Scuba diving General Questions

R

ralphie16

In Memoriam
Hi,

I am a complete newbie to scuba diving. I want to take a vacation but don't know where to go to dive.

1) Do I need to take classes, dive time and everything to be able to scuba dive? Or is that just to go by yourself? If I dont become certified am I stuck with snorkeling? Is there such a thing as going to a hotel that gives you classes and takes you out on a tour so you dont have to go through a whole certification process?

2) Should I buy any of my own equipment for a weeks vacation? I feel gross renting a wet suit. If I like it a lot most likely I will get all my equipment but consider this is my first time.

3) Where should I go? I want to not go to far from continental US, like Australia or Hawaii is way to far. Hows south america? caribbean? mexico?

Thanks!
 
Yes you need to take classes and get certified.
Yes there are hotel classes, DON'T TAKE ONE. Most people that take resort classes never dive again. They do not spend the time that is really needed.
After you get your cert the more gear you buy the better. You will be more confortable in your own gear.
Keylargo is a nice start.
 
My experence is that I did start with a resort course at a hotel. We watched a video for 40 minutes, spent 40 minutes in the pool, then went on a 40 minute dive. I did not like it at first but decided to dive 2 days afterwards. Those were 2 of the best dives I have ever been on. It was in the Cayman Islands. One was the sea wall, the other a look-through dive. I decided to come back to the states and get certified. I am now an advanced open water diver, working towards my rescue diver certification. I think it was a good way to start. I have been all around diving since and if you don't want to rent a wetsuit try the Carribean or PADI for more dive spots.
 
1 - Yes, yes, yes please take the time to get certified and dive safe.
2 - They clean the wetsuits, no worries ;). Your own is more comfy, but for a first dive vacation, I wouldn't sweat it.
3 - the Caribbean & Mexico are both outstanding destinations. The 2nd largest reef in the world is in them thar waters!

Good luck and have fun!
 
You can go and take a resort course. You won't be certified to dive on your own but it will give you a feel for what it's like. You can decide afterwards if you want to get a real certification.
A full course can take weeks to complete.

I wouldn't buy anything except fins and mask/snorkel until you get a full cert.
Look for places that offer a resort course. Grand Cayman Islands is one I would strongly recommend.
 
There are lots of places in Cozumel and Bonaire that offer "discover scuba" which is the PADI resort course, which you can take to see how you like diving; if you like it, you can then take a full PADI (or other certifying organization) open water certification class. Doing this at a reputable dive resort in either of those locations is every bit as good training, on average, as the courses offered by local dive shops. It's the same class, same curriculum, etc.

There are MANY excellent instructors in both of those locations, as they are among the most popular dive destinations in the world. All of the places that offer the classes will have rental equipment, usually included in the price of the course. I would recommend buying your own mask, fins, and snorkel prior to taking the class; sometimes it's required, but this is equipment you're definitely going to want to own anyway. Another popular option would be to take the classroom and pool portion of the OW course at a local dive shop, then take your certification dives at a dive resort; sometimes it's a little more expensive that way, but you don't end up spending any of your vacation time sitting in a classroom.

In Cozumel, a friend of mine took a discover scuba class, loved it, then went straight into his certification class. It turned out to be basically a private class from a very experienced and thorough instructor. He did the "classroom" portion sitting under a palapa in the caribbean with the PADI book and the instructor. Pretty nice, huh?
 
I am not certified to dive, and I have a brownies. I will get certified soon. I havent felt the neeed yet because I really havent dived past 45 feet. That is where it gets techincal and I would get certified before going any deeper. and If you run out of air at 40 feet, that gives you plenty of time to get back up.
 
Scuba Diving

Scuba Diving

GET CERTIFIED!!!!!!

Do not take a resort course. My wife did and it took me 2 more years to get her to get certified.

A great place for new divers would be Bonaire. It is in the ABC island, a dutch owned country, by Aruba. This island is strickly a water sport destination. IT is a small island and most people who go there dive eat and sleep.

There are very little currents there and the visibility is excellent. Alot of the hotels offer certification classes there. The exchange rate is excellent the last I heard which was when I was there in Nov 06. I have spent my past 6 out of 8 vacations diving there. You never see the same thing twice.

Good Luck. If you need any info or pictures let me know.

Bob
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9955610#post9955610 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by fppf
Oh, and how would you make that ascent?
Click to expand...

exactly POP goes your lungs.

Diving is a dangerous sport and there are lots of VERY easy ways to do permanent damage to yourself.

Take a real diving class. They are cheap. your health can get to be very expensive.
 
Come to my neck of the woods... Grand Cayman. They Hyatt Resort for example has a whole dive operation located on the beach front... Red Sail Sports. They will give you a full Open Water Certification course with PADI. The teach you everything in their class room in the hotel and swimming pool and take you out of 4 boat dives as part of the certification package. You can also book more trips with them after you are certified. You should definitely look into it!!!!
 
:beer: I would have to agree Grand Caymen, or Belize are great spots to Dive and get certified. just came back last week and will return again and again. I dive often here in Florida which is good but nothing like there. The wall in Caymen was Great . But the Atoll in Belize was Spectacular. Good Luck and Enjoy
 
1) Get certified. I’m certified, last year my girlfriend got certified (after not being able to the resort class, too fast for her), and Next week her 10 son will be doing his open water dive to be "Jr. Open Water Cert". What I did and did with her and her son is do your Class/Pool time locally and the do your open water dives on vacation.
2)Renting is ok but if you can get the “personal” items like mask and snorkel it good but you don’t need to for your first few times.
3)Several places in MX are good for diving and cheap.

Plus dive shops will not fill your tanks if your not cert. So every time you go you need to do the resort class.
 
ralphie16 there is no reasonable reason not to get certified , this is a potentialy dangerous hobby , with proper training and equiptment its alot of fun , without it your a potential problem to others
the basic skills you aquire in the classes dont make you a good diver but they are a starting point , your not a good diver till you have plenty of time doing it
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9766904#post9766904 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by PSam
1 - Yes, yes, yes please take the time to get certified and dive safe.
2 - They clean the wetsuits, no worries ;). Your own is more comfy, but for a first dive vacation, I wouldn't sweat it.
3 - the Caribbean & Mexico are both outstanding destinations. The 2nd largest reef in the world is in them thar waters!

Good luck and have fun!
Click to expand...

agree
 
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