New Diver Questions

[maw001]

I recently took a "discover scuba" course and I'm anxious to get certified and go diving. Thankfully, my wife has agreed to take the classes with me. I'd like to hear what some of you might offer in the way of advice or opinion about the following:

1. Is SSI a good instruction method, well accepted and recognized at dive shops/dive operators around the world?

2. Is Cozumel a good place to get OW certified? (i.e., warm waters, good visibility, good marine life, suitable for novices)?

3. Although I know we don't have to, we're considering purchasing all of our essential equipment now (mask, fins, wetsuit, bc, reg, console). To me, it seems to make sense to learn on the equipment I know we'll be getting eventually, and the dive shop we're looking at has their own on-site pool where we can try out equipment before we buy it. Plus, they offer a money back guarantee if we take the class from them and honestly decide scuba is not for us. Aside from cost issues, is this a good approach to buying equipment?

Thanks in advance.

 

[detroit diver]

Glad you decided to join us.

I can't answer for the first 2 questions, but I think you'll find a consensus on this board that you should wait to purchase your equipment until later in your dive career.

As a new diver, you really don't know what you want/need. Your scuba shop will show you what they carry, but that may not be your best option. Once you get into this sport and try different equipment and talk to people, your thoughts may change. It may be a very expensive lesson to learn. Scuba stuff isn't cheap by any stretch of the imagination.

Good luck!

Jack

 

[scuba-sass]

From one Newbie to Another!

There are plenty of much more experienced folks here that will attempt to answer all of your questions. For my $.02 worth, why go to one of the great dive places for OW Cert? My partner and I were just cert'd in Connecticut in October. We did our cert dives in some really murky, really cold lakes. If we could dive there, diving almost anywhere is within the realm of possibility. (With appropriate experience, of course - don't flame me!) When we got to the Caribbean in December, boy did that crystal clear warm water look good!

Good Luck!

Scuba-sass

 

[Scottri]

SSI is as good as any and I've never had a problem with my certification with them. Most of the Open Water classes are standard stuff so learning from agency or another is not really an issue. The most important thing is to find a good instructor.

As far as buy gear, I would recommend buying a mask and fins first and buying the rest of the gear later as it takes a little time to figure out what you like and why. Don't listen to the hype about the "latest thing". Just try different models until you find what fits you and is comfortable. Everyone is different with things like masks. I like low volume masks with black silicone while others hate them.

Good luck and welcome to a new world!

Scott

 

[Mike M]

We bought all of our gear prior to taken classes. We did alot of looking around and reading. In fact our shop made us go home and read about different types of set ups before he sold us any. I am the type of person who likes to own my own stuff. If I want to try something, I do it. I like the fact that I do not have to rent gear, hope it is in stock and can decide to go dive when I feel like it.
We have two dive shops in my area, the one I use even told me to check out the other shop. I have also noticed that if you dive with people from diferent shops, all together, you can tell who belongs to which shop, by looking at their set ups.
My .02 cents is this...if you find equipment you like, talked with others who like it, with little to no complaints, and you want it...buy it. Your shop is offering money back if you decide you dislike scuba(but you'll like it), worst case, you'll get a chance to buy more gear.

Mike M

 

[Fishkiller]

Glad to have you aboard

Can't speak as to question 1 but like mentioned before the key is finding a good instructor.


Question 2,, My thinking is that Why go to an exotic local and not enjoy yourself?? Here in Arizona a majority of people have their check out dives done at a local lake, READ boring, done over two days, then go to places like Cozumel and Roatan or San Carlos and have nothing to worry about except film and NDL's.READ Why worry about Reg exchanges and mask clearing when all around are these colorful exciting things to be seen.

Question 3, I did like you are thinking and only had to return 1 peice of gear, a wetsuit wrong thickness. The more you reaseach and ask around the better informed you final money decission will be.

 

[Roooter]

Hi & welcome,
you're getting great advice from everyone. I think the most important thing is finding a good instructor that makes you feel comfortable & doesn't 'push' you along. take your time & enjoy the sport. as far as buying gear...try as many different brands/types of BCs & regulators as possible before you buy. I also wanted to do my OWs in Cozumel...but, I let my partner talk me into doing them in a local quarry last April. turns out it was excellent advice. when I got to Cozumel a week later all I had to worry about was stepping off the boat & enjoying the 'ride'.
happy diving!

 

[maw001]

Thanks to all for your replies. To answer what seems to be a common question, "Why go someplace like Cozumel for OW certification?", 1) It's close to Houston i.e., relatively inexpensive to get to), 2) the water is supposedly a heck of a lot warmer this time of year than the Gulf of Mexico (Flower Gardens would be the thing to do if I could stand to wait until the water is warmer and calmer) and clearer by several orders of magnitude than any lake I've ever been to around Houston, and 3) most importantly, more likely (I hope) to result in my wife being excited about going to dive in other exiting locales (a friend of mine tried this approach with great success).

 

[Ontario Diver]

Hey-o

First of all - welcome to the board. It is a good place and as I hope you've already seen, there is no shortage of good (and sometimes - contradictitory) advice.

Just to explain some of the contrary-seeming advice... This is a worldwide board. We have members in places like Guam, Argentina, UK, the Balkans, Norse type, even in the two most out of the way places in the world we have members - Antartica and Sault Ste. Marie ( a little Canadian humour)

This is also a far reaching board with new divers, instructors, DMs, equipment gods, technical gurus, and one manical satirical song sadist.

So what you end up with is that the only common feature is that everyone on this board loves diving and loves to help. You are gonna love it.

so let me add my 0.02 - much of it already stated...

1) at the OW level, get a good instructor and shop. Someone who clicks with you and makes you comfortable.
2) I did my courses in Canada and did my referrals in Mexico (did it on the mainland - cheaper than coz. but you have to make sure you get a decent instructor again. (ask on the board!)
3) Personal kit first (mask, snorkel, fins)... Wait until you pass before buying any more kit. Try a few different regs and BCs by renting - a lot of it will be determined by where and how you want to dive.

But most important is to have fun and have as many ascents as descents. Dive safe!

 

[Weezle]

Lots of LDS's (Local Dive Shop)s will let you try before you buy.