Scuba diving lets you breathe underwater from a tank on your back and stay down long enough to really look around: coral reefs, kelp forests, shipwrecks, freshwater springs and quarries. Breathing compressed air underwater carries real risks, so you can't simply rent gear and jump in. Dive shops won't fill your tanks or take you out without proof of training.

There are two ways in. A supervised intro dive, often sold as a "try dive," gives you a short lesson and a shallow dive with a professional instructor right beside you. Full open water certification combines study, pool sessions and several training dives in open water. Once certified, you can dive with a buddy, no instructor needed, within the limits of your training.

The Date Activity

Learning to dive together is a great project for a couple. You'll study the same material, practice skills side by side in the pool, and end up as each other's dive buddy, which means real trust underwater. Your certification card is recognized by dive shops around the world, so it opens up a lot of future trips.

If you just want a taste, book an intro dive on vacation or a pool session at a local dive shop. Not ready to breathe underwater? Snorkeling puts you over the same reefs from the surface. After a dive, keep the rest of the day easy: a long lunch and an afternoon on the beach are about right.

On Your Own / With Friends

Diving is social by design. Dive shops run local dives, group trips and clubs, and a boat full of divers is usually a friendly crowd. Friends can take the certification course together and keep each other motivated through the book work.

There's no truly solo diving for recreational divers, since the buddy system is one of the sport's core rules. If you show up without a partner, the shop or boat crew will pair you with someone.

Good to Know

Train and dive only with certified instructors and reputable dive shops, and stay within your training. Expect a medical questionnaire and a waiver; some conditions, such as heart or lung problems, need a doctor's sign-off first. Don't dive with a cold or congestion, since you need to clear your ears on the way down. Never hold your breath while breathing from scuba gear, and leave about a day between your last dive and a flight home. A mask that fits well makes a big difference, so it's a good first thing to buy.