Getting back into SCUBA: Where to start?

[Don't Touch Me Eel]

Hi everyone,
The other day I realized that it's been about 17 years since my last dive. I found my old logbook and have a little over 40 logged, I've done probably another 10 dives that I didn't. Last year I took the steps of buying new fins/mask/snorkel but didn't get any further than testing them out in the local ocean. On top of that, my LDS downsized since the last time I was through and no longer has pool access for refresher courses, meaning it's probably Dutch Springs. It's also about an hour an a half away from me when I'm back in the US. If all goes well, I hope for the airport here to reopen in time for my scheduled flight back next month. I've done a lot of Scubaboard reading while I'm over here (thanks everyone who advised against DM/zero to hero programs, work took me far away from pursuing any of it) and a have a few priorities in no particular order:

1. Go dive
2. Buy more gear
3. Rescue Diver (have AOW)

I've been looking at liveaboards for when I get home (thanks again Scubaboard, I was looking at Red Sea Aggressor) and was wondering if they'll tolerate not having a refresher course done? I'm sure some operations will, but would you recommend skipping the refresher? I'm very comfortable in the ocean and feel mostly that I need to study my dive tables again, but then again I've also not done any of this in a long time. I'm cheap and this is an expensive hobby, I keep thinking about the money that would be used for a refresher course/gas/Dutch Springs might be better served elsewhere, like airfare, or on gear.

As far as buying gear, where should I start? I'm very interested in BP/Ws and would like to eventually take the GUE Fundamentals course, but working up to that point of gear ownership is daunting when the money could be spent on getting more dives in. The closest dive boat to me back home requires a similar gear investment and two dives done in the last 30 days to go out on it, so I look at that as a more distant goal. I'd like to dive locally as I never have before. I'm watching Getting first BP/W setup as well. What should my next pieces be? Regulator+Dive computer? BCD/BP+W? All of it

Thanks for your time!

 

[KatieMac]

I can't imagine not doing a refresher after 17 years of not diving.

As for gear, I would recommend a decent dive computer as your first purchase.

 

[Marie13]

If it's been 17 years since you last dove, you should really do a full OW class, not just a refresher.

Just stop for a minute - do you really think a live aboard would let you skip a refresher when you've not been in the water for 17 years? Many dive charters require divers who've not been in the water in a year to do a refresher.

Forget about your tables. From what others here report, many LOB require divers to have a dive computer.

Edit: just saw you have AOW. I'm still of the opinion that a refresher isn't going to be enough. You admit you've not done this in a long time.

Few divers use seem to use tables anymore, unless it's for their own diving (that doesn't require a charter/LOB). Computers are dang near universal.

It's not a cheap hobby.

 

[JBFG]

Definitely a refresher at a minimum. If you can't/ won't do a full course, then spend some time (after your refresher) doing some shallow dives with a DM and practice your skills.
I would also recommend that your next purchase be a computer. The BP/W and regs can wait a bit.

 

[loosenit2]

I agree with @Marie13 .

I was in the same boat two years ago. I had not dove in 20+ years after progressing through rescue in college.

In my case I signed up for a refresher and did it while my daughter did OW. My LDS let me dive with my daughter while she did her OW dives (both pool and OW) and I did the skills side by side with her. I found it highly beneficial to redo the OW skills. It all came back very quickly but the refresher materials on their own would not have been enough, you have to refresh and re-establish your physical muscle memory of the basic skills.

I was also amazed at how much had changed with gear. Things that were new and fancy (hence expensive and unavailable to a college student) are now commonplace and standard. Things like computers and weight integrated BCDs; not to mention nitrox now being common rather than being treated as voodoo gas. I was likewise amazed at how far technical diving has come into the mainstream and brought with it more awareness of other considerations and techniques.

 

[scubadada]

Hi @Don't Touch Me Eel

I've told my story before. I was certified by LA County in 1970 and dived actively in Southern California for 10 years/about 200 dives. For a large variety of reasons, I did not dive for 17 years. I ended up getting recertified by PADI when my son got certified at age 12. The recertification was very easy for me. I probably could have gotten away with a refresher but the cert was certainly not wasted time. Lots of things have changed since I was first certified, real BCs, 2nd regulators, computers, nitrox...

So now, 23 years later, nearly 2000 dives, what a blast . I can't wait to get back in the water, it's been almost 60 days since Covid-19 put a pause on my diving.

 

[Seaweed Doc]

I had a student sign up for OW who was already certified 4-5 years prior. She and I talked and based on her desires and my not wanting her to spend extra time and money just for a refresher sticker, I had her do peak performance buoyancy certification. She did all the OW work, with PPB skills added.

Her "standard" skills came back very quickly, and the PPB work made her a better diver.

 

[Xta]

I took my Dad to Bonaire right after he retired. He hadn't been diving in 30+ Years. Did a refresher, and a nitrox course.

I think Nitrox was good because a lot had changed in the amount of time since he had become certified. It all came back to him like riding a bike, he had perfect trim & buoyancy after the first dive. However, my dad had a lot of really good experience. (He brought his ice-diver certification card from the 70s to the tank rental place. haha.)

It probably depends on how you were certified, and where you did most of your diving however. Most of his dives while he was actively diving were on wrecks in Lake Superior. Plus, back when he was certified, it was way harder to become a certified diver. He told me how, when he got his OW, he had to dive into the pool and put all his gear on underwater, while the instructor tried to take it away... As far as I know, PADI doesn't do that anymore.

As far as my advice to OP. I'd say having your own dive computer is a must! Everything else can be rented from the boat, unless you want to own. I started with a dive computer, mask and my own reg.

 

[TMHeimer]

I guess I agree with re-doing the OW course or at least a refresher. I'll play devil's advocate and say I suppose if you feel you'll be comfortable enough you could either do a benign dive with an experienced buddy for review, or re-read the OW manual and just get in a pool and re-do all the skills. I'm not recommending that, but it's not rocket science. I believe there are a few online videos on OW skills that weren't available 10-15 years ago.
I like your idea of getting Rescue cert. as soon as you are (re)familiar with diving and the equipment and it's second nature.

Maybe not relevant but I'm not sure how much a difference 17 years is from just 5. I won't watch a favourite movie again until it's been 5 years. By then I've forgotten a whole lot and it's kinda like new.
Plus at my age 17 years does seem like 5.

 

[boat sju]

Don't Touch Me,

Did you learn to dive with a computer? I suspect you did, but if not, in my opinion, that would make a refresher a necessity. I took a few refreshers that were a waste of money because they went over theory (nothing new) and then spent a few hours in the pool. Now if you could do a few hours in a quarry with an instructor, that would probably be worth it.

boat