Robertobowhunter
Registered
Hello there, my name is Roberto and just had my first experience two weeks ago in San Andres islas (Colombia).
My wife and me went there to celebrate her b-day and in the hotel was a diving center (Sea Garden by the way). So we walked in just to be curious and started talking to a guy named Paul Howard who is a dive master, he showed us some underwater videos and convinced us to take the "minicourse".
So next day we meet at the hotel's pool to take the clases and pool training, after three hours he felt confidence about us and told us "get out of the pool we are heading for the real deal".
Few minutes later (after loading the truck with equipment and new tanks) he drove us to a place called "El Faro" (the lighthouse), which is located on the west side of the island.
There he helped us to put the gear on and helped me to get in the water first, we dive for like 5 minutes till he felt I was confident in the water, then was my wife's turn.
She loved it specially because it was her b-day, since that day she is telling every body that diving was the best b-day present she ever had.
Well now we want to get certified and will take the course with one of the PADI certified centers in Guayaquil-Ecuador, this is where I need all the help and advice.
I didn't had any problem in San Andres to find a buoyancy compensator that fit me right (5'10 and 185 lbs), but my wife who is 5'5 tall and weights 115 lbs could not find any. Even the smallest one the shop had was too big for her and tend to slip out when she was underwater.
Please help me out with the following questions:
What kind of wetsuit should we buy, full arm/leg or short arm/leg? Brands and model please?
How do I get the correct sizes for us?
Should we buy boots?
Should we buy fins with open heel or full foot? Brands and model please?
Which brand / model of BC should I buy for her and where (how do I get the correct size for her)?
Which mask should we buy? Type, brand ?
Should I buy a BC for me? or just rent one at the place we dive?
Thanks for all the help, the only thing I regret is to have waited to be 40 to start diving (she just turned 28).
Safe diving to all of you.
Robert
My wife and me went there to celebrate her b-day and in the hotel was a diving center (Sea Garden by the way). So we walked in just to be curious and started talking to a guy named Paul Howard who is a dive master, he showed us some underwater videos and convinced us to take the "minicourse".
So next day we meet at the hotel's pool to take the clases and pool training, after three hours he felt confidence about us and told us "get out of the pool we are heading for the real deal".
Few minutes later (after loading the truck with equipment and new tanks) he drove us to a place called "El Faro" (the lighthouse), which is located on the west side of the island.
There he helped us to put the gear on and helped me to get in the water first, we dive for like 5 minutes till he felt I was confident in the water, then was my wife's turn.
She loved it specially because it was her b-day, since that day she is telling every body that diving was the best b-day present she ever had.
Well now we want to get certified and will take the course with one of the PADI certified centers in Guayaquil-Ecuador, this is where I need all the help and advice.
I didn't had any problem in San Andres to find a buoyancy compensator that fit me right (5'10 and 185 lbs), but my wife who is 5'5 tall and weights 115 lbs could not find any. Even the smallest one the shop had was too big for her and tend to slip out when she was underwater.
Please help me out with the following questions:
What kind of wetsuit should we buy, full arm/leg or short arm/leg? Brands and model please?
How do I get the correct sizes for us?
Should we buy boots?
Should we buy fins with open heel or full foot? Brands and model please?
Which brand / model of BC should I buy for her and where (how do I get the correct size for her)?
Which mask should we buy? Type, brand ?
Should I buy a BC for me? or just rent one at the place we dive?
Thanks for all the help, the only thing I regret is to have waited to be 40 to start diving (she just turned 28).
Safe diving to all of you.
Robert
