how many dives / how much time for openwater checkout dives?

[MikeFerrara]

adjuster-jd once bubbled...
I'm traveling to Maui for 8 days in mid-June and am debating whether to try to complete my openwater dives before I go or once I get there. I will be completing the confined water class next weekend.

Since my wife and kids will not be diving with me (wife won't dive and kids too young) I don't want to spend all my vacation time away from them, but I do want to get a few dives in while on Maui.

Get certified before you go and you can dive when and if you want.

I don't really cherish the thought of diving in cold water here in Ohio, so Maui is much more attractive in that regard.

By June you can find some fairly warm water. And...just because the water is cold doesn't mean that we are.

How much time / how many separate dives are actually involved in the openwater dives? FWIW, I did an intro dive last year and the instructor marked my log book as having completed openwater dive 1. Does this save me any time?

So many folks want to save time in their class. If you want to learn to dive why not devote a little effort to it, find a good instructor and be thorough about it. You will enjoy your vacation dives 100 times more and you will be in control.

Even though it is popular to treat it as such diving isn't the same as a ride at Diseny Land.

 

[CincyBengalsFan]

MikeFerrara once bubbled...


By June you can find some fairly warm water. And...just because the water is cold doesn't mean that we are.

B]

Where in June is the water warm in Ohio, Indiana or Kentucky??? What do you consider warm? Warm to me is the ability to wear a shorty or a skin.

The local quarry outside Louisville is around 54 degrees right now. By the end of may it will be about 65 degrees and by the first of July finally in the upper 70's. Not until July - Sept. can you wear a Shorty and be comfortable.

 

[MikeFerrara]

CincyBengalsFan once bubbled...


Where in June is the water warm in Ohio, Indiana or Kentucky??? What do you consider warm? Warm to me is the ability to wear a shorty or a skin.

The local quarry outside Louisville is around 54 degrees right now. By the end of may it will be about 65 degrees and by the first of July finally in the upper 70's. Not until July - Sept. can you wear a Shorty and be comfortable.

I said fairly warm...In June we should be in the upper sixties or low 70's at OW class depths. With a 1/4 inch suit and nice outside temps that's comfortable.

I don't know about shorties I've never worn one. LOL I wear more than that in the pool.

 

[Big-t-2538]

CincyBengalsFan once bubbled...


Where in June is the water warm in Ohio, Indiana or Kentucky??? What do you consider warm? Warm to me is the ability to wear a shorty or a skin.

Warm to me is anything above 60 ish...

 

[CincyBengalsFan]

This would make a nice new thread. "What do you consider warm water?"

Warm to me is in the upper uppper 70's and above.

 

[Groundhog246]

CincyBengalsFan once bubbled...
This would make a nice new thread. "What do you consider warm water?"
Warm to me is in the upper uppper 70's and above.

Anything over 60 for me. Over 70 is getting downrigth balmy. We went to Gilboa last Sept. With almost all the locals in 2 piece we went with just our jackets and the full suit was too warm. It was a little chilly on the legs under the thermocline (about 56F)

 

[wreckchick]

I am an admitted wimp, upper 70's for sure before I start thinking warm thoughts. Anyone getting into the local dive holes in less than a 7mm something or other with hood and gloves would get funny looks from me, but hey!! Enjoy!!

R

 

[Niffer]

If you decide to take the option to complete your classroom and pool work in Ohio and then complete your 4 certification dives in Maui...then do your homework. My father scheduled his cert dives through his hotel in Waimea. He had a decent instructor, but he ended up completing all four dives in the same (shore dive) location off of the beach in Waimea. It was pretty boring.

I recommend calling around and speaking to several dive operations to see if they will take you to various locations under various dive conditions. It'll take you 2 days to finish your certification dives. Try to make the most out of them so you can spend the rest of the time with your family.

By calling multiple dive shops, you'll also be able to see the range of prices for the certification dives.

 

[adjuster-jd]

Ok, after reading the discussion here, I'm going to do my OW checkout dives here locally (likely going to be White Star quarry in Northern Ohio). Although it will be cold, it should be good to become familiar with local dive conditions..

Now, I'll have to decide what dives I'm going to do on Maui....

Thanks for all the advice..

 

[astrofunk]

You're making the right decision! I got OW-certified in Monterey (T = low 50s, usually), and that's where I do most of my diving. Work takes me to Kona a couple of time a year, though. Being certified for cold water makes warm water diving seem almost magical: no hoods, no gloves, less weight. And when you return from Hawaii, bit by the scuba bug, you'll be prepared to exploit your local diving resources. You'll be glad you did things this way...