beginner scuba questions

[Anthony.Luciano]

ok so for my 16th birthday i want my parents to get me scuba lessons and equipment. now from what i understand the first lessons are for the open water test, is that correct? and what certification will i be getting just an open water certificate of a junior diver certificate, and when i get that can i just go out with my friend thats been diving for many years somewhere out in Long Island NY. and what certification do i need for me to go out, say i go on 10 dives and my brother wants to get a certificate, can I take him out without someone else just like me and him or do i need a higher certificate?

[jnguyen4007]

I am not familiar with the junior certification, but I thought it was for age group younger than 16. I could be wrong. Contact your local dive shop and they can tell you.

None of the dive shop I have ever been into will rent out dive tanks and gears to non-divers. Even if you can find a diveshop stupid enough to look the other way, you never, never, never want to take anyone who has not been properly trained to dive with you. You not only put your life but that person's life at risk. Diving is great and I love every minute I spent underwater, but it is not an activity to be taken lightly. If your brother wants to dive too, he needs to be properly trained and certified.

[Anthony.Luciano]

i looked it up and it said the junior certification is for people below 15

[snorvich]

None of the dive shop I have ever been into will rent out dive tanks and gears to non-divers. Even if you can find a diveshop stupid enough to look the other way, you never, never, never want to take anyone who has not been properly trained to dive with you. You not only put your life but that person's life at risk. Diving is great and I love every minute I spent underwater, but it is not an activity to be taken lightly. If your brother wants to dive too, he needs to be properly trained and certified.

Diving is wonderful. But only if you are properly trained which includes certification, experience diving with someone who is much more experienced than you will initially be, and experience in the specific conditions in which you find yourself.

[Ron Smith]

The junior and senior certificates involve the same training and testing. A junior changes to a senior when you turn 16, at least with PADI.

[Ron Smith]

Just checked and here is the correct age data:

# Junior Open Water Divers ages 10-11 years old must dive with a PADI Professional or certified parent/guardian. Dives must not exceed 12 metres /40 feet.
# Junior Open Water Divers ages 12-14 years old must dive with a certified adult. (13+ years old can take the Open Water Diver course online

[Jaymeany]

I am a PADI Instructor and Ron Smith is dead on. As long as you and your brother are both Open Water Divers then you can dive together but you couldn't / shouldn't take him out without training. Enjoy, its a great sport.