Many of the Boy Scouts around here get certified at ages 13-17 because they want to go to SeaBase in Florida. Our Troop used Atlantic Edge - the pool portion was done at just some local swim pool place around here, and then the open water part was in the very cold quarry in Virginia which I think is the only place around here you can do the open water part.

One thing that's kind of a bummer is that no one else in our family is certified, and some places won't let them go without a parent with them. So my son is always bummed on vacation when he wants to dive and we can't do it with him.

You could also fly down to Florida and do the open water there.

Anonymous wrote:2weeks? no.

That is plenty of time if you do it on vacation. You can do the course in 4 days (lots of studying, though).

My 13 year old did it at the scubaedu place in Friendship Heights. Did the course online (scuba edu told him what to do, it took like 14 hours self paced over a few weeks) then the one day 7 hr pool course here. The other people getting certified were adults but the instructors and fellow dive students were great with my teen. Then you need to do open water dives. We happened to be visiting grandparents in FL over winter break so called dive shop there who did the open water dives over two days. It was all a small fortune. The junior open water diver converts to regular when they turn 14, they don’t need to do anything extra.

Yes. Search dive shops near you on google, and go with the one who offers the in person course and testing during the 2-week window. Do the online part ahead, then probably a weekend (or two) in a pool, then a weekend at a quarry to get certified. Just make sure your child will be PADI certified.

Our family of 4 are all certified and have done many fun dive trips over the years.

PADI lets you get certified at 10 but you can’t get fully certified to depth until 14.

Most local courses are going to take a few weeks. If you go to a resort to do it, it can be done in an intensive few days. My kids got certified around that age, you just stay above 40 ft until they are a bit older. No big deal as long as you go to appropriate dive sites. I tend to have them do a refresher 2 dives with a pro if it has been a year or so since their last dive.

Bonaire is the best place to go for this if you dive too. There are dozens of shallow but good dive sites.

Anonymous wrote:This activity seems super dangerous and risky. Haven’t people died?

Yes. Usually while doing something stupid, or inherently dangerous like wreck/ cave diving (which require additional certification). People have also died driving, riding in cars, on bikes and scooters, playing football, eating a spoonful of cinnamon, etc... Scuba has many safety protocols and lots of redundancy. It is a culture of safety and support.

OP, I did mine through Blue Planet. Once he does the online learning and tests (I took about two weeks to get through it) then he takes a test in person at the store near Dupont Circle. The open water portion is in a quarry in southern VA, about 2-3 hours drive IIRC. That's just one weekend (two days.)

I would ask some questions about the instructor for the open water part. Mine was brand new-- I think it was his first time out as an instructor-- and I didn't like it. He lacked confidence, and coped poorly with students having a hard time. There are other instructors, though, so see if you can get him assigned to a more seasoned one.

This activity seems super dangerous and risky. Haven’t people died?

Anonymous wrote:13-year-old DS wants to get scuba-certified in the two free weeks he has this summer. Possible? Can anyone recommend local scuba companies that have teen programs? TIA!

Padi lets you at 12. There is an online class, with an exam. 2 days of pool dives. Then checkout dives. It’s not that bad.

We used Aquatic Adventures for us and our dc.

My neighbor just had his 11 year old certified. They went to 2 weekend-long certification sessions. Although his dad did it with him.

It is possible, just got to find the right place.

2weeks? no.

Do the classroom part online, that doesn't need to be local. Then you can do the dives more locally (I am not in the DMV so don't have a location, but this is what 12 year old DS did this past year).

13-year-old DS wants to get scuba-certified in the two free weeks he has this summer. Possible? Can anyone recommend local scuba companies that have teen programs? TIA!