Scuba instructors come in all stripes and sizes. When the lovely and talented Kathy and I were learning to scuba dive, we did the worst thing possible, absolutely no research. As it turned out, we got lucky and got a good – and patient – instructor who taught in a way that we could easily learn.

I do not suggest you rely on the kindness of the Universe to pick your instructor like we did. If the instructor you are considering works in a local dive center, call and talk to them. If you’ve already been assigned to a class, ask who the instructor is and if you can talk to them. Unless you have started class, you should be able to switch if you don’t feel comfortable after talking with the Instructor. I can’t stress enough that you need to do your research before you pay. Once you pay, you may be stuck with whomever they assign you.

If the instructor is independent, again, call them. Talk to them. A 5-minute conversation will give you a good feel for how they communicate and if that style works for you.

Understand this one important fact, the skills you will be taught are specifically selected so that when you master them, you can dive safely and confidently. If you don’t get an instructor that works for you, you most likely won’t master the skills. Even if you do, the experience will be miserable, and you may sour on scuba diving. An instructor who is a good fit for you is vital to learning to scuba dive and getting to explore the world beneath the waves.

Having said all of that, let’s look at a few questions that will help you decide if the instructor you’ve been assigned is right for you.

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Learning to Scuba Dive: Questions to Ask Before Hiring Any Scuba Instructor