Questions about everything! Ask Liquid Heaven Professionals !

Q: How much pool time do I get in the beginner open water scuba course?

A: A minimum of 5 confined pool sessions is offered. With Liquid Heaven, there is NO maximum pool sessions. The student gets unlimited pool time as to build comfort and confidence with the skills prior to open water dives. We also have the use of 2 lanes in the Panorama pool to experience and practice skills in what diving has to offer. Many other dive shops cram many students into one pool lane and compress their pool teaching into 4 and sometimes 3 pool sessions. Ask the dive shop or Dive store education facility what the course entails.

Q: How do I choose a dive store?

A: Well, there are a few things to consider. Most important is how you were approached during your first visit by the staff and how you felt after you visit. If you’re like most people, you’d like to be greeted and welcomed to the store. You shouldn’t feel pressure to buy anything just because you walked in the store. Ask yourself this: Is the store fully stocked with new, un-used merchandise or did it look like a pawn shop where most everything was ordered from catalogs where you will have no choice but to wait for delivery of your goods hopefully in a timeframe where you can use it. Was the rental gear in new or almost new condition, clean, organized and labeled? Or did it look like someone’s 15 year old stuff; faded and frayed? Does the air fill station look clean on the outside, if it does, most likely the owner maintains it thoroughly on the inside. If it doesn’t look clean, you know the answer! You as a diver have every right to ask the owner/store-manager to view the compressor and its filter change logs. You make the evaluation.

Q: Is the dive store you support a great place to meet fellow divers, a great place to do business, or both?

A: We at Liquid Heaven believe it is in you best interests to be both. Diving is a very social recreation / sport and many a new friend is made through the sport of diving. We run our business in a manner that gives our customers who inevitably become good friends the best overall experience for their equipment needs AND their dive experience both in and out of the water. We are proud of our training facility and the way we take care of our customers in a responsible manner, in any setting, not just in the store.

We are a retail store/ training facility that offers clothing sales, oxygen bar, jewelry, scuba sales and rentals, Technical service Air & Nitrox fills, 1st class charter service for small or large groups. We offer accommodations at special diver rates. This is why people say LIQUID HEAVEN is a first class, full service, training facility. You come be the judge and experience service like never before.

Q: Does Liquid Heaven offer charters?

A: Yes we do, however we are centered on operating a dive store and giving our students the best possible diving instruction and our customers the best possible dive experience and not at the same moment trying to operate a boat as well. We believe that not being 100% focused on our students or customers during a boat dive is doing them a disservice. A competent and responsible boat operator must focus their undivided attention on navigation and operation of the boat. A boat operator cannot properly deal with the equally required focus and concentration of a dive class or charter customers before a dive. During boat trips Liquid Heaven staff is focused 100% on our students or customers and the boat operators we affiliate with understand this. They also must comply with all the applicable Transport Canada standards applicable plus our own criteria centered on our student and customer safety and comfort.

Q: I have some health concerns and wonder if it is ok to learn to dive, what needs to be done about this?

A: Before you can commence dive instruction PADI requires that students complete and sign a medical questionnaire. The answers to this questionnaire will determine if you need to have a medical examination prior to commencing dive instruction. Liquid Heaven can provide you the medical exam form to give to your doctors for your examination. We are also knowledgeable as to who to which physicians who are particularly knowledgeable in dive medicine. But before you let a lifetime of adventure slip away, you and your doctor should consult the diving medicine experts at the Divers Alert Network (DAN). This nonprofit safety organization is affiliated with the Duke University Medical Center, and they can help you better understand the physical demands of diving and how it relates to your health. Call their non-emergency questions line at (919) 684-2948 and you may be surprised to find the answer is: Yes, you can dive safely.

In just the past 10 years, for example, asthma and diabetes have gone from being absolute disqualifiers to conditional ones. In both cases, if the condition is carefully monitored and controlled, and the patient can tolerate physical exercise, the pool is usually open.


Q: I've heard divers always dive in pairs, so do I need a "buddy" to start lessons, or can I sign up on my own?

A: It's true, recreational divers usually dive in pairs and that the other diver is referred to as your dive buddy. This answer is yes. Always dive with a buddy. Diving is a very social activity and when you arrive for your first scuba lesson, chances are there will be other students you can pair up with when you need to.

By the end of the class, you'll have a whole new set of friends who are as eager to dive as you are, so finding a partner for future dives is a cinch.

Q: What's the difference between a resort course and open-water certification? Is one just as good as the other?

A: They're two very different experiences, so the answer to your question depends on what you want to do with the sport.
A resort course, sometimes called a Discover Scuba course, is designed to give you a taste of diving. It usually consists of a short academic session, some time getting used to the gear in a swimming pool, and then you go diving in shallow, controlled and highly supervised conditions. Unless you seek additional training, you will always be limited to diving under the direct supervision of an instructor or a dive guide.
As the name implies, these programs are often provided by resorts as a half-day or day-long activity that guests can squeeze in between windsurfing and salsa lessons.

Open-water certification is a full entry-level diving course. It requires more academics, a lot more pool time and the completion of 4 to 5 open water dives where you must show your skills to the instructor. When you pass, however, you're a fully certified diver, no supervision required.

The difference really boils down to this: Do you want to try diving for a day, or do you want to be a diver for the rest of your life? If you're not sure, try the resort course first. If you like it, you can always take the next step and sign up for open-water certification.

Q: I would love to learn to dive, but I start college in the fall and between tuition and dorm fees, there's not a lot left in the budget. Any advice for getting certified on the cheap?

A: I can do you one better: How would you like to learn to dive for free and earn credits toward your degree at the same time? It's easy. When you hit campus this fall, skip out of freshman orientation and find your way to the physical education department. Many, if not most, colleges and universities offer entry-level dive classes as a PE or elective course, which means it's covered by any financial aid that's coming your way.

If your school doesn't have a dive program, check with other nearby universities, community colleges and even technical schools. I'll bet one of them has a scuba program, and you can probably arrange to transfer the credits. Now, all you have to do is convince your parents to pay for the class trip to Sidney BC or some exotic destination over spring break like Cocos Island, Costa Rica to complete your open water dives.

Q: So how deep do you go when you're diving? How long does a tank last? How fast can you swim under water?

A: The answer to all of your questions is: It depends.
Answering these in order: For properly trained advanced recreational divers, the absolute maximum depth limit is,130 feet. For newly certified open-water divers you'll be trained to dives of 60 feet, max. It's important to understand, however, that a successful dive isn't measured by how deep you go, but rather by how much fun you had exploring the underwater world. Popular dive sites for recreational divers are usually in the 40- to 80-foot range.

That's a comfortable depth for most divers and it allows you a reasonable amount of playtime before you have to come back to the surface.

Q: How deep you dive factors into your question about how long a tank of air lasts. The deeper you go, the faster you consume the air in your tank. So once again, a depth of 40 to 80 feet works out nicely for maximizing your dive time.
How fast can you swim under water?

A: A healthy diver giving it his all can probably hit about 1, maybe 1.5 knots in short bursts, but speed isn't what most divers are after any more than depth is. Water is 800 times denser than air, and the gear divers wear creates additional drag, so moving fast takes an enormous amount of effort. It's worth it to shift into overdrive if you're keeping up with a manta ray, for example, but most of the time divers try to move at a slow, gliding pace.

Q: I am a poor swimmer but can I learn to scuba dive?

A: Unfortunately not until you have improved your swimming skills. Sometime during your pool sessions, you have to pass the performance criteria of being able to swim 200 meters or 8 lengths of a standard pool without stopping and tread or float in water for 10 minutes. The reason for this is that you must be comfortable in water. In the unlikely event that you have to rescue a diver on the surface, you may end up having to swim on the surface without scuba.

Q: What does your open water diving course include?

A: We supply all the new TOP OF THE LINE scuba equipment for the duration of the course which includes 5 academic sessions (10hrs), five pool sessions (8-10 hours) and four open water dives with 1 optional skin dive). These are all minimums. Liquid Heaven will offer as much pool and class sessions and open water dives as needed to make you a comfortable, competent diver. As part of the classroom sessions you will need to have studied the 5 modules or 5 chapters of the manual, completed the knowledge reviews at the end of each chapter, successfully completed 4 quizzes each having 10 multiple choice questions and a 50 question final exam. During the classroom sessions you will watch 5 videos that mirror the learning from the manual. Don’t let this intimidate you as the course is very enjoyable and quite easy.

Q: When can I do my advanced diver course?

A: You can continue your education immediately after your open water certification. For the advanced course you again study a manual, complete the knowledge reviews and return them to the Instructor and perform 5 dives. These dives include the mandatory deep, night, peak buoyancy and navigation dives.

Q : When can I take my Rescue Diver Course?

A: As soon as you have completed your advanced diver course and have logged 20 dives.

Q: I have a head cold/allergies right now can I dive?

A: If your sinuses are clear and you have no blockages then may be you can manage the pool sessions with no problems. However, we would not recommend going in the ocean, since the affects will be greater on you with depth and you may also get cold between dives which will not do your cold any good.

Q: How cold is the water?

A: The temperature varies between 43 degrees Fahrenheit or 6 degrees Celsius in January and February and increases to a maximum of 53 degrees Fahrenheit or 12 degrees Celsius in the summer months. This temperature is usually maintained in September and gradually decreases from October to December.

Q: I suffer from Asthma. Can I learn to scuba dive?

A: You may be able to. It depends on the severity of your asthma. You need to go to your local Doctor and undergo simple tests to determine whether you can dive with this condition or not. Your Doctor needs to sign you off that you are able to dive.

Q: I suffer from Diabetes can I Scuba Dive?

A: It is not generally recommended or allowed since the onset of hypoglycemia of low blood glucose levels can impair consciousness and this is dangerous and potentially life threatening under water. However, we have certified one diver as an open water diver who suffered from Diabetes base on the assessment of her Doctor. We have also had one person suffering from Diabetes not being signed off to dive. So every case is different. Please consult your Doctor and get an assessment before considering scuba diving.


Q: I suffer from Epilepsy, Can I Scuba dive?

A: The short answer is no. For sufferers who have been seizure free, without medication for 5 years are unlikely to have further seizures but even so, from the current state of understanding of this disorder, it seems that the prospective diver would not be considered fit to dive. Again, please consult the medical profession and get an assessment of your fitness to dive before considering scuba diving.

Q: My daughter/ son is 10 years of age. Can she/he learn to scuba dive?

A: Yes, children from the age of 10 onwards can learn to dive. PADI’s regulations are that the maximum instructor to student diver ratio is 4 to 1 with no more than two children aged 10 to 11 in the group of four student divers. Certification dives are limited to 40 ft and 10 and 11 year olds must dive with a PADI professional after certification.

Q: How quickly can you get me a dry suit?

A: Immediately! Dry suits are stocked in our facility and custom suit orders can be ordered and be given to you within a week.

Q: How quickly can I get my open water instructor certification starting from the open water course?

A: You have a minimum of six months to undertake all the training after completing your open water certification. You cannot take the Instructor Examination in less time. You also have to show that you have completed 100 logged dives to be able to take the examination.

Q: How much would it cost me to do my open water pool and classroom content in B.C. and my open water dives in Thailand or Cozumel?

A: Liquid Heaven would charge $300 plus tax for the academic and pool sessions in BC and the provision of a referral form.
In Thailand our associated dive center would charge around $150 for near shore open water dives

In both cases you will have to get yourself there and pay for accommodation but what a great holiday you could have!

Q: Why can only experienced advanced/rescue divers go on Liquid Heaven dive trips to Naniamo and Barkley Sound or Port Hardy?

A: Due to the nature of the dives, divers fresh out of an Open Water Class may find the diving overwhelming, based on their experience and skills. However, Instructors and experienced divers from Liquid Heaven regularly, dive at local dive sites (e.g. Henderson Point, Willis Point, MacKenzie Bight & Braemar) and are more that happy to accompany new divers to help them gain valuable diving experience and pleasure.

Q: What DIVING Specialties Can Liquid Heaven Diving Experience Inc. teach?

A: The answer is easy…..all courses. Staff at Liquid Heaven can teach: Altitude Diving, Ice Diving, AWARE Fish Identification, AWARE Reef Conservation, Boat, Deep, Navigation, Diver Propulsion Vehicle, Drift, Dry Suit, Enriched Air/ Nitrox, Multilevel / Computer Multi level Diving, Night, Peak Performance Buoyancy, Search and Recovery, Underwater Naturalist, Photography, Underwater Videography, Wreck, Equipment Specialty and Underwater Hunter.