Fast Certification

[GrierHPharmD]

I did the quick course a few years ago, and recommend it. As somebody said above, it works for some people and doesn't for others.

I would recommend taking that Sunday dive. Try to buddy with the DM or an experienced diver, and start off very easy, taking time to enjoy the experience. It's only when you learn to really relax underwater that you begin to master the skills that you've learned in class.

Finally, try your best to get out and dive this summer. It's important to put those skills to use as early and as often as possible. Do easy dives, well within the limits of your training and experience. You'll gain confidence and be a safer diver.

Finally, join Divers Alert Network, a group that provides insurance for diving emergencies, including airlift. When you join, go to their website and read the accident reports for the past few years, especially the abstracts at the end. These reports will help you get a feel for the things that really are dangerous.

There's a lot to learn, so don't expect to become Jacques Cousteau over a weekend, but you can gain the skills necessary to enjoy what sounds like a wonderful vacation.

And remember, you can always drop by Scubaboard for advice. Please post a trip report when you get back, so that we can hear all about your experiences.

Best wishes and safe ascents,
Grier

 

[DandyDon]

No, not trolling. Just mistyping. It's 100 meters. The length of an Olympic sized swimming pool there and back.

Also, I didn't start in the water, I was allowed to jump from the starting board, this plus the turn at 50 meters, gives you a good bit of distance with less effort being spent underwater.

The saddest part is someone actually beat me, by turning again at the 100 meter mark. I could have done that, but since nobody had made it 50 meters underwater, I didn't bother. I didn't want to attempt another try, since 100 meters wasn't exactly easy, and two attempts in one day could have been fatal.

Xanthro

Okay, maybe I'll buy that. Very impressive, but possible.

If you're that good in the water, you'll possibly breeze thru the training. Really OW Ceritifcation is very informative, but it's still an introduction to much more training - thru practice and maybe additioanal training. Be sure to survive the first 50 dives.

Grier's suggetions are very good. If you're military, I'm not so sure you'll need the DAN insurance, but then - it might make the difference between immediate treatment or not in some locales, and it's not that much money. Great organization and very informative magazine.

have fun! don

 

[RonDawg]

From someone who actually took one of those "add water, instant scuba diver" courses in Hawaii...If I had to do it over again, I wouldn't.

The learning curve is STEEP, although you'll have three times as much pool time as I did. You're also spending vacation days LEARNING to dive, and not really doing what you flew 5 hours in an airplane to do. If you have trouble mastering some of the skills as I did, now you'll either have to decide whether or not to spend additional vacation days (and $$$) making up the necessary dives or doing other activities that you originally planned on.

If I had the chance to do it over again, I would have gotten certified at home first, or at least done the classroom and pool work here and the OW stuff over there. Once you learn to dive in relatively cold water with relatively poor viz (which is what SoCal diving is like much of the time), diving in Hawaii will be...PARADISE!

Also, depending on the boat you go on, you may be doing quite a bit of surface time before your first dive. On these boats you'll find a mix of both students (and different types such as beginning, advanced, etc.) and regular paying customers, so the operators have to appeal to both. Which means, as you might recall from your textbook, that the deep dives are done first, which means the students sit on the boat (and possibly get seasick, as I did). My boat went out on Maunalua Bay (between Diamond and Koko Heads) which has some wrecks but as these are at the 100 foot or so level...well beyond what you will be allowed to do as a beginning OW student or even right after your cert.

I know it's too late for you to change your plans but keep these things in mind, that way you won't be disappointed if/when things don't go quite the way you thought they would.

As far as going on additional dives after being certified...GO FOR IT!! Isn't that why you went to Hawaii in the first place?

As far as regs and other equipment...unfortunately you just missed a sale on scuba equipment at Sport Chalet. They had some really good prices, like $250 for a Mares MR-22 Abyss reg which is what I ended up getting. They're having another sale this month, though I'm not sure if it's when you'll be in Hawaii.

 

[Xanthro]

From someone who actually took one of those "add water, instant scuba diver" courses in Hawaii...If I had to do it over again, I wouldn't.

I'm not taking the course in Hawaii, I'm getting certified BEFORE I leave for Hawaii.

That's why it is such a rush, so I do not have to spend any vacaction time learning. In Hawaii, I just want to have fun and enjoy myself.

The two extra dives I spoke of would also be before Hawaii.

I wasn't clear on when I'm getting my OW.

I hope to get 10-15 dives in while I'm in Maui. Most will be simple dives such as Black Rock. Until I've practiced for a few months, I won't be comfortable with anything beyond the basics.

I'm sure I'll enjoy scuba. Last year we went to Key West and snorkeling was fun, but I couldn't stay down more than a minute or two. I want more below the surface time.

Xanthro

 

[Xanthro]

As far as regs and other equipment...unfortunately you just missed a sale on scuba equipment at Sport Chalet. They had some really good prices, like $250 for a Mares MR-22 Abyss reg which is what I ended up getting. They're having another sale this month, though I'm not sure if it's when you'll be in Hawaii.

La Canada Sport's Chalet is where I'm getting my OW. I'll be at the tent sale on Aug 20-22, it's the weekend before I leave, though I have at least the beach dive scheduled that Saturday, and possibly two boat dives on Sunday.

I was hoping to pick up my reg then. Sadly, I missed the last sale. :06:

Xanthro

 

[RonDawg]

I'm not taking the course in Hawaii, I'm getting certified BEFORE I leave for Hawaii.

OK that's my bad. I saw the dates were one after the other but failed to see the part where you were leaving at the end of the month. When I saw "Hawaii" and "accelerated course" I automatically put the two together as these are rather popular in Hawaii.

It's still quite a bit to learn in such a short time though. Sport Chalet's courses are usually spread out over 3-4 weeks rather than the 11 days you'll be doing this.

 

[TX101]

I'm crap at breath holding. I should really practice alot more, because it could be useful one day but just haven't got around to it yet.

Anyway, I did an accelerated course. 1 day to finish all the pool work. 1 evening for the theory + test (cant remember how many I got wrong, but Im pretty sure it was less than 3 question). First OW day was 3 dives, second day was 1 dive. And thats it, I was certified. (elapsed time was about 2 weeks)

I thought (and still think) that I was just as safe as any other OW student. Perhaps even more so, because while doing the course I spent at least 4 hours each day reading this board as well as other online scuba resources (I read ALOT). So before I was certified I was learning about CCR's, deco theory, mixed gas diving, etc (although alot of it I didn't understand at that point).

My point is that if you are willing to learn and have no problems with the in-water skills, I don't see any problem with a quick course..

 

[Garyra]

I too was certified in less than 2 weeks. 1 evening of paperwork/tests, 2 evenings of pool, and then 4 dives at the lake across 2 days (PADI will only allow 3 training dives a day). After taking my OW I actually found that I was better at scuba than many of the other divers I saw that had been diving for a while. I think part of the reason is that I was a lifeguard at a pool when I was a teen and that the skills were still fresh to me.

To me there are two things to consider when taking a fast track. Many people, like myself, do better when they have the information thrown at them all at once, while others require the information in peices to geve them time to process it. Another factor is how comfortable you are in the water before you start.

I think that the most important thing to remember in Ow class is to just relax. I was a little tinse the first time in the pool and had problems with my feet wanting to float up on me. After we spent some time at the bottom of the pool playing with a bowling ball, I didn't have the problem anymore.

Good Luck and have fun

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

I hope to get 10-15 dives in while I'm in Maui. Most will be simple dives such as Black Rock. Until I've practiced for a few months, I won't be comfortable with anything beyond the basics.

Not to hijack the thread, but Black Rock is an awesome dive for a beginner. Make your way around the rock (north side from the beach) and explore the nooks and ledges along the shore. It's shallow enough (25-30 fsw), and there's tons of life ... I saw a half-dozen species of eels on that one dive alone.

Also check out Milepost 14, which is south of Lahaina. And if you can make it down to Kihei, Makena Landing is another shore dive that will suit the beginning diver quite well.

Boat dives in Maui are expensive ... but worth the money.

Have a blast ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[rje634]

Then three boat dives on Saturday 08/14/2004, followed by three more boat dives on Wednesday 08/18/2004, and a beach dive on Saturday 08/21/2004.

Xanthro

I'm a little confused, is this PADI OW certification and if so this will be the first time I've heard of having to do 7 cert dives. I only had to do 4 dives my OW, and I only did 6 dives for my AOW and that was becuase there was an extra dive for the drysuit specialty.
Is this some sort of new special curriculum?
Just wondering...

BTW also heading to Maui and Kaiua in Dec. can't wait to dive there.. When you get back I'd love to have some details, OK...