What is a Diving Baptism - All the Information
The diving baptism is the perfect opportunity to have a first contact with the wonders of the seabed in a 100% safe and fun environment.
This is an activity designed for those who are curious about the world of diving and want to get started with a certified diving instructor.
Besides being a great experience to venture for the first time in an impressive ecosystem, you will also be able to experience first-hand the sensation of "flying" due to weightlessness. And, best of all, you can do all this in a matter of hours and feel like a real underwater explorer.
In this post we will tell you everything you need to know to make your diving baptism a success, from the most basic concepts to the requirements you must meet and where you can do this wonderful activity Dive with us".
What is a diving baptism?
A diving baptism is the first step to discover the incredible surprises of the underwater world. Through this initial contact we can determine if it is an activity that we could become passionate about, but the best of all is that you can do it in a totally safe way, because an instructor will watch over you minute by minute.
This first dive is the initiation phase for any person preparing to become a diver (in fact it is almost a tradition), as the activity is performed in a controlled environment with specialized monitoring. Therefore, it is a perfect experience for you to enjoy the incredible sensations that divers from all over the world experience on a daily basis.
What is done in a diving baptism?
When we sign up for a diving baptism we will receive both a practical and theoretical initiation. In a more detailed way, the instructor will be in charge of providing all the basic information about diving so that you can know what the experience is about and what you should take into account.
At the end of the theory, we will move on to action with shallow dive practices so that your body and mind can assimilate the conditions of the new environment.
Generally, this part of the activity is done in a pool or on the shallow shore of the beach. The exercises you will perform will be the most essential ones to get you to perform correctly in the underwater environment while familiarizing yourself with the diving equipment.
Among the main lessons you will be taught how to properly compensate your ears when descending, how to empty your goggles if water has entered them without having to get out, how to breathe through your regulator, how to use your BCD in a basic way and how to communicate with dive signals when you are underwater.
Both the practical and theoretical classes will be conducted by a 100% qualified diving instructor who will guarantee your learning and safety.
Requirements for the activity
The first thing you will have to do is to fill in a series of documents in which the diving center you have chosen will explain to you what the diving baptism consists of.
If you have any doubts, you can always consult your instructor to clarify the whole picture.
Keep in mind that, both in Spain and in other countries, it is also a requirement to have a medical check-up, as this will rule out the possibility that there is any health condition that is not compatible with the practice of the activity. In addition, the center itself can inform you where to have this check-up.
There are also sites where this is not mandatory and, instead, you will only have to complete a questionnaire in which you will specify if you suffer from any of the conditions or pathologies that are indicated there (and that are incompatible with diving). For example: "do you take any special medication" or "have you recently undergone surgery".
Differences between a diving baptism and a diving course
The first (and possibly the most important) is that with an underwater baptism you don't get a diver's license, while with the PADI Open Water Diver, which is the first course, you do become a certified diver.
In addition, in the baptism the training you will receive is not so extensive, so it does not require many theoretical or practical lessons. It is simply a guided experience to enjoy the dives and find out if you are passionate enough to move to the next level.
On the other hand, in the diving course, you will not depend on your instructor, so you will have more autonomy, you will be able to solve any problem, dive deeper and even practice specialties such as night diving or wreck diving.
You should know that you can do as many baptisms as you wish, but in case you get hooked on the dives, it will always be more interesting to advance to the next phase.
How long does the diving baptism last?
In this aspect, the first thing to keep in mind is that the dives in a scuba diving baptism will have a duration that will depend exclusively on your air consumption, how you handle the equipment and the depth at which you are submerged.
However, on average, they usually take between 30 and 50 minutes. What is certain is that it will be shorter than it seems because it is such an exciting activity.
Most importantly, should the experience not be to your liking for any reason, you can stop the practice by signaling your instructor.
Where can I do a diving baptism?
If you are encouraged by the idea of doing a diving baptism in Lanzarote you must make sure you find an approved center and that guarantees you the attention of certified diving instructors. It is quite likely that, where there is tourism and lovely beaches, you can find organizations that offer you the possibility to do this incredible activity.
Dive centers like Titan Blue Divers are fully equipped with diving equipment and boats that allow you to reach the best dive sites. In addition, they work together with the best diving certifiers worldwide, such as PADI, SSI, FEDAS, ACUC, CEMAS or NAUI.
If you pay attention to these details, then you will be guaranteed training with high quality standards, which in turn translates into safety and accountability.
Equipment required for the activity
The equipment you will use for your diving baptism will be composed of: wetsuit, regulators, pressure gauge and depth gauge; weights, compensating vest, compressed air bottle, snorkel, mask and fins.
All this, out of the water, weighs about 10 to 20 kg, but the advantage is that out of the water it weighs much less. And if the activity will be done by a child, you don't have to worry, because there is equipment of smaller size and weight especially for the little ones.
Also, keep in mind that during the diving baptism you are always under the supervision of a certified professional.
Frequently Asked Questions
To make you go with more security to your first dive, we will take care of any possible doubts you may have with our section of frequently asked questions:
What is the minimum age to do a diving baptism?
To perform this activity in the sea, which is the conventional way, the minimum age is 10 years old. When it comes to children of 8 or 9, it can only be done in a more controlled environment, for example, in a swimming pool and not deeper than 2 meters.
How deep am I going to dive?
The maximum depth to which you can dive in a conventional diving baptism (being older than 10 years old) is 12 meters. In the case of children from 8 to 10 years old, the maximum is 2 meters.
However, please note that these limits may vary depending on the legislation of each country, so your center should inform you about them.
📍Important: Although it may seem like a great depth, the truth is that it is minimal when compared to the limit to which certified divers reach in recreational diving (around 40 meters).
Do I have to be very fit to participate?
You do not need to be an athlete to be able to dive, as it is a much less demanding activity than, for example, tennis, soccer or mountaineering. However, itis advisable to follow a healthy lifestyle and be moderately fit .
We have reached the end of our post, but if you have any questions, feel free to leave us a comment below. We'll get back to you in record time.
And if you want to go now to make your diving baptism in Lanzarote, contact us and we will tell you what our available plans, prices and requirements are By the way! 💡 We have for you a 50% discount if you dare to make, later, your Open Water course The time is now!
