Scuba Diving: Age restriction in Canary Islands.

Interesting position come to light ... last year we went to Fuerteventura
where my son undertook his referral PADI OW course ... this was at a PADI 5
Star Instructor Development Centre ... so at the sharp end of PADI.

The course went well, pleased with instructors etc.

PADI issued his Jnr OW as he was 14 at the time, and then upgraded him to
full OW status when he reached 16. (he has undertaken Adv OW since)

Went to book a dive holiday in Tenerife for this year (my son will be 15)
and told that it is illegal for anybody under the age of 16 to dive in Spain
or any of it's islands.

This seems strange ... so I asked PADI, how come they allowed him to
undertake the course at a 5 Star IDC centre if this is illegal, and there
can be no lack of knowledge as they were well aware of his age .. issuing
the Jnr certification only at the time.


PADI's response was ...."The minimum age for diving in Spain is 16 years by
law. We have standards but the regional laws are above that, it depends as
well on the Dive Centre if they want to stick to the law."

Anybody else come across this inconsistency with diving in canary islands ?


Rick

"Alun Harford" <usenet@alunharford.co.uk> wrote in message
news:dqjqtv$7u1outside the law a valid one in the eyes of the law?
>
> What can you legally do with a PADI cert that you can't do without one?
>
> Alun Harford



Dive with PADI centres ..... ?
>
>

> What can you legally do with a PADI cert that you can't do without one?

Since laws vary from one geography to another, it's not possible to answer
this. Here in the US, legally, you can do everything without a license that
you can do with one except dive at sites that specifically require
certification. As far as I know, that applies to all state, federally and
most privately owned dive sites. Still higher requirements are in place for
most recognized cavern and cave diving sites. Across the world, laws vary
from none at all to actual laws against uncertified divers.

Practically speaking, things are more restrictive. Most dive equipment
retailers and most dive service companies, including both air stations and
boat operators, require proof of certification before they will do business
with you.

Lee

>> What can you legally do with a PADI cert that you can't do without one?
>
> Practically speaking, things are more restrictive. Most dive equipment
> retailers and most dive service companies, including both air stations and
> boat operators, require proof of certification before they will do
> business with you.
>
> Lee
>

I think you can do what ever you like. But the problem is often insurance
companies wont cover you or any suppler if you don't have the right ticket.
so the choice oftern ends up being you need something if only to get a fill
of gas.

David

Ok we have been discussing this on the BSAC fora and
even checked with sources in Spain and it's quite
surprising the result.

There is no lower age limit in Spain.

a) To be able go on a course you need a medical
(not such an easy prospect for a youngster).

b) You can dive at any age as long as you have an
existing diving certificate.

That's the National law.

Then you have the law from autonomos regions.
Each region can (and does) have its own laws, but the
above national takes precedent over them.

So if you are still with me.
Eg: Andalucia follows FEDAS (Spanish BSAC) and
has a lower limit of 12 as an entry level for a course.

But as long as you can get a medical, you can dive from
any age. If you have a certifcate from whatever the
agency says.

With 16 other regions to look at unless you were very
brave or a Spanish lawyer, I'd stick with 12.

TerryH

"TerryH" <terry1624@> wrote in message
news:dqod2c$nvd$1@nwrdmz03.dmz.ncs.ea.ibs-infra.bt.com...
> Ok we have been discussing this on the BSAC fora and
> even checked with sources in Spain and it's quite
> surprising the result.
>
> There is no lower age limit in Spain.
>
> a) To be able go on a course you need a medical
> (not such an easy prospect for a youngster).


He had a Medical certificate .. got that before we went, the dive centre
advised it's law .. no cert. no dive.

> b) You can dive at any age as long as you have an
> existing diving certificate.

He did not have an existing cert. he was doing his Padi OW.



It seems strange ... I have had 2 centres send me a legal statement that
they cannot allow any diving to anyone under the age of 16 .. and that
includes try dives.
Yet the centre on the other island happily took him on the course.

he has since passed his Adv OW ... but they still won't let him dive in
Tenerife.

"Rick Hughes" <rick_hughes@btconnect.com> wrote in message
news:dr3mjr$js5$1@nwrdmz01.dmz.ncs.ea.ibs-infra.bt.com...
>
> "TerryH" <terry1624@> wrote in message
> news:dqod2c$nvd$1@nwrdmz03.dmz.ncs.ea.ibs-infra.bt.com...
> It seems strange ... I have had 2 centres send me a legal statement that
> they cannot allow any diving to anyone under the age of 16 .. and that
> includes try dives.
> Yet the centre on the other island happily took him on the course.
>
> he has since passed his Adv OW ... but they still won't let him dive in
> Tenerife.

Quite. Only in Andalucia and Catalunia is it legal in Spain to dive under 16
years of age. That is not to say no-one does so - but those who do break the
law, and those who let them or enocurage them are also breaking the law. You
have a choice, which might of course entail going elsewhere for a family
diving holiday. Red Sea? same price, if not cheaper - warmer water, more
colourful fish etc etc.

Ken

>
>Quite. Only in Andalucia and Catalunia is it legal in Spain to dive under 16
>years of age. That is not to say no-one does so - but those who do break the
>law, and those who let them or enocurage them are also breaking the law. You
>have a choice, which might of course entail going elsewhere for a family
>diving holiday. Red Sea? same price, if not cheaper - warmer water, more
>colourful fish etc etc.
>
>Ken
>

That's interesting.
My kids both learnt to dive in Tenerife a couple of years ago _aged
12.

Both have PADI certs

Does that mean they're not valid certs? Or have the rules changed?

Trev

"Rocket" <Don_King@blueyonder.co.uk> wrote in message
news:g4gdt19phs56tj7a1lc0r6a0svsh31r34u@...
> >
>>Quite. Only in Andalucia and Catalunia is it legal in Spain to dive under
>>16
>>years of age. That is not to say no-one does so - but those who do break
>>the
>>law, and those who let them or enocurage them are also breaking the law.
>>You
>>have a choice, which might of course entail going elsewhere for a family
>>diving holiday. Red Sea? same price, if not cheaper - warmer water, more
>>colourful fish etc etc.
>>
>>Ken
>>
>
> That's interesting.
> My kids both learnt to dive in Tenerife a couple of years ago _aged
> 12.
>
> Both have PADI certs
>
> Does that mean they're not valid certs? Or have the rules changed?

This time last year the minimum legal diving age in Tenerife was 16. Just
because a law is in force does not mean everyone will comply - otherwise
there'd be no need for police or courts! What the implications are for
certification for what is after all a hobby I don't know.

Ken

"Rocket" <Don_King@blueyonder.co.uk> wrote in message
news:rm7lt1h96f607epd3qo5vbv980t04f73q0@...
> >"Rocket" <Don_King@blueyonder.co.uk> wrote in message
>>news:g4gdt19phs56tj7a1lc0r6a0svsh31r34u@. ..
>>> >
>>>>Quite. Only in Andalucia and Catalunia is it legal in Spain to dive
>>>>under 16 years of age. That is not to say no-one does so - but those who
>>>>do break
>>>>the law,

It is a strange position though ... my son booked & took his OW course at
age 15 in a PADI 5 Star, Golden Palm IDC centre ... these are supposed to be
the top end of PADI instructor centres.
This was in Fuerteventura.
PADI were well aware that he was 15 as they would only issue the Jnr OW, and
obviously knew where he took the course as the centre carried out the
certification process with PADI.
When I found out that he could not dive in Tenerife, I contacted PADI and
they stated that they support & hold up the laws of the country, but their
rules allow certification at 14. and if a Dive Centre chooses to ignore
local rules that is their choice.
Seems a tad mercenary that they will accept certification revenue from a
country knowing that it was illegal for my son to have dived there ..
I was not aware of age restriction and Dive centre certainly did not inform
us of this (and we did book in advance confirming ages etc.)
One would expect PADi to have had a duty of care, and take it up with the
Dive Centre to stop this infringement, as you can guess if something had
gone wrong insurance policies may then be void.

Rick