About to do OW Cert. What should I know?

[BrightLittleStar]

DH and I did a Discover SCUBA course on our honeymoon last year and next week we'll be getting PADI OW Certified in St. Lucia. We did all of the classes online (Which has so far been the best advice we got from friends).

As I'm looking around this boards, I realize I don't even KNOW what I don't know, if that makes sense.

Is there anything you wish you had known staring out, or any advice you'd give about what to expect.


Last year we did a pool dive and then we did one dive off the beach at our resort, did not do anything off of a boat. We were very handheld through the process and I'm a little nervous about everything.

Thanks!

 

[Hawkwood]

At this point the best advice I would give you is not to be shy about asking your instructor any questions or letting him/her know of any concerns you have. If you don't understand something - ask. If you are not clear on what is said during the briefing or expected of you when doing a skill - ask. If the skill is demonstrated to you and you are not sure or did not see it clearly - ask for it to be repeated. Be open and honest with the instructor.

 

[BLoaf]

Just make sure you voice concerns if you are not comfortable with any of the skills. Also bring water to drink, unless they offer it there.

 

[ScubaSteve1962]

Your pool sessions will be a little like at the resort, but you will have to do your skills underwater. If being in the ocean didn't make you nervous you will be okay in the pool. and as posted before, ask if you have any questions.

 

[TSandM]

I would suggest reading the sticky in the New Divers forum on how to find a good open water class.

I think the number one thing I didn't know was that classes are different. They offer different amounts of pool time and in-water time. They are scheduled differently -- some bunch all the days of instruction together, others spread it out. Some classes use max allowable staff to student ratios, and other shops have a lot more help. IT MAKES A DIFFERENCE. If you are a little nervous or slow to get things, having a class that's more spread out may allow some additional pool sessions and will allow some time for your subconscious to integrate things between lessons.

Price is a very bad discriminant on which to choose a class.

 

[Hawkwood]

What outfit are you going with in St. Lucia?

 

[DivemasterDennis]

I wish I had stressed less and had more fun. I excerpt the following from a couple of my blog posts for people about to do their open water dives. Read the entire blogs if you want- both are on the "most popular list" over at the blogs tab here on scubaboard.
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I'd like to share a few suggestions with you to make your experience smoother and more enjoyable.

1.Check all you gear a day or two before the dive, to be sure you have everything, everything is working properly and everything fits properly. Put stuff on, especially rented exposure gear. If anything is too tight, too loose, looks damaged, or doesn't work, get it switched.

2. Before you leave the dive location after day 1, check to make sure you have everything in your dive bag, and that what you have is yours. In big groups, people sometime get the wrong stuff. While it can usually get straightened out the next day, it is a pain and an anxiety maker. Do the same on day 2.

3. Be on time. This can be a problem. And it will stress you and others. Punctual divers are calmer divers. Give yourself plenty of time to get to where you need to be.

4. Don't schedule stuff for later the same day as you open water dives. You won't want to rush off, because you may well forget a piece of gear, or miss out on meeting new people, or conversations that would be helpful to you. Getting certified is a big deal, and also involves some physical exertion. Try and schedule yourself so you can be fully focused on the dives, not be rushed, and fully enjoy the experience and the achievement of open water diving.

5. Ask questions. If you have a question ask your instructor or divemaster. There are no stupid questions. If you want a "private moment" asks for one. We will accommodate you.

6. Report problems. If you don't feel well, a piece of gear doesn't fit right,
or you have some other issue, please tell one of us. We need to know, and we can help.

7. Be patient. Sometime you have to wait your turn. Sometimes we have weather delays, or other things that delay a planned schedule. Stay calm, stay relaxed, we will get everything done. We promise.

8. Bring you paperwork ( including photo, written work not yet turned in,etc.) and log book and a pen. The job isn't over till the paperwork's done. Bring everything in your student kit. It's a great feeling to not only have done your dives successfully, but to have all the paperwork ready to go, your dives logged, and be a totally legitimate certified diver.

Diver's bond with other divers in a hurry. You are about to join one of the coolest clubs that has ever existed- the brother- and sister-hood of certified divers. Let's have a fun, positive and memorable(in a good way) experience under the water!

Sometimes student divers who are having problems appear to be "overthinking" the dives. By that I mean you may be focused so much on discomfort, or getting a skill right, that you are stressing out and creating problems that you might not otherwise have. My suggestion: HAVE FUN!". I am not saying to ignore an ear squeeze, or other comfort issue, but I am saying don't be preoccupied with it to the point of obsession. Also, remember you have done all the skills you are going to do in confined water, and can do them. In fact, many are actually easier to do in the open water dives than in the pool. Don't overthink them and create stress. Relax and enjoy the experience. Whether you are in a quarry in Ohio, or warm seas off the coast of Florida, you should have fun on those certification dives. Look around, enjoy weightlessness, as you pay attention to your instructor. Some of you will have difficult issues to work through, but you will be less likely to have them, and fewer of them, if you relax and enjoy the experience rather than "waiting for something to go wrong." You instructor and dive masters are there to help if it does. It probably won't. So the night before your first open water dives, relax, watch a movie, look at underwater pictures or videos, or read a travel magazine about a destination you are headed to. Be positive in your outlook and you experience is likely to be positive.
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Have a great time, and congratulations on what I am confident will be the successful completion of your certification!
DivemasterDennis
DivemasterDennis

 

[FiremanIRFD]

Relax and keep breathing!

Some people stress over some skills too much IMO, the skills are well within safe limits but ask if you have questions. I like mask floods, personally after wearing a mask for a while I enjoy a nice cool flush of water over my face.

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And don't eat anything that will upset your stomach the night before

 

[canadianmikey]

DivemasterDennis - Thanks! That's really good advice. I'm about to go out on my OW dives next month. I would'nt say I stress about it yet, but I am a little anxious - I guess that is a little normal - like any new thing.

 

[MattJ]

When you're learning a new skill, don't try to execute it quickly to get through it (especially mask skills). Go slowly enough to execute it correctly. Take your time and learn to do it right.

Avoid standing up if you don't get the skill the first time. As long as you have a reg in your mouth, you have air. As long as you have air, you have time to sort things out in your mind. Have the instructor demo the skill again.