90% there

[SkipperJohn]

I joined this board because I saw great support form the manufacturer of my new fathers day present. A Sealife DC800 camera. I've been snorkeling for over 40 years and never really considered taking it to the next level. Until I spent a day or 2 here.
Well, yesterday I read most of the newbie threads in this area & I just got off the phone with someone at:
Swim and Scuba S-1709
490 Sunrise Highway
Rockville Centre, NY
(they are around 2 miles form my house)...
I am going tonight to drop off my check and get this ball rolling. Interestingly enough, I am scheduled to go to Aruba on 8/15 and there is no reason to think I cannot be certified by then!
I am so psyched!!!!!!

They do two 4 hour classes per week. 1 class is 4 hours of classroom training. The second each week is pool training. 2 weeks or 16 hours later, if all goes well, ready for the OW dives (which they said I may be able to do in Aruba!)

 

[sixgears]

Congrats on taking the first step. And yes, having that kind of schedule should get you certified or at least get a referral and then do your check-out dives in Aruba. My wife and I are basically in the same boat. We started our OW classes last night and it was a blast. We plan to get a referral and finish off in Grand Cayman.

Good luck and enjoy that trip to Aruba!

 

[ScubaSpicher]

Congrats! It is well worth it! Getting certified in Aruba should not be a problem. I took the class in Central PA and was certified in Jamaica! Good luck and have fun diving!

 

[on_two_wheels]

You won't want to go back to snorkeling!! Nice present, too. I just bought one, myself!! I've only taken a couple pool pics so far without the strobe. I'll wait for a boat dive to take it into the ocean. $800 is too much to take through surf just yet.

 

[vicdiver656]

Congratulations! Please make sure that you tell us how your OW dives go!!!!

 

[SkipperJohn]

Thanks all. I am so darn excited! I want to run out of work early to go pay them to get this going!

 

[ligersandtions]

Congrats on your decision to take the next step. One piece of advice for you: if you do end up doing your open water dives in Aruba, take the time to find a dive op that has good referrals, and call them up, ask for the instructor diver number, and check with whichever agency (PADI, SSI, NAUI, etc) to make sure the instructor is current and can certify. Unfortunately for me, I did not do that and have had quite the headache to get stuff straightened out, so I'm trying to let anyone who's planning on doing check-out dives elsewhere know!

Good luck and enjoy!

 

[SkipperJohn]

+10
I am all signed up and paid up. Began reading my book today...

 

[mswistak]

Awesome. I am in the same boat as your Skipper John. Right once I got my book and everything during my lunch break at work I was back in the office reading and doing the homeworks.

I finally did the pool session this weekend with full gear and it was great, you will have so much fun.

Aruba will be great, I am quite jelous.

 

[Bob Vincent]

Awesome ........ Glad you got it going ........ wait to you get in the water in Aruba and with a brand new DC800 ... YOU NEED TO START JUMPING UP AND DOWN NOW! Congats X 1000!

ps you might want to buy an u/w strobe the difference is amazing, by far! You're spending a lot to get your cert and the vaction a little more to have lasting memories recorded is well worth the money. The built in flash doesn't get it and the backscatter will be bad. If your going to get a flash PM me for a tip that works for me. I've returned to taking pics after alot of years this digital age has a learning curve.

Anyways Good Luck