Discover Diving class? (Virginia)

[Colliam7]

I'll have to see about doing that. They're just far enough away that it's an inconvenience to drop by. That and I'm sure they're going to hit me up about the OW course if I go in (I'm leaning towards going with another certifying agency)

Thanks for following up on you experience after your earlier, July, posts. It is always helpful to find out how things turned out

A few questions / comments.

Is there a reason you are 'leaning towards going with another certifying agency' after (only) a Discover Scuba experience? Or, did you mean another shop, rather than agency? Just curious.

I can understand not driving all the way down to Morehead, just for another mask, if you live 'north of the border', and used Olympus. Mask fitting is a very personal thing, and sometimes you end up trying 2-3 models before finding what works for you. And, price isn't a particularly useful predictor, as you have apparently found out. For years, I have had the luxury of being able to use the absolutely least expensive mask (SeaDive Caribbean) sold in the shops I have been affiliated with, and I found out entirely by accident that the Caribbean mask works for me (bought one for a daughter - because it was inexpensive - and 'borrowed' it later on and found I loved it).

I can't tell from your description exactly what is going on with your ears. It may well be a one-time, or very intermittent, thing. There are quite a few threads on SB addressing treatment for swimmer's ear (e.g. How to treat swimmer's ear), which you might want to check out. Usually, the treatments involve solutions containing some ratio concentrations of vinegar and alcohol. I have a number of dive buddies who religiously treat themselves after each dive, and they seem to believe that it works.

You might also be experiencing some residual discomfort just from repetitive equalization, as a first-time diver. Over the years, I notice that my ears not infrequently feel 'funny' for a day or so after diving, or even swimming, but the sensation usually resolves in 24-36 hours, without any treatment. On three occasions i have developed outer, and middle, ear infections after quarry diving. But the ratio - # of times that has happened divided by the number of dives I have made - is so low that I don't consider it to be an issue.

Glad to hear you enjoyed the experience enough to consider pursuing certification.

 

[Barnaby'sDad]

Thanks for following up on you experience after your earlier, July, posts. It is always helpful to find out how things turned out

A few questions / comments.

Is there a reason you are 'leaning towards going with another certifying agency' after (only) a Discover Scuba experience? Or, did you mean another shop, rather than agency? Just curious.

I can understand not driving all the way down to Morehead, just for another mask, if you live 'north of the border', and used Olympus. Mask fitting is a very personal thing, and sometimes you end up trying 2-3 models before finding what works for you. And, price isn't a particularly useful predictor, as you have apparently found out. For years, I have had the luxury of being able to use the absolutely least expensive mask (SeaDive Caribbean) sold in the shops I have been affiliated with, and I found out entirely by accident that the Caribbean mask works for me (bought one for a daughter - because it was inexpensive - and 'borrowed' it later on and found I loved it).

I can't tell from your description exactly what is going on with your ears. It may well be a one-time, or very intermittent, thing. There are quite a few threads on SB addressing treatment for swimmer's ear (e.g. How to treat swimmer's ear), which you might want to check out. Usually, the treatments involve solutions containing some ratio concentrations of vinegar and alcohol. I have a number of dive buddies who religiously treat themselves after each dive, and they seem to believe that it works.

You might also be experiencing some residual discomfort just from repetitive equalization, as a first-time diver. Over the years, I notice that my ears not infrequently feel 'funny' for a day or so after diving, or even swimming, but the sensation usually resolves in 24-36 hours, without any treatment. On three occasions i have developed outer, and middle, ear infections after quarry diving. But the ratio - # of times that has happened divided by the number of dives I have made - is so low that I don't consider it to be an issue.

Glad to hear you enjoyed the experience enough to consider pursuing certification.

In my area...you've got two choices. Pay ~$700 for PADI or SSI...or $500 for NAUI. Given the similarities of the training (and NAUI covering dive tables...plus option to tie in Nitrox)...NAUI makes more sense (value wise) for my location.

$200...that's a wet suit, half of a BCD, etc.

Now if I decide to run down to Olympus to do it there...I might just do PADI.

On my ears....we submerged and surfaced roughly 10 times. My ears seemed fine until the last interval. I'm going to go out on a limb and guess that if I submerged for a normal duration (no repetitive submerging and surfacing)...I wouldnt have had an issue.

I did another dose of Auro DRY a couple hours ago and they're still not right, so we'll see. They're not blocked (I can still clear them)...so I don't think there's anything wrong with them.

 

[Dogbowl]

Up and down and up and down does a number in the ears. That’s how my ears will get problems too.

 

[Colliam7]

In my area...you've got two choices. Pay ~$700 for PADI or SSI...or $500 for NAUI. Given the similarities of the training (and NAUI covering dive tables...plus option to tie in Nitrox)...NAUI makes more sense (value wise) for my location.

Gotcha. Makes sense.

$200...that's a wet suit, half of a BCD, etc.

Wow, that's certainly a pricey mask. What did you get (e.g. Atomic Venom)?

On my ears....we submerged and surfaced roughly 10 times. My ears seemed fine until the last interval. I'm going to go out on a limb and guess that if I submerged for a normal duration (no repetitive submerging and surfacing)...I wouldnt have had an issue.

Yes, I suspect that is the case.

 

[Barnaby'sDad]

Wow, that's certainly a pricey mask. What did you get (e.g. Atomic)?

For the $200....I was referring to the difference in cost between the course for the different agencies...and what I could get for the difference.

The mask I got is an Aqua Lung. It was pushing $90 with tax. The masks I checked out ranged from ~$50 to $120. This one seemed to fit the best.

 

[purbeast]

I first dove in Cancun with a 10 minute pool crash course and we went out for a 1 tank dive. I liked it enough that I wanted to get certified.

6 years later and no more dives happening, last year I did a discover SCUBA course down in the keys. It was a little like 10-15 minute thing with the dive master just telling us stuff and then we did pool work for like 90 minutes or so, basically until all 4 of us were comfortable enough in the water and he thought we were fine.

Then we went out in the water on a boat with a SCUBA and snorkel trip to 2 sites. The first one I felt a tad nervous for a little bit but then by the end I didn't want to come up. I was the first to get low on air and our dive was probably like 30 minutes. The second stop I felt no nerves at all and controlled my breathing a bit better and was able to be down for like 40-45 minutes this time.

Now a year later I'm looking at OW courses locally in the DMV area. I have one I plan on taking once I get medically cleared that is a 2 day weekend course. Then I plan on doing my 4 dives either when I go to Grand Cayman next month, take a trip with the class, or plan a trip to the Keys to do it.

 

[msinc]

I would suggest you check out Fred Lyles at Scuba Center and Outdoor Rec. in Solomon's, Maryland. Google it, they have a website. They teach PADI. The reason I suggest them is two fold, one is that they go above and beyond to make sure you get the most you can out of the class. I have seen and dived with folks that were all PADI OW, but their skills where at pretty different levels. Some were so low I wondered who certified them. When you take the course here you will be in the upper quadrant skill and knowledge wise.
The other reason is that they are the kind of folks that don't just teach the course and get you certified...when you take the course there you are "welcomed" into a family of divers that are all great people, get along very well and are there to dive with and learn with long after the class is done and you have your card. Many dive shops are this way. How many have most of their former students going to the quarry as a group just to fun dive every trip?? We do it and have a blast!!!
You mentioned Annapolis...if that is easier for you then I would suggest Chesapeake Underwater Sports. Mike Nieman is a great guy to deal with and he teaches NAUI.

 

[Barnaby'sDad]

I would suggest you check out Fred Lyles at Scuba Center and Outdoor Rec. in Solomon's, Maryland. Google it, they have a website. They teach PADI. The reason I suggest them is two fold, one is that they go above and beyond to make sure you get the most you can out of the class. I have seen and dived with folks that were all PADI OW, but their skills where at pretty different levels. Some were so low I wondered who certified them. When you take the course here you will be in the upper quadrant skill and knowledge wise.
The other reason is that they are the kind of folks that don't just teach the course and get you certified...when you take the course there you are "welcomed" into a family of divers that are all great people, get along very well and are there to dive with and learn with long after the class is done and you have your card. Many dive shops are this way. How many have most of their former students going to the quarry as a group just to fun dive every trip?? We do it and have a blast!!!
You mentioned Annapolis...if that is easier for you then I would suggest Chesapeake Underwater Sports. Mike Nieman is a great guy to deal with and he teaches NAUI.

Thank you for your feedback. If this was a one weekend thing...I'd consider running up and completing it in MD. Where it would involve multiple trips up...It's not going to be convenient for me.

I locked in the NAUI w/ Nitrox class locally. He seems like a good guy and I'll be sure to post up some feedback afterwards. I should be doing the classrooom and pool portion the end of the month and the quarry dives the middle of next month. ready to get back in the water.

 

[TMHeimer]

You obviously have not read the horror stories online, especially in the scuba accidents group on FB. Too many students to an instructor are a main issue with people being put off diving. The stories people posted of their own experiences are hair raising.

Exactly. IMO, even when ratio standards are adhered to, I feel any more than one to one presents some risk. OTOH, if you are a "water" person, maybe with a bit of snorkeling experience or other activity, DSD may be OK--just as the OP says, to see if scuba is right to pursue. Which brings me to the prices quoted of $700 and $100 US. The $700 particularly seems out of whack. That = $900+ Canadian whereas our shop offers OW for half that or less at times.

 

[stuartv]

@Barnaby'sDad : It sounds like you have settled on a class. But, for the record, the shop I teach for charges $390 for SDI OW certification. You have to have mask, fins, snorkel, and booties. Everything else is included - online class, all gear, pool sessions, open water dives. Everything. You can pay $490 to get a PADI card, instead, but it's the same instructors and same class. I mean, our shop offers SDI, SSI, PADI, and NAUI. You can train through our shop and get any of those names on your C card. But, our default is SDI.

Our shop is just outside Manassas. From what you posted about Sterling to F'burg, it sounds like you are in our area. Stop by and check out the shop sometime, if you have time to kill. I think Coral Edge is the biggest scuba shop in the DC metro area. The showroom is huge with just about every brand of gear you can think of, and full service from OW right up through technical and CCR training. And the prices are generally Internet-competitive. Our reg servicing is the lowest I know of anywhere - Internet or local. All service is done in-house, including regulator service and tank hydrostatic testing. There are some other good shops around here that I really like and would absolutely recommend them for training, as well. But, I don't think any other shop has as broad a range of gear, training, and service.

As far as class sizes go, well, last weekend, I had 1 student for her OW dives in Lake Millbrook (aka Millbrook Quarry). Another instructor was with me, so we had 2 instructors for 1 student. This weekend, I have 2 students for OW, so we had 2 instructors for 2 students. That is not at all unusual for us.

Oh, and I'm 99% sure we also offer the deal where the cost of a DSD will be counted towards an OW class, if you go that route. As far as pool vs ocean, there are pros and cons to both. In your case, it sounds like a pool DSD will work just fine to tell you want to know. So, get 'er done and get your training out of the way, so you don't have to spend any vacation time on training!