers explore the shallow waters at the Jetties with an instructor, before being allowed to take an untethered dive in deeper waters.

What are you waiting for? Getting certified for scuba diving in Destin has never been easier. You set the pace. Learn on your schedule. There’s no need to feel intimidated. The friendly divemasters at Scuba Tech and Emerald Coast Scuba can’t wait to get in the water and introduce you to a wondrous world that only a determined few get to experience.