Professionals offer free scuba training

By Kirbye Meaux

Students interested in scuba diving will have a  chance to learn from the pros.

In conjunction with the Lancaster Aquatic Center, the New Horizons Dive Center in Lexington is holding a free scuba dive training session Tuesday.

The training session, DiscoverSCUBA,  is intended to boost student curiosity on scuba diving.

“People are very amazed to find out how beautiful fresh water is,” said Travis Land, who, along with his wife, owns the New Horizons Dive Shop.

Land said students will start with a 15-minute classroom exercise before being introduced to an instructor and taken on a tour around the UK pool.

Land said the first-time experience is extremely inspiring.

“You breathe underwater for the first time, and there’s no way to describe that feeling,” Land said.

According to its website, New Horizons is a PADI 5-Star Instructor Development Center, which means it has “the professional staff to teach all possible courses from beginner diving all the way through Scuba Instructor.”

“As a Star IDC, the highest rank you can receive as a diving training center, there are a lot of hurdles and hoops you must jump through,” Land said.  “We offer plenty of opportunities to receive training in confined water, but you can also do the open water certification diving with New Horizons.”

Land said he enjoys teaching students and sharing his passion for scuba with them.

“If you believe in your passion, you share it with other people,” Land said.

New Horizons offers a KHP scuba class every semester at UK.

“We have pool groups on Wednesday and class groups on Friday,” Land said.

To sign up or get more information, e-mail [email protected].