You don't need a license to dive... so you can legally do anything you want. There are currently no US laws requiring scuba certification and it is unlikely there will be any anytime soon.
That means there is no swimming requirement to go diving... although most "certifying: agencies will have you complete some sort of swim or snorkeling test in order to receive a C (certification)-card from them. You will have trouble going diving in most places these days without some evidence that you have been properly trained by someone who holds an Instructor rating from some agency. This is due to liability concerns and nothing more.
The bigger question isn't can you dive without being able to swim... it is - is it a smart thing to do?
There are many answers to this question. We now teach individuals who have lost limbs in the war how to dive. Sometimes their swimming is enough to get by in diving... sometimes it is enough to safely dive with buddy assistance etc...
In my opinion, an able bodied person who can't swim really has no excuse for not first learning how to swim before taking up diving... and this would be a very prudent thing to do. If you're going to invest in becoming a diver... it wouldn't hurt so much to invest in a couple of weeks of swimming lessons prior to starting your dive class.
It's been pointed out that you do not have to be a world class swimmer to dive... and that is correct... but you should be able to swim. It is the position you will find yourself in if ever your fin popped off in the middle of the ocean and sank to the bottom.
After recently finding a nice fin on the bottom (thank god no diver was attached to it,) it reminded me once again of the importance of being able to swim if you're going to go diving. While one fin is better than no fins... for all intents and purposes you better be a really good swimmer in open water if you're down to one fin.
That means there is no swimming requirement to go diving... although most "certifying: agencies will have you complete some sort of swim or snorkeling test in order to receive a C (certification)-card from them. You will have trouble going diving in most places these days without some evidence that you have been properly trained by someone who holds an Instructor rating from some agency. This is due to liability concerns and nothing more.
The bigger question isn't can you dive without being able to swim... it is - is it a smart thing to do?
There are many answers to this question. We now teach individuals who have lost limbs in the war how to dive. Sometimes their swimming is enough to get by in diving... sometimes it is enough to safely dive with buddy assistance etc...
In my opinion, an able bodied person who can't swim really has no excuse for not first learning how to swim before taking up diving... and this would be a very prudent thing to do. If you're going to invest in becoming a diver... it wouldn't hurt so much to invest in a couple of weeks of swimming lessons prior to starting your dive class.
It's been pointed out that you do not have to be a world class swimmer to dive... and that is correct... but you should be able to swim. It is the position you will find yourself in if ever your fin popped off in the middle of the ocean and sank to the bottom.
After recently finding a nice fin on the bottom (thank god no diver was attached to it,) it reminded me once again of the importance of being able to swim if you're going to go diving. While one fin is better than no fins... for all intents and purposes you better be a really good swimmer in open water if you're down to one fin.