General SCUBA FAQ

• What is SCUBA?
• How can I learn to dive?
• What gear do I need to dive?
• Where can I go diving?
• Why should I want to dive?
• When and where does the Squad meet?
• How do I join the mailing list?

What is SCUBA?

SCUBA stands for Self-Contained Underwater Breathing Apparatus. It's a way to allow humans to stay underwater for long periods of time--over an hour in some conditions.

What training do I need?

The minimum training is the Open Water certification, which allows one to dive with a buddy to a maximum depth of 60 feet. This is not a resort class, which only allows to 40 feet with a Divemaster or other professional diver watching. There are four classroom sessions, four confined pool sessions, four quizzes, four open water dives and a written exam, which requires a 70 to pass. The classes cover basic dive signals, how to handle running out of air, buoyancy, equipment and many other important skills. Students will have to own basic equipment; the rest is rented.

The closest dive center to Stony Brook is Port Diver, which is at 811 Route 25A in Port Jefferson. For other places, check out the Long Island Divers Association (LIDA) website at www.lidaonline.com

Please remember that you must take a physical before starting scuba diving, as there are a few medical conditions that are hazardous to diving.

What gear do I need?

You'll need a mask, snorkel, fins, boots and gloves. For cold water diving, boots and gloves should be at least five millimeters thick. If you have vision problems, either wear contacts or invest in prescription lenses.

You should also get diving insurance. Divers' Alert Network and other companies offer insurance for $45-70 per year; in case of decompression illness, this covers the cost of recompression. While this usually isn't necessary, the risk isn't worth it.

Where can I dive?

There are a number of wreck sites and artificial reefs around Long Island. The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation maintains listings of the reefs here, with more details here.

Why should I dive?

To see the fish! Many, many, many fish... and wrecks... and nudibranchs... well, there are plenty of reasons to dive. It's basically, to be cliché, a new world to play in. It may seem scary, but if you're interested, you can do it—just find a really patient Divemaster. However, you shouldn't do it if you're just being pressured to dive by a friend/spouse/loved one, as it'll only make you miserable. Diving is also a very dangerous activity if you're not careful, and it requires a fair amount of time and effort just to get open water certification.

When and where does the SCUBA Squad meet?

The Squad will meet on Thursdays at 7pm in SAC room 304 as announced on the mailing list, with other events also occuring when advertised.

How do I join the mailing list?

If you wish to join the mailing list at Yahoo Groups, simply send a message to the club president at scubasq@ic.sunysb.edu saying that you'd like to join the mailing list. Once you have done so, you should receive information and updates about events, courses, and planned dives, and you can post asking for dive buddies and gear recommendations and fish pictures.