Quick question about going back in the water after 21 years.

[stu-bee-doo]

Thank you to all for your replies. I will take the course again with my daughter and will have a look to see if it is best to take it here in Jersey (between England and France I'm afraid RJP!!!) before diving in the Red Sea.

Needless to say I can't wait - really should have got my backside in gear over the last 21 years!

I am still registered with PADI - thanks for the link richiewrt.

 

[videofly]

After being certified in 1974 and then taking a break for a while, I took OW over again when my wife and kids got certified in 2014. I think it was well worth it because equipment has changed and also, my family learned to dive as a team.

 

[dberry]

+1 for OWC with daughter (very glad we shared that experience.)

And depending on your temperament, consider reviewing the book (or on-line resources) before the class. Not only to refresh old memories, but as prep for what is often a rushed presentation in the actual class. I reviewed my OWC and AOW books a few months after the classes and dives, and was amazed at how much stuff I "got right" on the quizzes at the time, but hadn't completely sunk in. None of this is rocket science, but much of it could save your life.

 

[azmodan50]

Retaking would probably be best. Just make sure your instructor knows that you are already certified. Not sure what type of minor problems it will create if they try to push through another certification for someone already certified.

 

[TMHeimer]

Good luck to both of you in the course. I commend you to want to take the full course over. If I were in your situation, I'd probably try to put the regulator on the flat end of the tank. Good advice to review your old manual/online, etc. You may want to check out some of the PADI skills videos online (no need to, as everything will be explained in the course). Once a week (on land) I go through the motions of the 20 pool skills. Also, I skim a page or two of one of my course manuals daily (even the OW one, when it's its turn). You can never refresh too much.

 

[scubadada]

I was certified in 1970 by the LACUU and dived for 10 years with somewhere in the neighborhood of 150 dives. These were mostly shore dives off Southern California and Catalina. I did not dive for 17 years. When my son turned 12, he wanted to become certified. We both did PADI OW in Grand Cayman.

The class itself was very easy for me and the diving came back very quickly. It was a blast sharing this with my son and I was able to catch up with modern equipment (BC, octopus...)

My son has been my favorite dive buddy for 18 years now, priceless. We will be doing the Florida wreck trek on the M/V Spree in July

 

[Frosty]

Actually I have a different take on the situation.I would go back one whole stage and do a discover scuba dive as soon as you arrive at the resort.
You're certified but you will find out fast if it comes back to you or if in fact its "gone"
On that basis I would ask to either redo the whole OW course with your daughter or if it has come back to you maybe do the Advanced course. which will improve your diveing immensely and will IMO have the same effect as repeating your OW.
If your daughter is going to do her theory online by e learning whilst at home. Then there is no reason you cant read the subject matter after she has read it.You can't do her exams online of course but you can see what she is seeing and jot down your answers to see how you do.
That way if you do repeat the OW course you aren't having to take in all the theory.You'll still have to do the tests but the theory will be back in your head

 

[jon84gt]

I recently (2014) did the OWC course all over again with my 16 year old son, was glad I did because it actually felt like I had never been diving before in my life! The equipment has changed so much and some of the techniques I learned back in 1995 were a little different plus I really wanted to be trained over again exactly like my son. It definitely worked out well for me just to start from scratch and I will admit I was a little freaked out getting back into it at first. Have fun diving with your daughter!

 

[Mekyoung]

I recently did the same thing as well. The way we did it was that my son did a week long summer camp to get certified. My wife and I then both got recertified through the same LDS that ran the camp. That way we had the same training as him, and like others have said, things have changed a bit in 20 years. I think having my son do the camp on his own was very beneficial. He didn't have me there to rely on to help him.
One other nice that was that we had the same instructor as my son, and he let him come along on all or OW dives. He kind of became the instructors "buddy", which worked out great, as it got him back in the water right after his class and provided reinforcement of what he had learned at camp. He was also pretty happy that his log book shows he has more dives than I do now I just won't show him my old one...LOL

Have a great time with your daughter, and welcome back to diving.

 

[diver 85]

Take it (all over) again, would be my thinking-------In my book , you were never(really) 'certified', ie ZERO post 'certification' dives-ie "Since then, I have not had any further dives."..........

Now, would die on these dives in Egypt??/..prolly not, cuz------- if you don't hold your breath,surface too fast, or run outta air, 10 to 1 you'll make it home just fine(pretty good odds----IF---not higher)

Your Welcome!.))