Try Manhattan in August. It's good for the skin. So get over it and get into it. We've got your handy User's Guide To Summer right here, your ticket to Florida Funshine, tropical temptations, life in the laid-back lane. Conditions are best in the dogfish days of summer, when waves seem to have barely enough energy to lap on shore.
Dive shops offering scuba courses are everywhere.
Go for a PADI or NAUI certification since they are universally recognized throughout the diving world. When you're down there, all of your cares drift away. It's better than Valium or Prozac or anything else. So the best thing to do once you get out of the water is to take off your suit and towel off. If you get a severe reaction, you should call a physician.