Online classes or LDS?

[harlequinnut]

Hi, I'm considering getting certified after years of putting it off. I love to scuba and have done numerous discover scuba dives in various places(Key West, Cayman, Mexico, Bahamas) over the past 17 years. I have put off getting certified for personal reasons but mostly because of the kids.(13 and 7) But as I recently celebrated my 41st birthday, I feel that I mustn't wait any longer as I am not getting any younger. So my question to you is this, I am not afraid at all about the actual act of diving as I have done numerous dives. I am a little nervous about the classroom portion of the certification process. Should I take the online classroom or go to a local dive shop? Either way I plan on taking the open water dives portion of the process in a tropical location. Please help.

 

[reefmaster30]

Do not be worried it is pretty strait forward either way its pretty easy if my ex could pass it anyone can pass it LOL

 

[billsreef]

Doing at the shop gives you the benefit of having a person there than can explain anything that you might find needing better explanation than just the book. It's typically a very laid back sort of class, not like going back to college

 

[JaredWaites]

Yeah its easy and very laid back as Bill stated above.

I just recently completed mine a few months back and have only done one dive since, but I plan to go for my Advanced Open Water soon and get Nitrox certified so I can do a few longer dives and not feel like crap after diving

 

[harlequinnut]

Thanks, thats what I was afraid of, that it's going to be like going back to college. You made me feel much better about it.

 

[David P]

I would suggest doing at a shop, I don't know any of the online agencies that really go into tables. Most of them say to just ride the computer which as far as I am concerned that is one of the most dangerous ideas, trusting your life to a piece of electronics that you don't understand. Then again I may have a different outlook than most, I am taking classes right now for adding helium to my gas so I don't get narced.
Jared, if you are a new diver (and male) chances are that limits your dive time is gas supply (probably renting aluminum 80s) nitrox will not help that at all, and the whole feeling like crap is more attributed to co2 retention than anything else, but if a placebo helps... I am by no means saying that nitrox is a waste! If you can afford to breath it, it is a great gas. Breathing 32 lets you equate your bottom times for a 20% shallower dive so thats pretty damn nice, if you run min deco you can do a 100' dive for 40 instead of 20, but you better know what your doing, don't shoot up and just do a 3 minute stop at 15, and you had better be up on your gas planning, min gas, SGCR, emergency planning, ect. Or gee, you can just follow your fancy air integrated computer and get bent like a pretzel.

 

[TimSalty]

I see your in NY, There's some good dive shops here on Long Island. I'm currently working on my Dive Master certification myself. If you'd like some info, PM me.

Tim