Certification

[UserNameBella]

We are not staying at an AI nor will we be staying at one of the dive center dorms. As of now the first week we will be at the Lighthouse. The next few days I was thinking about trying somewhere out of town maybe on the Cays and our last couple days on the mainland maybe to visit the rain forest.


I thought I would choose the shop before going but I guess it makes the most sense to choose one down there after meeting them. Because their locations are close to the Lighthouse I was thinking one of these 3, Altons, UDC or Underwater Visions.

My experience with UDC was strange. The guy working there would not look up from his facebook account enough to even speak to me. The rest of the shop was filled with instructors who also wouldn't talk to me. They might be great, but if they are that into their lives I'm not trusting them with mine. Also, their bathrooms were super scary. They are one of the first on the island which might explain that.

You can pick any place really, a tuk tuk drive is at most a few bucks. I paid two bucks to get from by the lighthouse to coral view (per person)

BCID had a great boat, but it was overfilled with students. I've heard mixed reviews on Altons, but haven't been there personally. Captain Morgans was pretty good. If you go there ask for the czech couple to do your instruction. They are both pretty serious about diving and were trustworthy and competent. I believe their names were Eva and Patrick. Both do OW and most of the other courses. I liked them a lot, and they are very by the book, no messing around. But still fun.

 

[RJP]

I ask one shop about E-learning. This was their response.

"E-earning is something I never recommend for people. The couple of hours that the theory component of the course requires them to spend in the classroom with us will be fun! "

It might be fun. But there's no way the theory can be covered and absorbed "in a couple of hours" anywhere near as well as it can be covered/absorbed by a diligent student (this is a key to e-learning... or anything in diving really) who spends "hours and hours" with the materials over a period of several days/weeks poring over the information, taking quizzes, reviewing what they got wrong, watching the accompanying videos etc. Even those students will probably need "a couple of hours" of review, questions, etc. For an instructor to suggest that a student just show up instead and that they'll cover it in a couple of hours is ludicrous. He either thinks too little of your ability or too much of his own. In another current thread, a well-regarded instructor here on SB mentioned that his OW course includes SIXTEEN hours of lecture. His head would explode at the thought of getting that down to "a couple of hours" even WITH snacks!

Whether elearning or paper-based, consider that the PADI OW manual is nearly 200 pages long. Do you think that can be covered "in a couple of hours?" Even if someone were able to convince you that they could convey all that information... how comfortable are you that yoiur kids could ABSORB it in "a couple of hours?"

 

[LarryNJ]

Thanks RJP, I had no idea what it involved and if it was 2 pages or 200 pages. The answer from that dive center certainly raised a flag to me, that is why I posted it. I also realize that Utila is one of the least expensive places in the world to get certified. I'm sure that with that it's probably not one of the most thorough educations. So the online training makes even more sense to me.

how comfortable are you that yoiur kids could ABSORB it in "a couple of hours?"

Actually I'm more comfortable with my son who's a college student and studies on a regular basis absorbing the information more than his dad who hasn't studied in years.

 

[RJP]

Thanks RJP, I had no idea what it involved and if it was 2 pages or 200 pages. The answer from that dive center certainly raised a flag to me, that is why I posted it. I also realize that Utila is one of the least expensive places in the world to get certified. I'm sure that with that it's probably not one of the most thorough educations. So the online training makes even more sense to me.



Actually I'm more comfortable with my son who's a college student and studies on a regular basis absorbing the information more than his dad who hasn't studied in years.

It ain't hard - and it's very interesting stuff - but ya gotta put in the work.

Scuba training is definitely a "you get out of it what you put into it" endeavor.

 

[Peter Guy]

OP -- serious question -- do you want to learn how to become a scuba diver or do you want to get a certification card? Those are, way too often, two different things. Pick your instruction/instruction based on which you want.

 

[LarryNJ]

OP -- serious question -- do you want to learn how to become a scuba diver or do you want to get a certification card? Those are, way too often, two different things.

I do not care about a certification, what I want is for us to learn enough so that we can experience scuba diving. I thought that the OW certification was the only way to accomplish that. I just did not know whether it was better to simply dive after we received that certification or take some other classes. After a week or 2 of diving we will decide if it's something we both would like to do in the future either as a casual or serious hobby. If it's something we want to do as a serious hobby I'm sure I'll look into a program like RJP suggested earlier in the thread.

I chose Utila simply because of it being a different atmosphere. We have been to about 8 or 10 different Caribbean islands and Utila looks to be totally different than any of them. My son is a college student and there seems to be a high percentage of young people visiting and living on the island. Maybe he will fall in love with diving and or Utila and arrange a trip in the future with his friends so they can experience it too.

 

[RJP]

I do not care about a certification, what I want is for us to learn enough so that we can experience scuba diving. I thought that the OW certification was the only way to accomplish that.

There is another way to achieve your objective. PADI has a course called "PADI Scuba Diver" which covers less than the "Open Water Diver" course (only three confined water dives and two open water dives) with the result being that you will only be certified to dive with an instructor/DM in the future and no deeper than 40ft, unlike OW diver, where you can dive independently and to greater depths. "PADI Scuba Diver can be "upgraded" to OW later simply by fulfilling the rest of the requirements.

The Scuba Diver course is not commonly done, largely because the industry has ignored it and most place typically prices the course such that it doesn't make sense to pursue. For instance, if you can actually find a place that offers "PADI Scuba Diver" it might be only $50 cheaper. You will need to pay for ALL the Open Water Materials and/or eLearning costs so that doesn't change. Also, you may often be expected to pay for the instructor/DM dive guide when diving as a Scuba Diver and not all locations/resorts will even have them available without prior arrangement. Also, the course to "upgrade" to Open Water Diver down the line might well approach the total course of a full Open Water Course later.

Here are the details:

PADI SCUBA DIVER

Course Standards

The PADI Scuba Diver course is a subset of the Open Water Diver course. PADI Scuba Divers are trained to dive under the direct supervision of a PADI Divemaster, Assistant Instructor or Instructor to a maximum depth of 12 metres/40 feet. PADI Scuba Divers have more theoretical background and better developed water skills than Discover Scuba Diving participants, however, they are not qualified for independent diving. All Open Water Diver course standards apply, with the following modifications.

Certification Requirements

• Complete Knowledge Development 1-3, including quizzes.
• Complete Confined Water Dives 1-3 including Dive Flexible Skills:
  • Equipment Preparation and Care
  • Disconnect Low Pressure Inflator Hose
  • Weight System Removal and Replacement
• Complete a 10-minute swim/float demonstrating comfort in water too deep in which to stand prior to Open Water Dive 2.
• Complete Open Water Dives 1-2 including Dive Flexible Skills:
  • Snorkel to Regulator Exchange
  • Cramp Release
  • Inflatable Signal Tube/DSMB Deployment
  • Emergency Weight Drop
• Read and sign the PADI Scuba Diver Statement

Upgrade to Open Water Diver

Use the following procedures to upgrade PADI Scuba Divers at any time to Open Water Divers:

• Retain a photocopy of the diver’s certification card.
• Have the diver complete a Liability Release and Assumption of Risk Agreement, Standard Safe Diving Practices Statement of Understanding and PADI Medical Statement.
• Preassess the diver’s knowledge and skills, and remediate as necessary.
• Have the diver complete either a 200 metre/yard continuous surface swim or 300 metre/yard swim with mask, snorkel and fins.
• Have the diver complete the balance of the Open Water Diver course:
  • Knowledge Development 4-5 including Quiz 4 and the Final Exam.
    
  • Confined Water Dives 4-5, and all remaining Dive Flexible Skills.
    
  • Open Water Dives 3-4, and all remaining Dive Flexible Skills.

Finances/cost factors aside, the trip you're going on might be THE IDEAL logistical setting for doing Scuba Diver. Get the materials upfront, do chapters 1-3 (or all of them) ahead of time. Go to Utila and do CW dives 1-3 in one day. Do OW dives 1-2 the second day. At that point one of three things will happen to the two of you:

1. You'll decide "Glad I did it, but diving's not for me; let's go hiking tomorrow!"
2. You'll decide "I'm not certain I want full OW certification just yet; let's do two more guided dives with a DM tomorrow and see!"
3. You'll decide "I absolutely want to get my full OW certification; let's do the rest of the course tomorrow!"

Even if #1 or #2 happens... you can STILL upgrade to Open Water Diver any time, including while you're still there in Utila probably.

Again, the cost and logistic implications at any given resort might be such that you'll decide to just go for the full Open Water certification. But prospective divers should understand - and the industry should remember - that "PADI Scuba Diver" course is always an option for people who aren't sure.

 

[BDSC]

My instructor actually advised against taking AOW right after OW when I asked. He wanted me and my buddy to go out and get in some dives and make sure that diving was something we would stick with before we invested any more money into it. Basically he told us that he had prepared us and given us all the necessary skills to go out on our own and start diving. His feeling was if a person had completed an OW course with him and still felt like they needed more dives with an instructor before they headed out on their own then he hadn't done a very good job of teaching OW and I totally agree with him.


About a year later I took the AOW course with him as I had been told in order to do some of the dives off the coast of NC or many other places I might encounter, you need to be able to show the dive operator an AOW card. I enjoyed the course because I really liked my instructor but I can't say I really learned anything new other than we spent more time using a compass than I would have spent on my own. (Now I don't even carry one) By the time I had taken the AOW course, I had been on night dives, wreck dives, dives down to 100 ft. etc.


So my advice would be the same as my instructors, get certified, do some diving to make sure it's something you feel you want to continue, and then get your AOW down the road.

 

[CAPTAIN SINBAD]

There are a lot of dive-shops that try to sell advanced training prematurely to new divers. They are in it for the money so no blame on them. I personally fall in the category that would go for at least 20 dives in OW capacity before going for Advanced. Firstly, Utila is a beautiful place and I would not want to spend all my time sitting in a classroom and studying "Gas calculations" etc. I would want to be in the water. Secondly, doing deep dive, night dive, navigation, drift etc may involve a little more task loading then what is enjoyable. No need to hurry. I would recommend getting Open Water and just diving for fun on this trip. More training can come later.

My 2 cents.

 

[LarryNJ]

You all are awesome! Thanks