Are OW Cert boat dives similar to Discover Scuba boat dives in Cozumel?

[BTravlin]

Seriously Mike? Most of the time I think your advice is pretty good but believe you've tripped over yourself on this one. Anybody that has done a number of discover scuba dives, especially with one dive to 100', is going to find snuba a real snooze.

Go for certification since you've already been bitten.

You sound like a good candidate for snuba instead of scuba. Remember once you're scuba qualified you're expected to be able to be self-sufficient with no supervision. That takes a commitment of time and money to develop those skills and keep those skills fresh and remain safe. Snuba would be better if you just want to occasionally over long periods of absence, get underwater and enjoy the experience and scenery in a safe and supervised setting without worries of keeping skills fresh to keep yourself safe and alive. If you can't make the commitments of time and money to scuba, I would avoid it and pursue some of the 'scuba'-like experiences available that fit your situation better.

 

[Mike]

Even Babe Ruth struck out once in a while.

 

[ggunn]

Seriously Mike? Most of the time I think your advice is pretty good but believe you've tripped over yourself on this one. Anybody that has done a number of discover scuba dives, especially with one dive to 100', is going to find snuba a real snooze.

Go for certification since you've already been bitten.

I agree, plus I don't see why anyone thinks that SNUBA is any safer than diving at the depths you can go with it. Also, SNUBA units are aurally obnoxious to anyone on the surface within a hundred yards, like a chain saw continuously running at full speed.

 

[boulderjohn]

Either way, it would be prudent to get dive insurance from Divers Alert Network - at least the middle plan.

DAN will give you free insurance while you are a student. Your instructor should be able to tell you about it.

I do not hesitate to tell you to get the full certification. A comparison of the dives you will do on this one trip is not a good decision point. What is more important is what you will be able to do on future trips once you are fully certified.

 

[Mike]

I agree, plus I don't see why anyone thinks that SNUBA is any safer than diving at the depths you can go with it. Also, SNUBA units are aurally obnoxious to anyone on the surface within a hundred yards, like a chain saw continuously running at full speed.

Seriously Mike? Most of the time I think your advice is pretty good but believe you've tripped over yourself on this one. Anybody that has done a number of discover scuba dives, especially with one dive to 100', is going to find snuba a real snooze.

In the opening discussion the OP made it very clear he doesn't desire to be certified. I read nothing showing any commitment to time and money involved to get certified. It was clear the OP would get certified if it wasn't a hinderance to what he valued more-- which was a fun experience simulating diving.

No commitment. No money. No burning desire certification. No foresight to give up short-term gratification for the benefits of long-term gratificaton. A person who had no commitment or ability or desire to dive again for at least another year, but probably two.

Not everyone is capable or has the desire to put in the time commitment, and the monetary commitment to get certified and put those skills to use before they atrophy. Everything the OP said in his opening remark painted him as exactly that, he placed almost zero emphasis on pay now play later mentality that it sometimes takes, all I got from his post was somebody looking for instant gratification. THat doesn't make him a bad guy, it just makes him someone not committed to the commitment it takes to delay gratification on a vacation and set aside fun times for study and testing.

Hi,

I am going to Cozumel (probably Sabor resort) with my wife and trying to figure out whether to do just a couple of Discover Scuba dives or go for the actual OW certification.
My main question is about the four Open Water training dives required by PADI. Are they fun like Dsicover Scuba dives or more like tests/exams where you have to concentrate on doing everything right and there is no time to enjoy the dive?

We did two DS boat/reef dives in Red Sea in 2011 and it was great and super easy! I am hoping to do at least a couple of DS boat/reef dives in Cozumel. It looks like one day 2-tank DS boat dive costs about $100-$120 pp or 200-240 for 2 days respectively. The cost of OW Referral certification with 4 OW boat dives is about the same and we still have time to do the pool section at home (another $200-250 per person). We will not have time or money to do any additional diving after certification. We will not have another diving vacation for at least a year or two It does not make sense to get certification now, but we might go for it if the 4 OW training dives are at least as good as typical DS reef dives

SNUBA is the perfect fit for that person as I out-lined in my reply :

You sound like a good candidate for snuba instead of scuba. Remember once you're scuba qualified you're expected to be able to be self-sufficient with no supervision. That takes a commitment of time and money to develop those skills and keep those skills fresh and remain safe. Snuba would be better if you just want to occasionally over long periods of absence, get underwater and enjoy the experience and scenery in a safe and supervised setting without worries of keeping skills fresh to keep yourself safe and alive. If you can't make the commitments of time and money to scuba, I would avoid it and pursue some of the 'scuba'-like experiences available that fit your situation better.

SNUBA might not be my or any other person active on these forums cup of tea, but it certainly sounds like a fit to me for him until he wraps his mind around giving up instant gratification for the long-term benefits of certification, which is sounds like he is starting to do.

 

[lionfish-eater]

No need to explain mike, people either get sarcasm or they don't.