New to Scuba!!

[NCgirl7681]

Well, Hello everyone. I am very new to diving, so new in fact, I have not even been in the water yet! I guess you could say I am in the planning stages. My friends and family all chipped in for my upcoming birthday to get me classes for Scuba, something I have always wanted to do and has been at the top of my bucket list for some time now. I am now waiting on the next class to start at the dive shop I have chosen. I can not wait. I am very excited and yet nervous about messing something up... I guess there is but one way to learn though.

I don't know much about any of this except what I have read in my hours of searching the internet for dive related information. It's a bit over whelming, there is so much information out there. I would be very grateful for any real advice from people who actually know what the heck they are doing =)

Thanks!!

 

[Louie]

Hi NCgirl7681!

It's wonderful that you've decided to get into diving and your friends and family are helping you out with a wonderful present.

My best advice to you is: "Don't get overwhelmed!!"

Once you get signed up for your Open Water/Intro level certification course, you'll be assigned reading and study material that will cover the important aspects of diving - such as health and safety, basic science, equipment use and environmental matters. So don't surf and confuse yourself prior to that with information overload. As with everything else, the net has lots of information - some good, some mediocre and some downright inaccurate.

It's quite normal to be nervous - the early stages of learning are designed so you can mess up in the safe confines of a pool under instructor supervision. It's all part of the learning.

So all the best, enjoy your course and happy diving!

 

[Ber Rabbit]

Welcome! You might want to check your local shops and see if anyone does a "Try Scuba" or "Discover Scuba". That would give you a chance to get underwater before your class. The shops around here do them for free.
Ber :lilbunny:

 

[NCgirl7681]

Hello,
I did find a shop that charges a small fee for an intro to SCUBA and then will apply it towards my ow class when I take that. So, that is my plan. The shop works with SSI.

I am trying not to go into overload, it's hard though not to look =). Mostly I have looked at gear. I had no idea there was so much stuff for diving. I guess I am going to buy a package through the dive shop and then once I do my class and go out on a few dives with people who've been doing it for a while, I'll find out a little more about what I need and what are just cool toys =)

 

[Ber Rabbit]

Good plan! Scubaboard is a great resource to meet dive buddies. I have gotten a chance to try out different gear by meeting people from here and borrowing their stuff for a dive.
Ber :lilbunny:

 

[irishsquid]

Good advice and info from everyone. Scuba is fun, so have a great time, learn the basics, and don't let it overwhelm you. Then dive, dive, dive!

 

[herman]

Welcome to the board.
There are a lot of active divers in the Charlotte area that do a lot of diving in the Lake Norman Quarry. After you get certified, look them up and go dive with them. The best way to improve once you are certified is to dive and dive a lot. The quarry might not have a lot of pretty fish or gin clear water but it is an excellent place to improve on your skills and to get to know some local dive buddies. If you are ever in the Raleigh area, there is an active bunch here as well, you have an open invitation to come dive with us.

 

[floridanewbe]

welcome aboard

 

[NCgirl7681]

Thanks everyone, I apreciate your time. Herman, what a wonderful offer and I thank you. I was wonderding if experienced divers hated to go out with new divers since I am sure they do everything a lot slower lol, so the open invite is very sweet.