This can be done in as little as two weekends for roughly $300. Most dive stores in Quebec also offer a Discover Scuba program that allows interested people to experience what it's like to breathe underwater at next to no cost before committing to an entire course. "You don't need to be an Olympian swimmer to dive," notes Kieran. PADI offers certifications to children as young as 10, making scuba diving an activity the entire family can enjoy. After getting certified, it's a good idea to join a dive club. Many of the benefits of dive clubs include affordable organized diving trips, increased safety and, of course, the opportunity to meet fellow divers. There are many scuba clubs in Montreal, but two of the most popular are Les Diables des Mers and H20 Lanaudière. "We organize trips usually once or twice during the week on weeknights and then we have Saturdays and Sundays going once to a Quebec site and once to an Ontario site," explains Gilles Décarie, a PADI instructor and member of H20. At this point, many Gazette readers must be thinking, "But isn't the water freezing?" The answer to this question is yes, even in midsummer the water temperature rarely goes above 20C. Kieran however, is quick to point out that, "Nobody should care about cold water. People go skiing in the winter at minus 10C and they think it's very comfortable because they just dress properly. Scuba diving is always above zero otherwise the water would be ice. So we're always warmer than skiing and we just dress properly and we're very comfortable in the water. It's just about wearing the right thing." Part of scuba diving's appeal is that it includes different activities. PADI offers more than 25 specialty courses, such as underwater photography, night diving and coral reef conservation. "There's something for everybody," Kieran said. "Just try it."
Where to Dive Around Montreal
--Lake Memphremagog: Good visi-bility with lots of dive sites and a great place for beginners. The lake is teeming with marine life and is also an excellent place for night dives.
--Brockville, Ont.: Wooden schoon-ers that carried cargoes of grain or coal, 19th-century warships and modern-day metal freighters are all waiting to be explored.
--The wreck of the Conestoga, near Cardinal, Ont.: A small, unpaved road west of the building will take you through a waterfront park. The ship's protruding smokestack is visible from shore and the wreck itself lies in only nine metres of water.
--Kahnawake quarry: The visibil-ity is quite good for a fresh water Canadian dive site. It varies from 10 to 25 metres. Unusually for a quarry, divers can expect to encounter some marine life including pike, tilefish and perch. There are also some turtles and even a famous Canadian beaver.
Scuba instructor Taylor McComber (front) gets a closer look at Alex Swan (left) performing a rescue drill on Scott Mckay during a scuba course. Scuba certifications are available for children as young as 10.
Photograph by: Pierre Obendrauf, The Gazette
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