Step 1 - Learn to Swim
  Some might argue that the whole point of SCUBA diving is to sink, not swim, however knowing how to swim is in fact a prerequisite.

While assessing your swimming abilities you might want to ask yourself a few other questions... How much do you like water?  Are you fond of marine life?  Do I need an excuse to travel to exotic locations? :-)

Most people who take up SCUBA already know how to swim.  Many people take up SCUBA diving after having a positive experience snorkeling.  However, some people write off SCUBA diving after having a negative experience snorkeling.  It's worth noting that SCUBA diving is often far more enjoyable than snorkeling because

  • you don't have waves crashing down on your snorkel causing you to breath in water
  • you have full mobility in three dimensions to wander amongst the reef and fishes

So, once you know how to swim, move on to Step 2.