Tuesday, February 27, 2007
Underage Diving
The scuba headlines today announced the appointment of 13-year-old diver and author Cody Brown to the staff of Northwest Dive News. As a writer and diver myself whose love of both avocations started equally early in life, I applaud the achievements of this youngster, who last year published the book "Scuba For Kids." But when I read that Brown became one of the world's youngest certified Master Divers at the age of 12, I got to thinking about the whole issue of dive certification for minors.
Like the tobacco industry, the dive industry likes to get 'em young. PADI and SSI allow "Junior" Open Water certification for kids as young as 10 if they dive with a parent. The age requirement for NAUI and the YMCA is 12. How much is really known about the effects of decompression on the still-developing physiologies of kids? Or, perhaps more importantly, how well can we expect a middle-schooler to comprehend the intricacies of dive physics that many adults find so challenging?
Seasoned veteran Cody Brown seems like a real go-getter, and probably is a safer diver at 13 than many adults. But I'd hardly call a kid who published a book and earned Master Diver certification at the age of 12 a typical example of a child diver. I don't know enough about this issue to have formed an opinion, but I do recognize there are serious considerations to both sides. An ongoing debate of the pros and cons of certifying minors to dive can only serve a worthwhile purpose to the dive community. What are your thoughts?
Like the tobacco industry, the dive industry likes to get 'em young. PADI and SSI allow "Junior" Open Water certification for kids as young as 10 if they dive with a parent. The age requirement for NAUI and the YMCA is 12. How much is really known about the effects of decompression on the still-developing physiologies of kids? Or, perhaps more importantly, how well can we expect a middle-schooler to comprehend the intricacies of dive physics that many adults find so challenging?
Seasoned veteran Cody Brown seems like a real go-getter, and probably is a safer diver at 13 than many adults. But I'd hardly call a kid who published a book and earned Master Diver certification at the age of 12 a typical example of a child diver. I don't know enough about this issue to have formed an opinion, but I do recognize there are serious considerations to both sides. An ongoing debate of the pros and cons of certifying minors to dive can only serve a worthwhile purpose to the dive community. What are your thoughts?
Comments:
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In my experience kids are in the mode of studying and the habit of applying knowledge - it`s their job - I have seen no evidence that teenagers have any more difficulty understanding the physics than adults - actually quite the opposite.
However - I DO think there are long term effects of diving on developing bodies and I would not encourage anyone I know with teenagers to let them dive
I have one other comment on the "master diver" certification - at that age he is not permitted to dive beyond 60ft - so the "deep dives" for both advanced and master had to have a max depth of 60ft which barely makes them deep dives ... hell I can breath hold dive to 60ft - Certifications should be taken for knowledge and experience - not for the badge you get at the end.
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However - I DO think there are long term effects of diving on developing bodies and I would not encourage anyone I know with teenagers to let them dive
I have one other comment on the "master diver" certification - at that age he is not permitted to dive beyond 60ft - so the "deep dives" for both advanced and master had to have a max depth of 60ft which barely makes them deep dives ... hell I can breath hold dive to 60ft - Certifications should be taken for knowledge and experience - not for the badge you get at the end.
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: February 28, 2007 at 1:08 PM
: February 28, 2007 at 1:08 PM Subscribe to Post Comments [Atom]
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