Certified Today!! Wow!

[TSandM]

I was just talking to my husband today about the fact that I'm not sure I've ever dived in viz quite as bad as the summer I got certified. The good news is that, after that summer, ten feet is pretty darned comfortable! If you could cope with 2 to 5 feet on a certification dive, visibility is never going to be a big issue for you, and that's good news.

Congratulations on your certification -- Now go find someplace with better viz to use it!

 

[jldodd]

I was certified in similar conditions... the funny thing was that the only thing that kept going through my mind was "I can't believe I'm freeking breathing underwater!!!!" It was a thrill of a lifetime.

Now go forth and blow every bit of discretionary income you have on diving!

 

[kathydee]

Hey,

Congratulations and welcome to the world of scuba. I've heard it's good to learn in poor conditions because everything else is uphill.

But you must check out 50-100ft vis--it is dreamy! So is warm water without ear-nibbling carp!

Good luck & enjoy!

 

[Winterpeg]

Congratulations! You will be a better diver for certifying in those conditions. If you can do your skills there, you can feel secure that you know them. I, too, certified in harsh conditions. It was tough at the time but I'm glad I did. Now my motto is "what doesn't kill you makes you strong".

 

[ruready7]

Congrats!! Im in the same boat as you. Learned to dive in cooler water with less viz but look on the bright side it is easier to go from cool to warm and from crappy viz to great viz but not so easy going the other way.

 

[floridanewbe]

Congratulations come to florida

 

[arlabeth]

Congratulations! What an experience!! I'm sure nerves played a big role with your adventure. Like many have said, it can only get better. At least you have experienced poor conditions so you know what to expect. I got certified in a quarry and the viz sounds just about the same. Good luck in the future...trust me, it gets better and a heck of a lot more fun!!

 

[k4man]

:

YEAH FOR YOU!!!! Congrats!

 

[Puffer Fish]

Welcome to the world of diving... now start planning your trip to some warm, fun place with clear water. I have never heard of Perch biting.. that would shock even experienced divers.

 

[CaseyJr]

Were you at CSSP? We were there Saturday (8/23) and had maybe 10'-15' visibility. It was our first dive since being certified. We did our OW in 3'-4' vis. about a month ago. Our motto now is: It can only get better from here! And it did! We thought 10' was great!

I spent the next week following our OW (or so it seemed) being dizzy, queazy, headaches, & "sinus" pain. After a thorough check-up (including hearing tests and a sinus CT scan, no less!), turns out I had a TMJ flare-up! Didn't see that one coming at all! I dug out my bite block, took NSAIDs, and applied heat. It got better quickly. I also changed my mouthpiece. Had minimal problems with this past w/end's dive.

Congrats!