No PADI cert. Can you scuba dive while traveling?

[TMHeimer]

Boulderjohn is right that all OP's questions are answered. My thoughts on DSD are that though I have no experience with it, I am not a big fan only based on what I've heard and read (safety wise). Am in favour of doing the complete OW course locally, then just diving when on vacation--no trip time doing course work/
skills learning. Am also a big fan of just snorkelling/free diving in the tropics on trips until you are certified, as that's what I did.

 

[tursiops]

The course is essentially.
1.) 3 out of the 5 OW chapters
2.) 3 out of 5 confined water dive sessions.

Plus 2 of the 4 open water dives, and a few of the dive-flexible skills.
Also, the subsequent diving must be with a professional (i.e., DM, AI, or Instructor), not just a guide.

---------- Post added December 3rd, 2014 at 11:33 PM ----------

Am in favour of doing the complete OW course locally, then just diving when on vacation--no trip time doing course work/
skills learning.

Given local open-water conditions in many places -- and I would think Nova Scotia is one of them! -- I am in favor of doing the classroom/pool work locally, then doing the certification dives at some nice, warm, clear-water site. It only takes two half days.....and you are diving, not drilling or studying.

 

[TMHeimer]

Plus 2 of the 4 open water dives, and a few of the dive-flexible skills.
Also, the subsequent diving must be with a professional (i.e., DM, AI, or Instructor), not just a guide.

---------- Post added December 3rd, 2014 at 11:33 PM ----------


Given local open-water conditions in many places -- and I would think Nova Scotia is one of them! -- I am in favor of doing the classroom/pool work locally, then doing the certification dives at some nice, warm, clear-water site. It only takes two half days.....and you are diving, not drilling or studying.

Conditions here in summer until end Oct. are very good, and classes go from April through start of Dec. But yeah, you can always do the referral to the tropics. But you say the checkout dives takes 2 1/2 days, which is more than I would want to spend if I had maybe a week's vacation. Plus you do have to do the required skills for the OW dives, so you are not just diving. Plus some land stuff like compass work, log book stuff , etc. I'm not disagreeing, just saying it wouldn't be my preferred way to do it.