Open Water Complete in 5 days, whats next?

[jafoca]

I will be completing my SSI open water training as of Saturday this week, and then i am off to Australia (townsville) to study for 4 months. When there, what should be my next steps?

I feel like the class is going very well thusfar, and clearly there is going to be some AMAZING diving just out my front door... so what do i do? Seek out a dive buddy and schedule some kind of easy dive?

Thanks for supporting an obvious NOOBIE!!!

 

[Don Wray]

As they say in submarines, "DIVE, DIVE, DIVE" I'm sure you'll find someone to dive with down under. Probably same as here, go to an LDS and ask around.

 

[jbd]

I agree with Don. Dive as frequently as you can. Start out easy and build your way in to more difficult dives as your skills improve.

 

[1_T_Submariner]

Any room in your Bags for me?? Will dive for air!!

Have a great trip.

 

[jafoca]

Well... Let me just say that I am very excited to go diving there, and if it is neerly as fun as it seems like it will be I will probably be able to dive more than once a week while there!!!

I guess a better way to ask my question is this; How do I know I will be getting into a relatively easy dive at first?

As I said before, I feel like the training is going well and the only thing I have had issues with is doing the Giant Stride (which will be resolved with more practice). However I am just a bit apprehensive because the OW dive here will be at 20ft in a small lake. Going from that to the Great Barrier Reef seems like a "Giant Stride" of its own, and I want to make sure I don't get myself into something I am uncomfortable with.

At any rate, I have allready located a SSI diveshop (i figure that might help) in Townsville, so I guess that will be my starting point.

 

[Jason Ooi]

Good luck Jafoca...next step is DIVEs

 

[Lorenzoid]

You get to town. You call the dive shop and say, "Do you have a dive trip scheduled for Saturday?" You say "Great!" and then tell them you just got certified and are a little apprehensive. The assure you it's not an advanced dive. They write your name down. You show up. You dive.

Don't be intimidated by the fact that it's the Great Barrier Reef. Much of the reef is not deep at all and doesn't require anything more than a relaxed diver. I speak not as an Aussie or experienced Barrier Reef diver but as someone whose first dive after Open Water class in the U.S. was the Great Barrier Reef. It was as easy as I said. Everyone on the boat was a vacationer, and some of them seemed inexperienced themselves. It wasn't at all intimidating. I couldn't have appreciated it more after having learned to dive in cold eastern Pacific waters with little more to look at than kelp and rocks. It was like diving in an aquarium. Have fun!

 

[The Chairman]

Dive often but DIVE SAFE.

Learn to recognise and AVOID a "Trust me" dive. You don't have to go deeper and longer to have fun. Learn to take "baby steps" and avoid dive buddies who say "I've never been narc'ed".

Have fun down under, but stay safe!

 

[Divin'Papaw]

I'd second many of the views here. I'm also a new diver. I now have 24 logged dives and just completed PADI AOW. The key thing that has helped me immensely is to dive frequently (averaging twice a month) and to start easy, shallow (typically <= 40 feet) and slow. It helps to gradually gain more comfort and confidence in gearing up, gearing down and most importantly in the water. Remember, it's not a competition. IT'S NOT A RACE!!!! Dive as often as you can, but ease into it slowly and enjoy it!