Newly Open Water Certified diver. Lots of learning to do

[cfavero]

Hi everyone, I just got certified about 3 weeks ago in the midwest. My Wife and I both got certified at the same time to be able to do some diving while on an upcoming vacation.

I ended up getting very interested in doing more and I just finished two specialty certifications to get me out and in the water to practice. I am planning on doing another dive in a local lake in 5 days. Very excited to be able to talk to other divers and learn more. I am starting to compile a list of things I want and in what order. If I win the lottery then I will just buy everything i think i may need.

anyways. looking forward to continuing the conversation and talking more about diving.

Chris

 

[tplyons]

First, congratulations on your new certification!

My advice? Start off by just diving. Get super comfortable in the water before starting additional certifications. You'll get more out of them.

The first thing I bought was my dive computer and recommend this to anyone; if you dive somewhere else you may end up renting a different model that you're not familiar with. Become intimately familiar with your computer and it will work anywhere with anything. Either this or a wetsuit that only you've peed in These were my first purchases and I'm glad they were.

Try to rent different gear every time; you probably got certified in a jacket style BCD, but may find you like a back inflate style better. Try different regulators too; this will give you a better idea of what you want when you start buying gear.

 

[iamrushman]

howdy and welcome....congrats on your cert..dive dive dive.

 

[pconsidine]

Hi Congrats on your Certification- I agree with Tplyons- but if I were you I would search around for a dive club in your area, where you could meet people with same interest & you could discuss equipment purchasing .

 

[cfavero]

I totally see the need to just keep diving and practicing. I have been renting a bunch of different gear so I am getting a good view on what I like or don't like about pieces.... especially the dive computers. I will hopefully be buying a used 7mm wetsuit from my local diveshop for some volunteer work I will be doing at a local aquarium during the winter months. The dive shop has a "dive with a divemaster" weekly dive which I plan on taking part on all the way up to it getting too cold for a wetsuit. I will definitely be buying a dive computer, regulator and octo soon.

The volunteering fell into my lap as one of the people at the dive shop works at the local aquarium and said it would at least allow me to do some practicing when the ice is on the lakes here. should be fun.

I did get certified in a jacket style of BCD and hopefully will get a chance to try out a Back inflate style.