Space has been called the final frontier. For the vast majority of the mere mortals inhabiting the earth, however, space exploration must be left to imaginations sparked by science fiction novels and Star Trek reruns. Fortunately, there is one last bastion of hope for exploration for our land-locked species: the sea.

This is a good thing, because nearly 75 percent of the earth’s surface is covered by water. Jacques Cousteau likened the seas and its many peculiar inhabitants to a distant and mysterious planet, so separate and distinct from our own arid existence that he dubbed it an undersea world.

Throughout the last half-century, the gates to this undersea world have been unlocked by explorers in their own right. You no longer have to resign yourself to peering through the thick glass of an aquarium or be a deep sea explorer funded by research grants to enjoy the picturesque seascapes.

If you have the desire to experience a weightless world where you are surrounded by varied, abundant and colorful life, then you should look into recreational scuba diving. Underwater exploration is now much more attainable than you may think. In recent years, advances in training, equipment, and diving safety have made a trip into the frothy brine a realistic venture for anyone wishing to take the plunge.

You don’t have to be among the rich or affluent to partake, either. With these advances in an already competitive industry has come a proliferation of centers offering diving certifications at very affordable prices. For example, a basic open water certification course including classroom instruction, course materials, rental equipment and at least five open water dives could cost as little as $250 or about LE 1,400.

There are three basic ways to achieve your initial certification. If you live near the coast, you could sign up for a complete course at a local dive center or diving club, spreading the lessons over several weeks. Instruction usually takes place one to two nights a week over six to eight weeks. The advantage is that you can schedule your open water dives at your convenience.

Another option for those without easy access to the ocean involves a referral to a distant dive center. You still sign up at your local center, but take only the classroom instruction and pool work there. When you’re ready for your open water dives, your instructor refers you to another instructor/dive center to complete your open water training dives over two or three days.

The third option is what many in the industry refer to as the resort course. With this, you take the entire course at a diving resort destination like Sharm El-Sheikh, Dahab or any of the Red Sea cities. Should you decide to go this route, be prepared for an intensive course, with the instruction and training dives compressed into four or five consecutive days.

So what do you look for when shopping for a dive center and instructor?

First, don’t let price be the sole deciding factor behind your choice. If you know a diver, get a recommendation from them. Ask the instructor lots of questions: What exactly is included in the course, what experience and dive certification does he have and what certification agency is he associated with? Some of the most popular certifying agencies are the Professional Association of Diving Instructors (PADI), Scuba School International (SSI), National Association of Underwater Instructors (NAUI) and European Scuba Agency (ESA).

The bottom line is that you have to be comfortable with your instructor, as he is the one who will be introducing you to this wild, wonderful underwater world. et