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©1996Armando Jenik Photography

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To get air tanks, rent equipment, obtain air fills and join others on guided tours, divers must show their C-card - certification of training card - from a recognized international program.

©1996Bob Coates Photography

Most U.S. Virgin Island dive operators offer full certification courses. These are intensive 32- to 40-hour open-water trainings can be accomplished in as little as 3 very full days. However, dive operators usually recommend that dive students do their book and basic pool work at home, then transfer from their home instructor to Virgin Islands to finish up their four open-water dives and complete qualifications for C-card. Minimum age for PADI instruction is 12 and certification must be upgraded at age 15.

Two- to three-hour "resort" courses are available for sampling the sport of diving. These short classes, which do not count towards certification, start out in shallow water in a pool or off a beach, then progress to a short 30 to 40 foot dive.

Buying dive packages offers the advantage of be assured a seat on a dive boat, especially important in-season from December through April. Packages vary in price, depending on if instruction is included or other amenities like a combo- hotel, villa, condo or guest house rental is part of the deal too. However generally, packages do help to reduce the cost of individual dives.

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