Frequently Asked Questions
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All year round! There is no real peak season for diving in Kauai. There are different reasons to dive during the different seasons. For example, if you are interested in possibly seeing whales, whale season is January.
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Well, believe it or not the answer is yes and no. If you just want to try diving (an introduction), then the answer is no. But if you plan on getting certified, then the answer is yes. Part of the certification course is a 200 yard freestyle and a ten minute tread. Now before you shave your body to get ready, remember there is no time limit on the swim. Is it difficult to learn to dive? Not for most people (if my wimpy sister can do it, anyone can!). The class is designed to teach you the skills that you need to be a safe diver. As long as you can swim (see above) then you can dive.
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Generally the answer is no but that’s up to your doctor. If you have asthma then you need to consult your physician. If he gives you the OK, simply have him sign the medical release form and bring it with you.
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Yes. You can begin the certification process at home. You can either take a PADI SCUBA course at a dive shop near you or you can do a PADI eLearning course to prepare before you get to Kauai. Remember, the amount of time you spend in a classroom depends on how much you study!
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Most certifying agencies require that you be at least 12 years old (with PADI it’s 10) when you start your scuba diving course. You will normally receive a junior certification which can be upgraded to a full certification when you are 15 years old.
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Absolutely. Diving for the most part is safe but there are rules and precautions that need to be taken. Being certified gives you the tools to dive to any depth and be safe. Even dive less the ten feet can be dangerous on SCUBA if you don’t know what you are doing. Most companies won’t even sell you gear without that card. But if you just want to do a shallow dive and experience the feeling, then you can do a Discover Scuba Diving program. This program requires no experience and includes a dive with an instructor. How long does it take? The certification process is 3 days. The introduction to SCUBA is 4 hours.
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Absolutely! If you wear glasses, the solution is a prescription mask. You can purchase your own ahead of time and bring it with you or we can rent one to you. Regarding contact lenses…our owner Jeannette, has been wearing contacts for years while diving and has never lost a single one. If you do happen to lose a contact lens in the ocean, however, trying to find it would be a b… well let’s just say it would be tough.
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Time underwater depends on how long the tank of air lasts and that is dependent on depth and how comfortable you are in the water. For most people 45 minutes is the average time but we have had some divers that can take that out to an hour. In the movies and TV, divers are always running into sharks and eels.
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No. although the movies and Baywatch want you to think that the underwater environment is dangerous, it’s not. Sharks and eels, while intimidating, are not a threat to divers. Heck… some of our best friends are sharks (we can introduce you to “Stumpy” on your dive if you’d like).
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No. although the movies and Baywatch want you to think that the underwater environment is dangerous, it’s not. Sharks and eels, while intimidating, are not a threat to divers. Heck… some of our best friends are sharks (we can introduce you to “Stumpy” on your dive if you’d like).
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Sure! Try out the Discover SCUBA diving program. It’s fun and safe and the dive counts toward your certification. All it takes is a sense of adventure and the rest is up to us.
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Our goal at Fathom Five/Ocean Quest is to make you not only comfortable about diving but excited. Give us a call or email us and we will be happy to answer your questions.
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Known today as a nautical unit equating to six feet or 1.8288 meters, the term ‘fathom’ has origins tied deeply to human measurements and interactions. Once upon a time, British Parliament defined a fathom based on the average span of a man’s arms when wrapped around his beloved, hence the term originating from Old English Faethm or ’embracing arms’. The fathom, abbreviated as ‘ftm’, is an integral length unit in both the Imperial and U.S. customary measurement systems, and is predominantly used to measure water depth. Two yards or six feet encapsulate one fathom in these systems. This historical unit of length saw its original concept from the span between a man’s outstretched arms. However, its precise measurement has seen minor variations over time. The fathom’s length has swung between 5-5.5 feet (1.5-1.7m), depending on whether it was denoted as a thousandth of an (Admiralty) nautical mile or as a multiplier of the imperial yard.
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For boat dives, we use a back roll entry from the side of the boat. For shore dives, entry is typically a beach or gradual slope entry, but can vary depending on the specific site.
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Morning dives often offer calmer conditions and clearer visibility. However, afternoon dives can offer different marine life encounters. Both times have their own unique experiences.
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We do stationary dives on our 2-tank boat tours to explore the reef in detail and spend more time enjoying encounters when conditions dictate and or diver skill level permits, we will drift on local 2-tank & 3-tank charters. The only drift dives we offer are on the Niihau tour for advanced divers.
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For the 2-tank boat dives, we recommend some prior diving experience, but it’s not strictly necessary. Our team will always be there to guide and assist you.
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The dive sites are selected based on the best conditions for the day. Our aim is to provide the best experience possible, so we’ll choose sites with the best visibility, current, and marine life activity.
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$52 for core package rental
*The cost of rental equipment varies. With tours, we offer package deals. For independent dives, we have a standard rental rate. Please refer to our price list or contact us for specific details. -
A 2-tank dive means you’ll be doing two dives with two separate tanks of air. It allows for two separate dives at different sites or a longer exploration of one large site.
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Our boat is a 6 passenger dive vessels, designed specifically for diving Hawaiian waters. It’s equipped with safety equipment, a shaded area, and ample space for divers and their gear.
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Absolutely! We welcome site requests and will do our best to accommodate, but final decisions will be based on the day’s conditions and safety considerations.
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Certified divers can dive with their non-certified friends under certain conditions. Typically, non-certified divers will be on an introductory dive with an instructor while the certified diver can join with a separate guide or the same group, depending on circumstances.
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Our dive sites vary in depth, ranging from shallow dives suitable for beginners to deeper dives for more experienced divers. Most sites are between 30-100 feet deep
“Greatest” Dive Questions of All Time
These are real questions that our customers have asked…
Is this island surrounded by water?
Only at high tide.
Are those waterfalls in the mountains fresh water?
No… in fact giant life ending waves caused by an alien space craft are right at this moment pounding the other side of the island. What you are seeing is the small amount that has made it over the top and is trickling down this side. Aren’t you glad you didn’t go over to that side today?
If you go really deep, does your head explode?
Yes, and your hair falls out.
Do you live here?
No, I commute but I have to tell you… all that rowing is killing me.
Are you going SCUBA diving?
No… but I’ve found that if you buy a bunch of this scuba stuff and stand in the water until a really cute girl walks by on the beach, you can act like you’ve been scuba diving. It is easier to get a date. (The response: “Really?”)
What elevation are we at? (asked on a boat 2 miles offshore by a guy with his logbook.)
(Us) “How tall are you?” (Him) “6′ 1″” (Us) “OK… then your elevation is 7′ 4″” (Him) “Cool… Thanks!”
Have you ever been eaten by a shark?
Yeah but don’t worry… it grows back.
So, the boat dive is… uhhh… on a boat, right? How long will I be able to stay underwater?
boat, right? This one just happened (See, guys… I told you we would put you on our website!)
If I go diving, is my hair going to get wet?
Swear… it’s true.
“So, this is the Pacific Ocean?”
(Us) “Yeah, what do you think?” (Her) “Well, to tell you the truth, I thought it would be bigger”