So I would like some honest opinions on here about the following situation.
I am a new diver, dove one time on a cruise ship and now it is time for me to take the PADI OW course. I go to my LDS who is a PADI 5 star IDC dive center ( I wanted to throw that out so we know we are anot talking about some hole in the wall dive shop) to see what they offer. I am told that they can do the OW course no problem, but since I live in the North East I have a couple of options. Take the classroom & pool sessions and then wait until May or June to do my check out dives or take the Dry Suit course in conjunction with the OW course and I can do my check out dives in Jan.
So I tell them to sign me up for both OW & Dry Suit and let me know where to be. I just finished up my pool & classroom sessions for the OW course and am taking the Dry Suit classroom & pool session tomorrow. Hopefully check out dives will be next weekend.
So that is the background, sorry so winded, but I wanted everyone to have some info. Now the LDS is having a hard time finding me a dry suit that fits and I was checking with some people I know and there is a friend of my wifes father & step mother who is about my size. So they ask him if he would be so inclined to let me borrow his dry suit for the weekend. This is the reply we received,
"He is insane to get certified in January at Dutch. You are talking ice conditions. Did he really obtain proper training for this type of check out? Is he really trained in ice, dry suit and open water in one shot?
(my comments: Water temp is probaly around 40 and surface temp will be anywhere from 23 - 35)
Dry Suits are complicated, if it not a proper fit you are screwed. All dry suits have different buoyancy factors, different vale operations (think he ment valve??) and comfort. Add ice factors and these are worse because you loose dexterity.
We should talk for the sake of helping your son-in-law out"
This person who wrote that is suposidly a diving expert, dont know him personally but he does want to talk to me and is suposed to call tomorrow. Who knows maybe he is on this forum and will read this. All in all I will talk to him and see what his thoughts are and hear him out. My question is we are dealing with a 5 star PADI LDS and I do not believe in any way they would put my life in danger just to gain a couple bucks for some classes. I would also have to think that they would ax the check out dives if it is that cold, but also isnt that what dry suits are for?
I would like to know who you agree with the LDS or the dive expert?
For the more experianced divers on the board, knowing what you know now would you make a dive like this?