Thanks to scuba technology, humans have access to decades’ worth of Atlantian census data and never have to decline an invitation to a merfolk barn-raising. Learn how to party with our sea-based brethren with today’s Groupon: for $19, you get one introductory scuba class from Lake Jocassee Dive Shop, located in Salem (a $50 value). Class times are flexible but reservations are required; call ahead to schedule your lesson.
Bill Routh, a PADI– and TDI–SDI certified instructor with more than 17 years of diving experience, helms a Discover Scuba course that immerses aquanauts ages 10 and up in the basics of scuba diving. All necessary equipment is provided, including goggles, oxygen tanks, and dainty underwater teacups. After thorough instruction in proper gear handling and donning, students soak up knowledge of human-chordata diplomatic protocol and assisted respiration in the depths of the on-site pool. Other skills covered in the three-hour private or semiprivate class include how to clear water from a mask and how to execute a flawless undersea boogaloo.
The Discover Scuba class can be applied toward the requirements for Open Water certification. Groupon customers who take to submersion like a pineapple in lime gelatin are eligible to enroll in Lake Jocassee Dive Shop’s Open Water certification classes at a discounted rate of $349 (regularly $400).