Getting PADI open water certified

[MichiganMadDog]

Would like to get open water certified and have been looking where to get this.
Could use help on the best way to complete this.
I am in Western Michigan on Lake Michigan and would like to be ready for this summer to start diving.
Should one study at home to save time at a dive school and where can you get study material.
Any help will be appreciated!

 

[SPEEDSTER]

Hello and welcome MMD,

look in your local yellow pages for scuba shops. go to each and get a feel for the instructors there and go with the one that is the least lackadaisical. don't do a home study, it cuts out waaay too much student/instructor time, but still study at home before and after your classes.

my 2 cents
mike

 

[ElectricZombie]

MichiganMadDog:

I would suggest looking into obtaining a NAUI certification while you are at it.

 

[Rick Murchison]

Without knowing what you're really near to in Michigan..
Here are some shops in Michigan.
SSI of course.
Rick

 

[o2 clean]

I was OW certified by PADI in August and I was able to take home the videos... so after I read each chapter I would toss in the video. That helped a lot..... and you'll always learn new things even after the class.

Although reading prior to taking the classes won't hurt. It'll perhaps excite you a bit more!

 

[KeyLargoBrent]

is now available on DVD or CD-ROM! These are great tools for self-paced study, IMHO. When you're ready, just arrange with a PADI instructor to complete the course in as few as three days.

PADI materials are available at your local PADI dive center, or by mail. Let me know if you have additional questions, or if I can help you with materials and/or training.

 

[TCDiver1]

I gotta go with keylargo .... i use the self study material all the time and it works great. However, it does not IMO, replace face to face classroom exposure but rather, tends to free up the instructor and student , to discuss the most important concepts or specific student problem areas, in more depth.

I would recommend picking any self study course which still has as much face to face time with the instructor as required for you to feel comfortable with all academic topics. Some people need more time, some need less.

I teach in northern lower Michigan but can help you hook up with a good LDS and instructor in western Michigan if you want. Western Michigan? .... are you in the Muskegon or Grand Rapids area?

Pm me if you would like some help, would be glad to make some recommendations.

 

[MichiganMadDog]

I am more North than Muskegon in Manistee. We are right on the water. Will be in Olando, Florida this Feb. and would like to do it then.
Thanks for all the replys!

 

[TCDiver1]

MichiganMadDog once bubbled...
I am more North than Muskegon in Manistee.

Small world, my company helped complete that big new casino north of you on US-31/22.

You closest choices are in TC. Great Lakes Scuba, all Padi instruction and Scuba North, some Padi but mainly Naui instruction. This time of year your talking about trying to fit in on already scheduled classes since no one i know of is still training in open water. Just too cold!

To extend that thought, you will probably have to be refered to Florida to complete your open water dives. Again we can do it here but with the air and water what it is now, it's not fun. It should be no problem getting all your academic and confined water training done in a pool before you go if you can find a class thats already scheduled and not full.

I can check on it for you if you want, let me know.

 

[MichiganMadDog]

For this area (Great Lakes) which certification is better and what is the difference, there are a few to choose from?
And yes, going to T.C. is no problem for me. Would appreciate any help in the matter!
Thanks again!