Scuba ideas?

I have been a certified diver for about 7 or 8 years and what I would suggest that you guys do is use the PADI referal system. This is what I did when I was certified. What happens is that you do all of your classroom work and pool work here in Nebraska and then the instructor will give you a referal sheet and you take this to your dive destination and you do your check out dives there rather than here. I did my check out dives in Grand Caymen but I have also done some check out dives for advance clases in a lake in IA and I can tell you it sucks to dive around here. Even when it is warm out the water is cold and dirty. I have been diving in Australia, Hawaii, and all over the Caribbean and don't recall any times when I have been nervous but I was somewhat nervous diving around here because you can't see your hand in front of your face. I am not sure it would be a good first dive experience.

You guys might want to check out Big O Scuba also. In my opinion Bill probably has the best shop in town.

http://www.bigoscuba.com/

Mike
 
Hey guys. I got certified last summer through Heartland Scuba down in Lincoln. I'm not exactly sure what all the cost was but I have all my receipts at home in my dive log book and will get them out and give you a run down of what it cost me. I would strongly, strongly recommend being PADI certified instead of the other, which I can't remember right now. I have heard of people not being allowed to dive because they were certified through this other organization and not PADI. I haven't heard of anyone being denied because they were PADI certified though. Just a personal experience.
As far as my experience with Heartland Scuba, it was great. Brian, the dive instructor who taught me, is amazing and very, very good. I have nothing but good things to say about him. But, back to the price thing. I will get that out when I get home and post what it cost.

Matt
 
Does anyone else agree with blackcows about the referal sheet and actually going to dive in the ocean rather than a lake? I personally agree since all the lakes ive been to in the surrounding states always seem to be cold and murky regardless of the season.

Wormdog, did you ever get that price sheet?
 
Hey guys...sorry about the delay. I forgot that I had put my dive book in storage for the time being. I'm going to get it tonight and give u guys the price run down. I did my open water diving out at Sandy Channel Lakes in Kearny. It was perfect for begining. The visability wasn't as good as the ocean, obviously. The lake itself is only about 27 feet deep at the deepest, so need to worry about getting lost in the darkness. Plus the lake has a wide variety of freshwater fish that are quite use to people so they let you very close. Not quite as cool as the marine fish, but still pretty cool. The little sun fish play in the bubbles of your exhaust if you hang out with them for a while. Any way, I should have those prices posted tonight. Sorry about the dealy.

Matt
 
Dive Expenses:

Course Materials: text book, dive log 65.00
Pool Dive Training: 225.00
Enriched Air Course: 59.00
{Optional Specialty)
Enriched Air Specialty pack: 65.00
6xEquipment Rental Card: 150.00
Lake Diving Weekend: 95.00

It totals to about 660 to get certified, before buying equipment. Now, you can take off 59 and 65 dollars for the enriched air course. That was just a specialty I picked up because I could piggyback it with the regular dives. You can also reduce your equipment rental if you only want to rent the equipment once. They had a deal going on so I purchased a package rental. Not quite sure what just one rental is. So just say then that you are down to around 500 bucks. The equipment I bought was kind of spendy because I intend to use it quite often after I graduate school. Here is a price break down of the stuff I bought and still have receipts for:

Mask: (about) 70.00
Boots: 35.00
Fins: 115.00
Shorty Wetsuit: (about) 50.00
Misc. Items: (about) 30.00

My equipment totals about 300 dollars. You can get cheaper gear and you can get much more expensive gear. With the items that I bout I only need to rent my BCD and air tank whenever I go diving so it works out nice. Maybe rent a thicker wetsuit if the water is colder. All of my equipment I bought off of a website called www.leisurepro.com. The equipment sold locally is much more then what you will pay online.

I hope this helps for those of you interested. Like I said, I was certified down in Lincoln at Heartland Scuba and would highly recommend it. I have some coupons for a free open water dive night at the shop, if they are still good. Basically Brian invites people to come in and have a few Coronas and test out the gear in the pool in hopes that he can persuade people to join. If I can find the coupons Iââ"šÂ¬Ã¢"žÂ¢ll check and see if they are good. If so Iââ"šÂ¬Ã¢"žÂ¢ll let you and those of you who want are more then welcome to use them and check out the facility.

If you have any questions about the post, just pm me or post them on this thread. Hope I can persuade some others to get involved in diving.

Matt
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7121540#post7121540 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by wormdog99
With the items that I bout I only need to rent my BCD and air tank whenever I go diving so it works out nice.
Matt
Click to expand...

You'll need to rent a regulator also.

A lot of people now use a dive computer which calculates bottom time and surface interval. The majority of the time it isn't going to be that important because you will be diving with a Divemaster who will give you the time, depth and surface interval for the dive (ie 80 feet for 20 minutes with a 30 minute surface interval) but it's nice to have. I have had mine for a few years and don't remeber what it costs but I am sure like everything else you can pay from $200 to $2000 depending on what you want.

If you are looking for someplace that is a fairly easy trip and fun you can try http://www.stuartcove.com/ . They are in Nassau, Bahamas and have shark dives and some cool wrecks to dive.


Mike
 
Looks very interesting, thanks blackcows.

I think I'm leaning alot more now to just getting the testing and everything done here and then doing that referal sheet at an actual ocean dive site, especially since mr. paradise cove has offered a sponsor tour. What are the rest of the posters opinions?
 
Sorry about that blackcows, in my mind I included the regulator with the BCD. The dive computer I will be getting this summer is about $700. It does everything including recorded surface temp and current water temp and is Nitrox compatible as well.


Matt

P.S. I found those cards I was talking about and they are still good. I have 5 of them. They are good for 1 discovery dive night at Heartland Scuba in Lincoln. From what Brian, the dive instructor there, and others have said it is a great time. If anyone is interested please let me know
.
 
Matt,

I figured you knew that but wanted to make sure anyone that was new to this understood it correctly.

Does the new computer give you the ability to download to a home computer? If I were going to get a new comptuer that would be something that really interested me. Not a really important feature in terms of usability but something that would be fun.

Mike
 
Sorry for not posting for several days, too busy with work.

This is what I'm reserved for; I need to save up the whole couple hundred bones for the scuba class and everything so I'm looking at doing my testing in about 2-3months(plus i have to scedule time off work) so is anyone looking to wait that long or is everyone else ready to do it now?
 
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