Getting Certified at Eco SCUBA Key West

Certification Overview
Below, you can find general information that you will need to know before getting certified with Eco SCUBA. We have also provided information for both the NAUI and PADI certifying agencies.

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Do I Have to be Certified to Dive?
Yes, and you cannot be certified overnight. Eco SCUBA WILL NOT allow anyone to dive without certification. Make no mistakes, if you do not have some form of dive certification from a SCUBA certifying agency, you are NOT going to dive with Eco SCUBA. However, we would love to help you get your dive certification and we can do it in a few days! So, if you are planning on staying in Key West or the immediate area for more than two days, we would be more than happy to help!

Which Agency do I Use?
We have the ability and know how to certify any level for both NAUI and PADI. Eco SCUBA does not reccommend one agency over the other, it is totally preferential for the individual. Both agencies are recognized world-wide and both offer great educational diving experience and opportunities. It is our reccommendation that you do your own personal research to determine which you feel will be the best for you as a future diver.

Do I Need My Own Training Materials?
No, you don't have to bring your own materials however, we do reccomend that you purchase your own if you plan to get certified with a very limited time frame. If you are planning on getting certified with no time to spare, we would reccommend that you complete as much of your book work as possible before you meet with us to get your instruction. If you are VERY pressed for time, we can even send someone with the instructional videos and training manuals to your hotel on the island! If you do think that you may need this service PLEASE contact us well in advance about the materials. We will also be more than happy to discuss what work you can do on your own prior to your arrival.

I Want My Own Materials, Where Can I Get Them?
There are many places that you can go to find your manuals, tables and other educational implements for the agency of your choice. The most relative choices would be the respective agencies websites. They will be able to offer you absolutely everything that you require for training purposes. However, Eco SCUBA is very eco-oriented and we would suggest that you try and obtain pre-owned materials from Amazon or Ebay. There is no need to have a "new" and shiny book that you may only use for a short time. Not only is it a positive step towards reducing your personal carbon foot print but, you will probably also save a lot of money!

Since 1959, members of the National Association of Underwater Instructors, NAUI Worldwide, have been training people just like you to be the best skin and scuba divers in the world!

Diving can lead to adventures in exotic tropical locales and an exciting lifetime profession anywhere in the world. Choosing NAUI training means you're only satisfied with the very best. NAUI has the highest training standards in the diving industry and NAUI divers enjoy a worldwide reputation for being accomplished underwater explorers where each breath turns a new page in a journey into the unknown.

Scuba diving is the ultimate role playing activity where you live each moment and venture into places where no one else has been before.

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NAUI Skin Diver - This is the absolute basic entry course to water exploration in general. You will learn all of the basic breath holding and "skin" diving techniques. More

NAUI SCUBA Diver - This is NAUI's entry level scuba diving certification course. In this course, you will learn many diving basics and safety fundamentals. More

NAUI Advanced SCUBA Diver - This course consists of at least 6 separate dives, three of which will be dedicated to navigation. The remaining dives will be used for night/low visibility dives and deep/wreck dives. Requirements

NAUI Rescue Diver - Eco SCUBA HIGHLY reccommends that you take this course before you even think of proceeding to a higher level of certification. This course teaches in depth saftey measues, rescue techniques, risk management and overall precautions for "Living to dive another day." Requirements

NAUI Divemster - This course will allow you to lead dives with certified divers, work on dive boats around the world and assist in the instruction of resort SCUBA certification classes. This "High Level" certification has MANY requirements that you need to be aware of. Requirements

NAUI Instructor - This level of certification is reserved for those NAUI divers that have climbed the ranks of certification offered by NAUI and wish to pursue the instruction of other divers. Eco SCUBA assumes that if you are seeking this level of certification, you are well versed in every other aspect of the NAUI diving structure and that you have ALL of the appropriate education and materials necessary for your certification. Requirements

More information can be found on ALL of the general certification levels and the specialty certifications on the official NAUI website.

PADI Divers carry the most respected and sought after scuba credentials in the world. No matter where you choose to dive, your PADI scuba certification card will be recognized and accepted. In fact, on most scuba diving adventures you’ll be surrounded by other PADI Divers who made the same certification choice you did – to train with the world’s largest and most respected scuba diving training organization.

With more than 130,000 PADI Professionals and around 5700 PADI Dive Shops and Resorts operating in more than 180 countries and territories, you will likely find a PADI Scuba Instructor who can speak your language and offer you a comfortable learning experience. To serve the needs of divers worldwide, translations of PADI materials are available in at least 26 languages.

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