The Purple Guide to Learning Scuba Diving in 10 Days
A no-nonsense, day-by-day starter plan to get you underwater, breathing, and floating — and to help you decide if this is your next hobby.
by Alumigogo Books
non-fiction
Ten days. Zero experience. A clear-eyed look at scuba diving — what it feels like, what it costs, and whether it's for you.
About this book
You've seen the videos of silky coral gardens and giant sea turtles, and you've thought, "I'd like to try that." But then you look at the price of a certification class, the confusing array of fins and regulators, and the sheer amount of jargon, and you put the idea back on the shelf. This guide is for exactly that moment. It's a 10-day, low-stakes experiment designed for the curious, not the committed. It walks you through the first taste, the gear, the costs, and the core skills — all without the pressure to 'master' anything by next week.
Over ten days, you'll do more than just read about scuba. You'll mentally and practically prep for your first pool session, learn how to breathe through a regulator and clear your mask, and get a realistic sense of what a real dive feels like — including the clumsy, frustrating parts. You'll find a breakdown of starter gear options so you can spend money only when it makes sense, and you'll get a milestones table to track your own progress. By the end, you'll have a list of precise questions to ask a dive shop, and you'll know whether the investment of time and money is something you want to make. This isn't a hype machine. It's a plan for a real look under the surface.
Reader Reviews
Mark Carter
★★★★★I bought this because I was too shy to ask a dive shop the 'dumb' questions. The first day chapter was exactly what I needed to hear — it doesn't pretend you'll be a natural. The bit about inflating the BCD for the first time and feeling like a bobber was spot on. It helped me realize that the awkwardness is normal, and I actually showed up to my pool session feeling more relaxed. Good, honest advice.
Thomas Nguyen
★★★★★It's a decent primer, but I felt the gear chapter was a bit slow if you already know you want to rent first. The Day 1 walkthrough was useful though — the 'one small win' at the end made the first session feel less intimidating. It's not a full course, which is fine, but I was hoping for a bit more detail on breathing techniques. Still, for the price, it's a fine starting point.
Donna Davis
★★★★★The self-assessment checklist on Day 2 was surprisingly honest about budget and time. It made me realize I didn't actually have the spare cash for a full class right now, and that was a bummer, but it saved me from a nasty credit card bill. The book feels like a friend giving you a reality check before you jump in. I'll probably come back to it in a few months.
Rebecca Rodriguez
★★★★★As someone who is terrified of water but stubbornly curious, this guide was a godsend. The Day 1 chapter didn't tell me to 'just calm down' — it told me exactly what equipment I'd touch and what the sensations would be. When my mask flooded during my first real session, I remembered the Day 5 lesson on clearing it, and I didn't panic. I actually did it. That alone was worth the download. Highly recommend for nervous beginners.
George Harris
★★★★★It's fine. The Day 6 checklist of common mistakes was helpful — I definitely was guilty of looking down instead of forward, as it mentioned. But I felt the writing was a bit dry in places, and some of the costs listed for gear felt outdated or lowballed. That said, it's a good first step to see if you're serious. I gave it three stars because it's decent, but not a bible.
Jacob Martinez
★★★★★This is the only piece of 'start here' info I found that didn't feel like an ad for a dive center. The Day 8 narrative was the highlight for me — it was so relatable. The part about fumbling with the weight belt and then finally sinking below the surface and just hearing your own breath? That's the magic. It gave me the push to book a Discover Scuba session at my local pool. Now I'm saving for the certification. Great book.
Michelle Garcia
★★★★★A very practical little book. I liked that it set clear expectations: you won't be a diver in 10 days, but you'll know if you want to be. The milestone table on Day 7 was a great reality check for my progress, and the final list of questions on Day 10 is what I actually brought to the dive shop when I booked my first open water course. The first day chapter was welcoming without being fluffy. Four stars because I wanted just a touch more on the actual physics, but I know that wasn't the point.