Tahoe Cert Dives

[latestartfish]

Hello all!

WOW, my 55-yr-old tired brain is getting rejuvenated with all this talk of diving at Tahoe and Monterey. I have yet to take the first dive, but at my lds I asked about their OW cert course, and the guy told me that the "OW" dives they do for cert can be done at Tahoe. WHOOOOA! I thought I'd need a course in altitude diving before I went there. Anyone here to their OW cert dives at Tahoe? He did point out I could NOT drive up and dive the same day...

LSF

 

[zinmaker]

Hello all!

WOW, my 55-yr-old tired brain is getting rejuvenated with all this talk of diving at Tahoe and Monterey. I have yet to take the first dive, but at my lds I asked about their OW cert course, and the guy told me that the "OW" dives they do for cert can be done at Tahoe. WHOOOOA! I thought I'd need a course in altitude diving before I went there. Anyone here to their OW cert dives at Tahoe? He did point out I could NOT drive up and dive the same day...

LSF

I've helped people get certified in Tahoe, listen to your LDS about driving. My recommendation is to get certified where you plan to most of your diving. Monterey has much more to offer as for things to see underwater ie color, variety of fish and a plethora of other marine life, if you're having difficulty deciding.

 

[ScubaSteve]

I know of people that certified in Fallen Leaf Lake (FLL) rather than Tahoe. Obviously time of year matters there because FLL will freeze where as Tahoe will not. I would love to dive FLL or Tahoe. I bought a utility in Tahoe and spent a couple months there......sadly more work that play time so no diving. One of these days. I think Sand Harbor and Hurricane Bay are supposed to be "decent" dives.

 

[Peter_C]

Tahoe is a great place to get certified as the conditions are benign, BUT it will not prepare you for the ocean.

Fallen Leaf Lake is the coldest water I have ever dove...of course the surface was somewhere around 62+ degrees and dropped to 37 degrees at 70 ft.

 

[latestartfish]

Hey, Thanks for all the responses. More and more anxious to get the gear and start training. This economy is reeking havoc on getting started. Just can hardly wait to get in the water...

LSF

 

[Peter_C]

If you plan on getting gear you might want to look at what the seasoned divers dive (Those who continue to dive and not the instructors either), and definitely not what the local dive shop wants to sell to you. Otherwise you will be like the rest of us and buy your gear twice. Rent a wetsuit because if you keep diving you will want a drysuit for sure. "The best way to save money on a wetsuit is to buy a drysuit". 48 degrees is cold in a wetsuit.

Think good quality mask. Spare no expense here, but get the one that fits best not by price or anything other than fit. No gimmicks on the mask either. Cheapest snorkel you can find, used is good, free is better, or borrowed if you can. Paddle fins of some kind work great, but watch out for the dive shop telling you how great splits are (Ask them how to back up in splits, frog kick, or helicopter turn??) Hollis is a local company in the Bay Area and builds great fins. The rest of the gear rent until you are ready to buy, then begin asking the locals which their preferences are. Research the terms BP/W, long hose, and bungee backup. Learn to not trust the LDS. The internet holds some of the best deals, and used equipment will probably last you a lifetime.

 

[Mr.X]

While Tahoe is gin-clear great, (as suggested) Monterey has lot more to offer with regards to certification, stuff to see and environmental options. Additionally, altitude and temperature are some factors to consider when diving Tahoe. It can be COLDER than all get out. A drysuit is your best friend, though if you're not staying in the water too long it wouldn't be too bad. Which sort of defeats the idea of enjoying your dive - seeing cool stuff and hanging around a bit.

That said - Tahoe is great if you are into blue water diving. We used to do research on copepods and nothing was cooler than hanging on a harness and drifting in total blue @ 100 ft. Couldn't tell direction at some points other than looking at your bubbles going up!

X

 

[raftingtigger]

Monterey will prepare you for Tahoe, and probably most other places, while Tahoe will meet the definition of OW, but won't prepare you for limited visibility, surge, and even waves. Check out YouTube and watch video from both places. Water temp at Tahoe is warmer than Monterey in the summer, but too cold in the winter. Very seasonal and we are rapidly leaving that season. Some of the local LDSs will go to lower altitude lakes (Lake Folsom) when Tahoe isn't in season. I wouldn't suggest that, you get poor visibility AND little to see (it is wet however, and I do dive there for that reason).

If you go to YouTube and look for Raftingtigger, I have several (definitely amateur) videos of the Monterey area. What you see is what you get in Monterey and Carmel. While I have a couple from Tahoe they aren't posted on YouTube yet. Remember you are going to be close to shore and no deeper than 40' for most OW classes I've seen at either place.

Good luck, have fun, and hope to see you diving.

 

[latestartfish]

WOW again!! You guys are all great, and loads of helpful suggestions. I was waiting to get training until I could afford a full setup with the gear, but I may be diving sooner, given the info I've gotten here! WOOHOO I wanna just GET INTO THE WATER!! (But, I agree, I probably won't be doing much, if any, diving at Folsom...)

Thanks again, folks!
Safe and happy diving to you all,

LSF :biggrin:

 

[zinmaker]

WOW again!! You guys are all great, and loads of helpful suggestions. I was waiting to get training until I could afford a full setup with the gear, but I may be diving sooner, given the info I've gotten here! WOOHOO I wanna just GET INTO THE WATER!! (But, I agree, I probably won't be doing much, if any, diving at Folsom...)

Thanks again, folks!
Safe and happy diving to you all,

LSF :biggrin:

Now I've heard of people being certified in Lake Folsom. Haven't personally dove there, from what I understand the visibility is very poor, which would prepare you for low visibility diving, but not ocean diving, and not much to see except for the occasional beer bottle or can from what I understand. You would have to find an instructor willing to do cert dives there. I still recommend getting certified in Monterey, as other people have said, you will be a better prepared diver for both salt and fresh water.