Just finished Open Water Cert.

[aquaknott]

Hello everyone,

I just wanted to spread the excitement. I just finished my open water certification dive this past weekend at Vortex. It was a wonderful experience with very minor clitches. I am now looking forward to starting the advanced open water class next week. I can feel it already I have a sickness. As I sat in 47' feet of water at the mouth of the cave at vortex it made me want more. Then as I sat on the bank and watched the superb underwater light show from the night divers exploring the bottom... it made me want more.. I have found a new love in life with a really great network of fellow divers and a positive attitude toward gaining future experince. My goal now is to hopefully logged enough dives this summer to be at if or if not really close to masterdiver level. (50 dives) I know that may sound a bit difficult but I spend every weekend either at the lake or a the beach so I believe it is possible. Well I must go for now but I will finish by extending a very big thank you to Tom, Tom, Justin, Steve, Rick and all the other guys and Gals at my local dive shop that have made my first experience a great one. Heres to many more to come fellows.

 

[kensuguro]

congrats. Just keep in mind that the PADI certs or any other certs build on actual diving experience, so expand out and explore different environments, situations, and techniques. Get advanced so you can access all dive sites, and then nitrox if you want. But, as far as actual diving is concerned, AOW is all you need. The rest are sort of like add-on badges for your own enjoyment. (specialities and master scuba diver are, IMHO, anyway) So, before you get washed away in the PADI system, remember to keep a straight mindset that your goal is to become a good diver, not just follow PADI standards. Because obviously, their standard tells you to take all their courses which creates most profit per head. Just thought I should warn you on that.

PADI makes clever use of repetition and authority to teach you the material, which allows yout overcome fear and anxiety of something new.. but at the same time, they impose their shopping model through the process.. which is very clever marketing, extremely effective.. the stuff works. really clever.

 

[diveman7683]

Congrats.

Just take you time and enjoy the underwater world.

 

[dflybldr]

Congratulations!!!

I hope you do better than my son and I on our first weekend "after" the OW dives. It was painfull. To make matters worse we had to pick up our cards on Saturday. We just look over at each other and say "I WANT TO GO DIVING!!!" I tried to sell him to the LDS for boat rides, but they said the had a whole room full of kids in the back that dads sold them they don't know what to do with yet.

Anyway, I can relate on the feeling of a whole new life ahead!

Be safe and enjoy!

 

[Divin'Papaw]

Congratulations, and thanks for sharing your excitement!

 

[Scuba Brad]

Congrats and excellent reporting. You'll be just fine!

Happy Diving

 

[aquaknott]

I just wanted to include this group picture: from left to right myself, my buddy Tony, Instructor Rick and Instructor Steve. Our Instructors made the whole experience the bomb. There were other great instructors from our shop its just these were are insrtuctors throught it all. Once again a job well done.

 

[aquaknott]

Sorry correction on the above picture order is Myself, Instructor Rick, my buddy Tony, then Instructor Steve.

 

[Love diving]

Congratulations! Welcome to a new chapter in your life!

 

[BrianV]

Congrats, scuba will give you a life long hobby!