Scuba: A Practical Guide for the New Diver Paperback - 2014

James Lapenta was first certified as an Open Water Diver in 2004. He has numerous specialties from several agencies and earned his Instructor certification with the YMCA Scuba program in 2008. This subsequently became Scuba Educators International and he made the transition to it in October of 2008 and formed UDM Aquatic Services to offer instruction, and since 2011, equipment. He received his CMAS 2 Star Instructor Rating in August of 2010. Jim has logged dives in conditions ranging from warm, clear water in the Florida Keys, Bonaire and Puerto Rico, and Technical Dives to the cold depths of Lake Erie and the St. Lawrence River. A fan and proponent of local diving, he has explored numerous lakes and quarries in West Virginia, Ohio, and Pennsylvania. As of 2013, he has certified or assisted in the certification of over 170 students from Junior Open Water to Dive Master. He specializes in working with younger people and others needing extra attention for any reason. Jim has authored a course in Underwater Navigation for SEI Diving, and has developed a new Advanced Open Water course that has drawn students from hundreds of miles away. He is also a co-author and editor of a course in Search and Recovery and entry level Public Safety Diving. In 2011 his book SCUBA: A Practical Guide for the New Diver was officially released. It now has readers in 20 countries on six continents. Making him an internationally known author in the Scuba Diving community. Most recently in 2012 he added to his instructor ratings by doing a crossover to SDI/TDI (Scuba Diving International/Technical Diving International) to offer classes and specialties in Deep, Wreck, Night/Limited Visibility, Computer Nitrox, and TDI Nitrox and TDI Intro to Tech classes. He is also a fully authorized HOG Equipment Service Clinic Instructor.