Resort Diving, get a course first?

[wolf_bluejay]

If you are going to a place that caters to divers -- you'll want to take advantage of it, not spend the whole time training. As well, learning to dive in "cold water" will make the warm water seem really easy and enjoyable.

When both the wife and me got our cert. we were really going through the air at first. A 80 cu.ft. tank would only last about 35 minutes. After about 10 dives, I can do 1:20 on a tank and still have some left over. If you get trained down there, your doves will be short, and not all that deep. If you get some dives under your belt and then go, you will be able to push the Dive/depth limits rather than always running out of air.

You also get much more used to the equipment and more comfortable under the water, so you'll spend more time looking at the pretty stuff and less watching your gages and fiddling with gear.

[mark]

Not sure if I'll still be able to get the open water dives in (been a couple of days lately feels like winter) but see from some courses you take the classroom and pool at home, then the open water at another PADI facility overseas.

[Jeff_]

IIRC I think most of the open water certs in Alberta are done in lakes. I would prefer doing an open water cert in the ocean vs freshwater and it will probably be warmer compared to Alberta

[Jason McK]

Originally Posted by Jeff_

IIRC I think most of the open water certs in Alberta are done in lakes. I would prefer doing an open water cert in the ocean vs freshwater and it will probably be warmer compared to Alberta

Fresh or Salt the theory is the same. I'd get certified before you go for all the reasons listed above. I'm looking into a trip to Belize and just looked at courses for fun. The Open water was double what I paid here in Vancouver

J

[trilinearmipmap]

I did the PADI e-learning program. It is internet based instruction with videos and quizzes. Then I got the practical part done in four half-day sessions in the Caymans. I recommend doing it this way. You can do the computer learning at your leisure and the open-water practical sessions don't fill up your whole day the way they would if you did the entire course on-site.

[Jeff_]

Yup Theory is the same but there is a lot more biodiversity to see if you get it certified out on the coast but that also is costly to come out just to get certified. trilinearmipmap, if you don't mind me asking, how much was it to do the course online? Did it specify that the practical must be done in the Caymans or is that up to the attendee?

[wolf_bluejay]

One of the things to keep in mind -- once you have the cert. you don't just get to dive anything you want. The dive master will want to see your log book, and the judge what he'll let you do.
For the most part -- if the lake is not frozen, a good 7mm wetsuit (double layer) or a drysuit will keep you warm as the water gets cold down deep anywhere is Canada.
As a bonus, if you do the open water part in full wetsuit gear (I did), you get much more used to doing things like recovering your regulator. With that you get a response from the Caribbean dive masters of "Oh, your a cold water diver. Do whatever you want"

I don't know if I would do an mostly on-line version of the course. Where I did mine, there was 1 hour of theory followed by 1 hour in the pool for a total of 6 nights. That spread out practice was great. It gave you the time to try things, get comfortable with them and think about the mistakes you made.

My wife pulled her weight belt at the bottom of the pool (15 lbs) instead of her BC strap. A good evening of think about what went wrong (she put the belt back on underwater as she didn't let go of it), and what was the right thing to do. Of course, don't let go of any strap you are pulling and "think" you've got it right.

I try to remind newbies of the fact that the cert. doesn't mean you can do anything you'd like. If you go out on a charter boat dive, most will look at your logs, experience and decide. They are simply not going to let you go through that chute at 80ft after 4 dives, and you're silly if you try.

Overall the course here in Kamloops was a little pricey compared to Van/Vic, at $300, but it's a one time cost that will last a lifetime. I know I'd get $300 more vacation in warm water.

PS. As a funny side note: Our first dive ever was in Grenada. The dive shop owner, that live in the dive shop at the beach was amazed that we like near Van/Vic. and took 4-5 trips a year to go diving because "The diving is so much better there". I only wish I knew the area was so amazing years ago.

[trilinearmipmap]

Originally Posted by Jeff_

Yup Theory is the same but there is a lot more biodiversity to see if you get it certified out on the coast but that also is costly to come out just to get certified. trilinearmipmap, if you don't mind me asking, how much was it to do the course online? Did it specify that the practical must be done in the Caymans or is that up to the attendee?

It costs $120.00 U.S.

Once you do the e-learning you can take the open water certification anywhere that does PADI courses.

Overall if I remember correctly the cost for doing the e-learning plus the open water practical certification worked out to a little bit more than doing the whole course in person, but not much of a difference, it will depend on what the dive centre charges.

[globaldesigns]

Some resorts don't require a course, but will require you to do a swimming test. A good example is the Palladium Resorts. Scuba is absolutely free to guests, but if you can't do 6 laps doing the crawl, then you don't get to go.

I personally do the snorkelling, and believe that you should have proper courses. Of which I DON'T have. Once in Dominican, I saw a boy come up and start screaming as he is drowning, the boat/instructors did not hear him at first. Watching this was kinda scary.

Maybe on day I will get certified, I do alot of Caribbean vacations to Dominican or Cuba. I envy you all that take those great pic's.