Age restriction in Canary Islands.

"Rick Hughes" <rick_hughes@btconnect.com> wrote in message
news:dqdilg$2d4$1@nwrdmz01.dmz.ncs.ea.ibs-infra.bt.com...
> Interesting position come to light ... last year we went to Fuerteventura
> where my son undertook his referral PADI OW course ... this was at a PADI
> 5 Star Instructor Development Centre ... so at the sharp end of PADI.
>
> The course went well, pleased with instructors etc.
>
> PADI issued his Jnr OW as he was 14 at the time, and then upgraded him to
> full OW status when he reached 16. (he has undertaken Adv OW since)
>
> Went to book a dive holiday in Tenerife for this year (my son will be 15)
> and told that it is illegal for anybody under the age of 16 to dive in
> Spain or any of it's islands.
>
> This seems strange ... so I asked PADI, how come they allowed him to
> undertake the course at a 5 Star IDC centre if this is illegal, and there
> can be no lack of knowledge as they were well aware of his age .. issuing
> the Jnr certification only at the time.
>
>
> PADI's response was ...."The minimum age for diving in Spain is 16 years
> by law. We have standards but the regional laws are above that, it depends
> as well on the Dive Centre if they want to stick to the law."
>
> Anybody else come across this inconsistency with diving in canary islands
> ?


The law in Sp re the minimum age for diving was set at 16 yrs minimum ages
back in the days of Franco. Since then many things have changed there, but
NOT the diving minimum age. Spain is now goverened by a number of regional
assemblies under a central govt, and each regional assembly has the ability
to set its own laws within certain limits in certain areas. One that they
can vary regionally is the minimum diving age, but so far only TWO regions
permit diving below 16 - these are Andalucia in the far south and Catalunia
bordering France on the Med coast. Anyone outside these regons (inc Canary
Is and Balearic Is) who takes under 16s diving is acting outside the law.

Just a sideways thought coming from this. In a court of law, evidence gained
illegally is excluded from proceedings as invalid. Is a diving qualification
gained outside the law a valid one in the eyes of the law?

Ken

"Rick Hughes" <rick_hughes@btconnect.com> wrote in message
news:dqdilg$2d4$1@nwrdmz01.dmz.ncs.ea.ibs-infra.bt.com...
> Interesting position come to light ... last year we went to Fuerteventura
> where my son undertook his referral PADI OW course ... this was at a PADI
> 5 Star Instructor Development Centre ... so at the sharp end of PADI.
>
> The course went well, pleased with instructors etc.
>
> PADI issued his Jnr OW as he was 14 at the time, and then upgraded him to
> full OW status when he reached 16. (he has undertaken Adv OW since)
>
> Went to book a dive holiday in Tenerife for this year (my son will be 15)
> and told that it is illegal for anybody under the age of 16 to dive in
> Spain or any of it's islands.
>
> This seems strange ... so I asked PADI, how come they allowed him to
> undertake the course at a 5 Star IDC centre if this is illegal, and there
> can be no lack of knowledge as they were well aware of his age .. issuing
> the Jnr certification only at the time.
>
>
> PADI's response was ...."The minimum age for diving in Spain is 16 years
> by law. We have standards but the regional laws are above that, it depends
> as well on the Dive Centre if they want to stick to the law."
>
> Anybody else come across this inconsistency with diving in canary islands
> ?


The law in Sp re the minimum age for diving was set at 16 yrs minimum ages
back in the days of Franco. Since then many things have changed there, but
NOT the diving minimum age. Spain is now goverened by a number of regional
assemblies under a central govt, and each regional assembly has the ability
to set its own laws within certain limits in certain areas. One that they
can vary regionally is the minimum diving age, but so far only TWO regions
permit diving below 16 - these are Andalucia in the far south and Catalunia
bordering France on the Med coast. Anyone outside these regons (inc Canary
Is and Balearic Is) who takes under 16s diving is acting outside the law.

Just a sideways thought coming from this. In a court of law, evidence gained
illegally is excluded from proceedings as invalid. Is a diving qualification
gained outside the law a valid one in the eyes of the law?

Ken

"Rick Hughes" <rick_hughes@btconnect.com> wrote in message
news:dqdilg$2d4$1@nwrdmz01.dmz.ncs.ea.ibs-infra.bt.com...
> Interesting position come to light ... last year we went to Fuerteventura
> where my son undertook his referral PADI OW course ... this was at a PADI
> 5 Star Instructor Development Centre ... so at the sharp end of PADI.
>
> The course went well, pleased with instructors etc.
>
> PADI issued his Jnr OW as he was 14 at the time, and then upgraded him to
> full OW status when he reached 16. (he has undertaken Adv OW since)
>
> Went to book a dive holiday in Tenerife for this year (my son will be 15)
> and told that it is illegal for anybody under the age of 16 to dive in
> Spain or any of it's islands.
>
> This seems strange ... so I asked PADI, how come they allowed him to
> undertake the course at a 5 Star IDC centre if this is illegal, and there
> can be no lack of knowledge as they were well aware of his age .. issuing
> the Jnr certification only at the time.
>
>
> PADI's response was ...."The minimum age for diving in Spain is 16 years
> by law. We have standards but the regional laws are above that, it depends
> as well on the Dive Centre if they want to stick to the law."
>
> Anybody else come across this inconsistency with diving in canary islands
> ?


The law in Sp re the minimum age for diving was set at 16 yrs minimum ages
back in the days of Franco. Since then many things have changed there, but
NOT the diving minimum age. Spain is now goverened by a number of regional
assemblies under a central govt, and each regional assembly has the ability
to set its own laws within certain limits in certain areas. One that they
can vary regionally is the minimum diving age, but so far only TWO regions
permit diving below 16 - these are Andalucia in the far south and Catalunia
bordering France on the Med coast. Anyone outside these regons (inc Canary
Is and Balearic Is) who takes under 16s diving is acting outside the law.

Just a sideways thought coming from this. In a court of law, evidence gained
illegally is excluded from proceedings as invalid. Is a diving qualification
gained outside the law a valid one in the eyes of the law?

Ken

"Rick Hughes" <rick_hughes@btconnect.com> wrote in message
news:dqdilg$2d4$1@nwrdmz01.dmz.ncs.ea.ibs-infra.bt.com...
> Interesting position come to light ... last year we went to Fuerteventura
> where my son undertook his referral PADI OW course ... this was at a PADI
> 5 Star Instructor Development Centre ... so at the sharp end of PADI.
>
> The course went well, pleased with instructors etc.
>
> PADI issued his Jnr OW as he was 14 at the time, and then upgraded him to
> full OW status when he reached 16. (he has undertaken Adv OW since)
>
> Went to book a dive holiday in Tenerife for this year (my son will be 15)
> and told that it is illegal for anybody under the age of 16 to dive in
> Spain or any of it's islands.
>
> This seems strange ... so I asked PADI, how come they allowed him to
> undertake the course at a 5 Star IDC centre if this is illegal, and there
> can be no lack of knowledge as they were well aware of his age .. issuing
> the Jnr certification only at the time.
>
>
> PADI's response was ...."The minimum age for diving in Spain is 16 years
> by law. We have standards but the regional laws are above that, it depends
> as well on the Dive Centre if they want to stick to the law."
>
> Anybody else come across this inconsistency with diving in canary islands
> ?


The law in Sp re the minimum age for diving was set at 16 yrs minimum ages
back in the days of Franco. Since then many things have changed there, but
NOT the diving minimum age. Spain is now goverened by a number of regional
assemblies under a central govt, and each regional assembly has the ability
to set its own laws within certain limits in certain areas. One that they
can vary regionally is the minimum diving age, but so far only TWO regions
permit diving below 16 - these are Andalucia in the far south and Catalunia
bordering France on the Med coast. Anyone outside these regons (inc Canary
Is and Balearic Is) who takes under 16s diving is acting outside the law.

Just a sideways thought coming from this. In a court of law, evidence gained
illegally is excluded from proceedings as invalid. Is a diving qualification
gained outside the law a valid one in the eyes of the law?

Ken

"Rick Hughes" <rick_hughes@btconnect.com> wrote in message
news:dqdilg$2d4$1@nwrdmz01.dmz.ncs.ea.ibs-infra.bt.com...
> Interesting position come to light ... last year we went to Fuerteventura
> where my son undertook his referral PADI OW course ... this was at a PADI
> 5 Star Instructor Development Centre ... so at the sharp end of PADI.
>
> The course went well, pleased with instructors etc.
>
> PADI issued his Jnr OW as he was 14 at the time, and then upgraded him to
> full OW status when he reached 16. (he has undertaken Adv OW since)
>
> Went to book a dive holiday in Tenerife for this year (my son will be 15)
> and told that it is illegal for anybody under the age of 16 to dive in
> Spain or any of it's islands.
>
> This seems strange ... so I asked PADI, how come they allowed him to
> undertake the course at a 5 Star IDC centre if this is illegal, and there
> can be no lack of knowledge as they were well aware of his age .. issuing
> the Jnr certification only at the time.
>
>
> PADI's response was ...."The minimum age for diving in Spain is 16 years
> by law. We have standards but the regional laws are above that, it depends
> as well on the Dive Centre if they want to stick to the law."
>
> Anybody else come across this inconsistency with diving in canary islands
> ?


The law in Sp re the minimum age for diving was set at 16 yrs minimum ages
back in the days of Franco. Since then many things have changed there, but
NOT the diving minimum age. Spain is now goverened by a number of regional
assemblies under a central govt, and each regional assembly has the ability
to set its own laws within certain limits in certain areas. One that they
can vary regionally is the minimum diving age, but so far only TWO regions
permit diving below 16 - these are Andalucia in the far south and Catalunia
bordering France on the Med coast. Anyone outside these regons (inc Canary
Is and Balearic Is) who takes under 16s diving is acting outside the law.

Just a sideways thought coming from this. In a court of law, evidence gained
illegally is excluded from proceedings as invalid. Is a diving qualification
gained outside the law a valid one in the eyes of the law?

Ken

"Rick Hughes" <rick_hughes@btconnect.com> wrote in message
news:dqdilg$2d4$1@nwrdmz01.dmz.ncs.ea.ibs-infra.bt.com...
> Interesting position come to light ... last year we went to Fuerteventura
> where my son undertook his referral PADI OW course ... this was at a PADI
> 5 Star Instructor Development Centre ... so at the sharp end of PADI.
>
> The course went well, pleased with instructors etc.
>
> PADI issued his Jnr OW as he was 14 at the time, and then upgraded him to
> full OW status when he reached 16. (he has undertaken Adv OW since)
>
> Went to book a dive holiday in Tenerife for this year (my son will be 15)
> and told that it is illegal for anybody under the age of 16 to dive in
> Spain or any of it's islands.
>
> This seems strange ... so I asked PADI, how come they allowed him to
> undertake the course at a 5 Star IDC centre if this is illegal, and there
> can be no lack of knowledge as they were well aware of his age .. issuing
> the Jnr certification only at the time.
>
>
> PADI's response was ...."The minimum age for diving in Spain is 16 years
> by law. We have standards but the regional laws are above that, it depends
> as well on the Dive Centre if they want to stick to the law."
>
> Anybody else come across this inconsistency with diving in canary islands
> ?


The law in Sp re the minimum age for diving was set at 16 yrs minimum ages
back in the days of Franco. Since then many things have changed there, but
NOT the diving minimum age. Spain is now goverened by a number of regional
assemblies under a central govt, and each regional assembly has the ability
to set its own laws within certain limits in certain areas. One that they
can vary regionally is the minimum diving age, but so far only TWO regions
permit diving below 16 - these are Andalucia in the far south and Catalunia
bordering France on the Med coast. Anyone outside these regons (inc Canary
Is and Balearic Is) who takes under 16s diving is acting outside the law.

Just a sideways thought coming from this. In a court of law, evidence gained
illegally is excluded from proceedings as invalid. Is a diving qualification
gained outside the law a valid one in the eyes of the law?

Ken

"Rick Hughes" <rick_hughes@btconnect.com> wrote in message
news:dqdilg$2d4$1@nwrdmz01.dmz.ncs.ea.ibs-infra.bt.com...
> Interesting position come to light ... last year we went to Fuerteventura
> where my son undertook his referral PADI OW course ... this was at a PADI
> 5 Star Instructor Development Centre ... so at the sharp end of PADI.
>
> The course went well, pleased with instructors etc.
>
> PADI issued his Jnr OW as he was 14 at the time, and then upgraded him to
> full OW status when he reached 16. (he has undertaken Adv OW since)
>
> Went to book a dive holiday in Tenerife for this year (my son will be 15)
> and told that it is illegal for anybody under the age of 16 to dive in
> Spain or any of it's islands.
>
> This seems strange ... so I asked PADI, how come they allowed him to
> undertake the course at a 5 Star IDC centre if this is illegal, and there
> can be no lack of knowledge as they were well aware of his age .. issuing
> the Jnr certification only at the time.
>
>
> PADI's response was ...."The minimum age for diving in Spain is 16 years
> by law. We have standards but the regional laws are above that, it depends
> as well on the Dive Centre if they want to stick to the law."
>
> Anybody else come across this inconsistency with diving in canary islands
> ?


The law in Sp re the minimum age for diving was set at 16 yrs minimum ages
back in the days of Franco. Since then many things have changed there, but
NOT the diving minimum age. Spain is now goverened by a number of regional
assemblies under a central govt, and each regional assembly has the ability
to set its own laws within certain limits in certain areas. One that they
can vary regionally is the minimum diving age, but so far only TWO regions
permit diving below 16 - these are Andalucia in the far south and Catalunia
bordering France on the Med coast. Anyone outside these regons (inc Canary
Is and Balearic Is) who takes under 16s diving is acting outside the law.

Just a sideways thought coming from this. In a court of law, evidence gained
illegally is excluded from proceedings as invalid. Is a diving qualification
gained outside the law a valid one in the eyes of the law?

Ken

"Ken" <ken@k1at.freeserve.co.uk> wrote in message
news:dqdv9n$nhf$1@newsg4.svr.pol.co.uk...
>
> "Rick Hughes" <rick_hughes@btconnect.com> wrote in message
> news:dqdilg$2d4$1@nwrdmz01.dmz.ncs.ea.ibs-infra.bt.com...
> > Interesting position come to light ... last year we went to
Fuerteventura
> > where my son undertook his referral PADI OW course ... this was at a
PADI
> > 5 Star Instructor Development Centre ... so at the sharp end of PADI.
> >
> > The course went well, pleased with instructors etc.
> >
> > PADI issued his Jnr OW as he was 14 at the time, and then upgraded him
to
> > full OW status when he reached 16. (he has undertaken Adv OW since)
> >
> > Went to book a dive holiday in Tenerife for this year (my son will be
15)
> > and told that it is illegal for anybody under the age of 16 to dive in
> > Spain or any of it's islands.
> >
> > This seems strange ... so I asked PADI, how come they allowed him to
> > undertake the course at a 5 Star IDC centre if this is illegal, and
there
> > can be no lack of knowledge as they were well aware of his age ..
issuing
> > the Jnr certification only at the time.
> >
> >
> > PADI's response was ...."The minimum age for diving in Spain is 16 years
> > by law. We have standards but the regional laws are above that, it
depends
> > as well on the Dive Centre if they want to stick to the law."
> >
> > Anybody else come across this inconsistency with diving in canary
islands
> > ?
>
>
> The law in Sp re the minimum age for diving was set at 16 yrs minimum ages
> back in the days of Franco. Since then many things have changed there, but
> NOT the diving minimum age. Spain is now goverened by a number of regional
> assemblies under a central govt, and each regional assembly has the
ability
> to set its own laws within certain limits in certain areas. One that they
> can vary regionally is the minimum diving age, but so far only TWO regions
> permit diving below 16 - these are Andalucia in the far south and
Catalunia
> bordering France on the Med coast. Anyone outside these regons (inc Canary
> Is and Balearic Is) who takes under 16s diving is acting outside the law.
>
> Just a sideways thought coming from this. In a court of law, evidence
gained
> illegally is excluded from proceedings as invalid. Is a diving
qualification
> gained outside the law a valid one in the eyes of the law?

What can you legally do with a PADI cert that you can't do without one?

Alun Harford

"Ken" <ken@k1at.freeserve.co.uk> wrote in message
news:dqdv9n$nhf$1@newsg4.svr.pol.co.uk...
>
> "Rick Hughes" <rick_hughes@btconnect.com> wrote in message
> news:dqdilg$2d4$1@nwrdmz01.dmz.ncs.ea.ibs-infra.bt.com...
> > Interesting position come to light ... last year we went to
Fuerteventura
> > where my son undertook his referral PADI OW course ... this was at a
PADI
> > 5 Star Instructor Development Centre ... so at the sharp end of PADI.
> >
> > The course went well, pleased with instructors etc.
> >
> > PADI issued his Jnr OW as he was 14 at the time, and then upgraded him
to
> > full OW status when he reached 16. (he has undertaken Adv OW since)
> >
> > Went to book a dive holiday in Tenerife for this year (my son will be
15)
> > and told that it is illegal for anybody under the age of 16 to dive in
> > Spain or any of it's islands.
> >
> > This seems strange ... so I asked PADI, how come they allowed him to
> > undertake the course at a 5 Star IDC centre if this is illegal, and
there
> > can be no lack of knowledge as they were well aware of his age ..
issuing
> > the Jnr certification only at the time.
> >
> >
> > PADI's response was ...."The minimum age for diving in Spain is 16 years
> > by law. We have standards but the regional laws are above that, it
depends
> > as well on the Dive Centre if they want to stick to the law."
> >
> > Anybody else come across this inconsistency with diving in canary
islands
> > ?
>
>
> The law in Sp re the minimum age for diving was set at 16 yrs minimum ages
> back in the days of Franco. Since then many things have changed there, but
> NOT the diving minimum age. Spain is now goverened by a number of regional
> assemblies under a central govt, and each regional assembly has the
ability
> to set its own laws within certain limits in certain areas. One that they
> can vary regionally is the minimum diving age, but so far only TWO regions
> permit diving below 16 - these are Andalucia in the far south and
Catalunia
> bordering France on the Med coast. Anyone outside these regons (inc Canary
> Is and Balearic Is) who takes under 16s diving is acting outside the law.
>
> Just a sideways thought coming from this. In a court of law, evidence
gained
> illegally is excluded from proceedings as invalid. Is a diving
qualification
> gained outside the law a valid one in the eyes of the law?

What can you legally do with a PADI cert that you can't do without one?

Alun Harford

"Ken" <ken@k1at.freeserve.co.uk> wrote in message
news:dqdv9n$nhf$1@newsg4.svr.pol.co.uk...
>
> "Rick Hughes" <rick_hughes@btconnect.com> wrote in message
> news:dqdilg$2d4$1@nwrdmz01.dmz.ncs.ea.ibs-infra.bt.com...
> > Interesting position come to light ... last year we went to
Fuerteventura
> > where my son undertook his referral PADI OW course ... this was at a
PADI
> > 5 Star Instructor Development Centre ... so at the sharp end of PADI.
> >
> > The course went well, pleased with instructors etc.
> >
> > PADI issued his Jnr OW as he was 14 at the time, and then upgraded him
to
> > full OW status when he reached 16. (he has undertaken Adv OW since)
> >
> > Went to book a dive holiday in Tenerife for this year (my son will be
15)
> > and told that it is illegal for anybody under the age of 16 to dive in
> > Spain or any of it's islands.
> >
> > This seems strange ... so I asked PADI, how come they allowed him to
> > undertake the course at a 5 Star IDC centre if this is illegal, and
there
> > can be no lack of knowledge as they were well aware of his age ..
issuing
> > the Jnr certification only at the time.
> >
> >
> > PADI's response was ...."The minimum age for diving in Spain is 16 years
> > by law. We have standards but the regional laws are above that, it
depends
> > as well on the Dive Centre if they want to stick to the law."
> >
> > Anybody else come across this inconsistency with diving in canary
islands
> > ?
>
>
> The law in Sp re the minimum age for diving was set at 16 yrs minimum ages
> back in the days of Franco. Since then many things have changed there, but
> NOT the diving minimum age. Spain is now goverened by a number of regional
> assemblies under a central govt, and each regional assembly has the
ability
> to set its own laws within certain limits in certain areas. One that they
> can vary regionally is the minimum diving age, but so far only TWO regions
> permit diving below 16 - these are Andalucia in the far south and
Catalunia
> bordering France on the Med coast. Anyone outside these regons (inc Canary
> Is and Balearic Is) who takes under 16s diving is acting outside the law.
>
> Just a sideways thought coming from this. In a court of law, evidence
gained
> illegally is excluded from proceedings as invalid. Is a diving
qualification
> gained outside the law a valid one in the eyes of the law?

What can you legally do with a PADI cert that you can't do without one?

Alun Harford