Open Water Check Out Dive Questions

[frantzf]

I just finished the academic and pool sessions for Open Water certification last weekend. If it matters, it's through SSI. I also have some speciality classes scheduled in March for Nitrox and Computer certs.

My question(s) involve the final open water check out dives, my fiance and I are traveling to the South Pacific for our honeymoon mid-April. We originally thought to just get a referral and finish our training there, now however we'd like to get open water completed before we leave. Talking to the LDS today, we have three options and I need help deciding. Of course I would welcome other suggestions.

Option 1: Drive to Bonne Terre Mine (I live in Kansas City), get referral
Option 2: Fly somewhere warm and get a referral
Option 3: Sign up for a dry suit speciality, rent a dry suit and get the check out dives at a local lake.

I'm thinking that I'm leaning towards option 3. But would love to hear thoughts...

 

[Grey_Wulff]

I think getting certified before you go on honeymoon is definately I good idea - then you can just enjoy the diving.

However, have you considered Option 3 with a rented wetsuit? I presume you mention a drysuit because your local lake is cold, but a 7mm wetsuit might work since certification dives should not be too long. Further, you won't have the complication of diving a dry suit and this does take a little getting use too.

Grey_Wulff

 

[Jim Lapenta]

If I read the brochure correctly the mine is 58 degrees year round. To me that's drysuit. If wet then figure on some short dives. I'd really advise against the dry suit also if you've not had any training in one and you have not gotten your ow yet. However if your lds has ones that fit and can get you in the pool for some practice than it may be ok. Grey may be on to something with the 7 mil but if it's really cold this may turn your fiance off. In any case welcome to another exercise in dive planning that they don't tell you about. Being prepared for conditions that may arise. If the South Pacific trip was booked far enough in advance you could have arranged for your certs with plenty of time. This close? If you don't wanna freeze get the referral and do it on the honeymoon assuming you have time. How long are you going for? If it's 2 weeks or more you should be able to get it done the second week when you finally come out of the room! wink,wink, nudge,nudge.

 

[MsParamedic]

Bonne Terre USE to require at least a 7ml, hood and gloves. The dives there are ALL guided, so Im not sure exactly how a referral would work down there.

By the time you rent a dry suit and pay for another speciality, you maybe able to catch a flight to the Keys for the same price. I just flew (roundtrip) from Miami to St. Louis for $108 plus tax--non-stop on American.

Pat

 

[spectrum]

If you 2 have the garbanzos to take option 3 by all means do so.

It will get you off to a huge start and you will be primed to be active local divers which is how you will become proficient and safe. Certifying OW in a DS is nothing that unusual as you head north so don't feel like you are out on a big limb there.

Diving wet in 58F with a good wetsuit is OK for most divers. I don't break out my DS until we're below 50F. So if you can do it in the mine that would be very cool to.

About that computer specialty... Spend some quality time with your manual before you sign up for that one. They aren't that tough as a rule.

If you are planning a dive intensive honeymoon by all means get the nitrox cert.

Pete

 

[anzac65]

I'm newly qualified so don't hold my comments up against those of the experts on this board, but.....

Having done my confined stuff in the UK I was advised against the drysuit cold water thing. I'm sure lots of people will tell you it's great to get your experience in those sort of conditions but hey, you want to dive in the south on your honeymoon. Take option 2, enjoy your honeymoon dives qualified and relaxed, and become a hardnut later.

I wouldn't fancy the 58 degree mask removal.... and you won't need it for the south Pacific (will you...?)

 

[ClayJar]

If you're going to dive the local lake when you're not off in that strange warm, clear, tropical water, by all means, option 3. You may as well get into it early.

If you're going to be a vacation diver and never dive the wonderfully chilly, often murky inland waters of the US, well, I suppose you could do something else, but who wouldn't want to dive locally? (Okay, my buddy-family and I are 33% local, 33% tropical, and 33% job/school currently precludes diving... but I'm in the locals, so hey! )

 

[TSandM]

The single thing that makes you a better and safer diver is DIVING. The more you dive, the more comfortable you are with your equipment and with being underwater. So I'd recommend option 3. I did my checkout dives in a dry suit, and yes, it adds to the complexity considerably, but as a result of going straight into a dry suit, I started diving actively at home right away. (Plus, my first dives in warm, clear water were SOOOO easy in comparison!)

 

[Carribeandiver]

I guess I will be different but take the trip to warm water and get the OW dives in. Make it a 3 or 4 day weekend and stick around for some practice/relax dives. That way you are better prepared for the dives on your trip plus you can concentrate on the OW dives and not the water conditions.
Just a thought and I am pretty sure I will be outnumbered a zillion to one.

 

[frantzf]

Thanks for all of the replies...

Tons of things to think through. Ultimately, we're paying for the wedding and honeymoon ourselves which equals slight financial constraint. Is option three the cheapest?

It also seems that it will be our third speciality certification and we'll be moving closer to master diver. 3 birds with one stone approach...

I wish we just had more time. We decided on the honeymoon location in December and since we're going to Tahiti, Bora Bora and Moorea - we finally decided to go ahead and explore this whole "scuba thing"