My PADI Open Water Experience

[johndiver999]

The gloves make everything harder, the hood can induce stress and makes it harder to move and some people feel claustrophobic. Add cold water, heavier belt and all the little annoyances and challenges make you deaf and weak and slow and stressed, to some extent or another.

All the challenges can be adapted too, but it takes time and it is desirable to be exposed to the challenges serially rather than simultaneously. Have fun and one word or advice: put your gloves on after everything, especially the mask and fins.

 

[zixzax]

Very detailed story. you have good memory for details. Have fun.

 

[TheCoolBeans]

I never rinse my gear after freshwater/pool dives either, i always thought it wasn't a big deal to do this unless in saltwater or swamps

 

[TMHeimer]

It sounds like there were quite a few negative experiences so far, and the occasional positive one. Keep in mind that regardless of shop/instructor, most courses today squeeze a lot of info. into 2 weekends. Main thing is that you do finish all the skills and have a decent knowledge of general diving aspects and of equipment, and fairly good buoyancy. You will most likely increase your ability quite rapidly if you dive regularly after certification. BTW, our shop requires students to rinse off shop gear, or pay a DM $20 to do it (I liked that). Good luck with the lake checkout dives.

 

[CptTightPants21]

I never rinse my gear after freshwater/pool dives either, i always thought it wasn't a big deal to do this unless in saltwater or swamps

Cleaning after diving fresh water isn't necessary, but it's generally a good idea to wash the chlorine off when diving in a pool. I take it he is more disappointed that the skill/procedures of cleaning gear wasn't covered as this is something an active diver should know how to do.

 

[TMHeimer]

Cleaning after diving fresh water isn't necessary, but it's generally a good idea to wash the chlorine off when diving in a pool. I take it he is more disappointed that the skill/procedures of cleaning gear wasn't covered as this is something an active diver should know how to do.

Agree. Especially using baby shampoo to rinse out the inside of the BC. I have found almost no one talks about this.

 

[Dubious]

It sounds like there were quite a few negative experiences so far, and the occasional positive one. Keep in mind that regardless of shop/instructor, most courses today squeeze a lot of info. into 2 weekends. Main thing is that you do finish all the skills and have a decent knowledge of general diving aspects and of equipment, and fairly good buoyancy. You will most likely increase your ability quite rapidly if you dive regularly after certification. BTW, our shop requires students to rinse off shop gear, or pay a DM $20 to do it (I liked that). Good luck with the lake checkout dives.

I want to first say that I had a great time, even with the negatives. My wife sees things a little differently. She tells me I need to relax and just have fun. I am the type of person that really prefers to work on a skill until I have it down. I would rather walk for a month learning the terrain instead of running after a weekend.

For instance, our class was dive computer only, so we did not learn the tables. That said we did not learn about the rental dive computers (or any computers) we would be using. When I asked about it he said there isn’t much to know. I Decided to read the manual online for myself. Was it simple? Yes. Did I learn something about how the computer functions? Of course.

 

[Dubious]

Cleaning after diving fresh water isn't necessary, but it's generally a good idea to wash the chlorine off when diving in a pool. I take it he is more disappointed that the skill/procedures of cleaning gear wasn't covered as this is something an active diver should know how to do.

This is a minor thing, but I feel it should have been addressed. I think half of the class was doing referrals to warmer waters. I want to take care of my gear. I would think the dive shop would want us to take care of their gear. This did not change the overall experiences I have had.

 

[GrafCanuck]

Thanks for the details on your O/W journey. I did my O/W online and then the pool confined dives. Didn't really enjoy the pool. For me too crowded. I've been fortunate to do my O/W in Curacao with a private instructor (this was a fluke) and my AOW in Bonaire with a private instructor (planned). I'm very comfortable in the ocean or lake, but having 1:1 coaching was terrific and highly recommended. PS - my experience it doesn't cost anymore to have a private instructor.

Relax and enjoy the journey, particularly when you start the real diving. Dive safe!

 

[jonhall]

It seemed to us that the class was meant to be completed over several weekends instead of one.

Keep in mind that regardless of shop/instructor, most courses today squeeze a lot of info. into 2 weekends.

Have read several threads where people seemed to be rushed (real or imagined) through scuba courses or didn't get what they paid for.

I'm grateful fate led me the direction that it did in my instruction, so I'm giving thanks and a shoutout!

Indy MPH Watersports was the dive shop I took OW through 21 years ago. In PADI, which they taught, there were 5 modules (today they teach SDI.) We met for an hour in class (lecture and video) and then went to a school pool (water skills) for just under 2 hours once a week for 5 weeks. Today with SDI they meet 4 times once a week with the same time frame for class and pool work which is followed by the checkout dives on a weekend, usually in a quarry - 2 Sat. and 2 Sun. Don't recall wearing wetsuits for any of the pool work, but we may have on the last day.

Our checkout dives were in Grand Cayman - the reason for taking the course in the first place - and again fate put us with Divetech. We had a great instructor who made sure we were doing things correctly. She made sure we enjoyed ourselves while making sure we were getting the skills completed.

We didn't dive again for 7 years and although my wife (and dive buddy) eventually had to give it up due to ear problems, I dive several times a year.

Enjoy your diving!