Time between e-learning and confined/OW dives

[samcraig]

Hey all,
My 11 year old did a discover scuba diving course when we were in Punta Cana. Now she's interested in getting her PADI Scuba Certification. She's more inclined to just get the Scuba Diver vs the full OW (which is fine as we always go with a dive instructor and she has time to go full OW or beyond later). This means she'll do the first 3 units out of the 5, pool work, and 2 OW dives vs 4.

My question is... Any recommendations for when she should start her e-learning course? We're going to Grand Cayman in April 2024 where she'll do her pool/OW dives. I was thinking she should do the e-learning around a month before. Thoughts?

 

[Belzelbub]

My 11 year old did a discover scuba diving course when we were in Punta Cana. Now she's interested in getting her PADI Scuba Certification. She's more inclined to just get the Scuba Diver vs the full OW (which is fine as we always go with a dive instructor and she has time to go full OW or beyond later). This means she'll do the first 3 units out of the 5, pool work, and 2 OW dives vs 4.

It wouldn’t hurt to do full OW. Even if you always dive with a DM, doing Scuba Diver the Open Water later just seems like a waste. More instruction is generally better. FWIW, both my daughters did full OW around that age, and they had no issues.

My question is... Any recommendations for when she should start her e-learning course? We're going to Grand Cayman in April 2024 where she'll do her pool/OW dives. I was thinking she should do the e-learning around a month before. Thoughts?

A month before would be fine. But really, she could start now. No downside. She could pace her self, and do it slowly. Retention is usually better than cramming. Then, she should be able to go back and review prior to your trip.

 

[samcraig]

It wouldn’t hurt to do full OW. Even if you always dive with a DM, doing Scuba Diver the Open Water later just seems like a waste. More instruction is generally better. FWIW, both my daughters did full OW around that age, and they had no issues.

A month before would be fine. But really, she could start now. No downside. She could pace her self, and do it slowly. Retention is usually better than cramming. Then, she should be able to go back and review prior to your trip.

Solid advice

 

[rick00001967]

I would do it anytime. Then do it again before the trip as a knowledge refresher.

Personally i like the idea of doing the scuba diver course. But most people dont do it. I think most people are not even aware it is avail.

At that age who knows if they will even wanna keep diving. There is always time to complete a full course later when time is not an isdue. That said, it is probably less expensive to do the full course all at once.

 

[samcraig]

I would do it anytime. Then do it again before the trip as a knowledge refresher.

Personally i like the idea of doing the scuba diver course. But most people dont do it. I think most people are not even aware it is avail.

At that age who knows if they will even wanna keep diving. There is always time to complete a full course later when time is not an isdue. That said, it is probably less expensive to do the full course all at once.

Thanks. Time might be an issue - so that's why we looked into the shorter course. And I agree with the fact that she may not be a life-long diver (although I am hoping )

 

[TMHeimer]

I would do it anytime. Then do it again before the trip as a knowledge refresher.

Personally i like the idea of doing the scuba diver course. But most people dont do it. I think most people are not even aware it is avail.

At that age who knows if they will even wanna keep diving. There is always time to complete a full course later when time is not an isdue. That said, it is probably less expensive to do the full course all at once.

I agree about doing the e learning right away. It's the same idea as when I took the course with classroom & paper manual. The idea being you should review all this stuff regularly anyway, a least until you're and
experienced diver with everything being second nature. Then you review the more advanced stuff you get into.

 

[roadrunner0318]

Would you say doing the advanced open water learning early is similar?

 

[TMHeimer]

Would you say doing the advanced open water learning early is similar?

I guess so. I had the old "Adventures in Diving" paper manual taking it in 2006. I did the Knowledge Reviews for all the specialty dives, not knowing which the shop in Florida would be offering. Figured no knowledge is wasteful. Then when I found out which, I reviewed those chapters a lot before the dives. I imagine the e learning is basically the same idea 17 years later. There isn't really a pile of info. to learning like for OW course. The next course I found that had a lot to absorb was Rescue Diver. Thick manual like for OW.

 

[Rob9876]

It wouldn’t hurt to do full OW. Even if you always dive with a DM, doing Scuba Diver the Open Water later just seems like a waste. More instruction is generally better. FWIW, both my daughters did full OW around that age, and they had no issues.

^^^Agree, probably best to just get the full OW.

 

[grassgreen]

As an Instructor with over 15 years of experience, I would hold fire with getting your child certified at just 11 years old. As you've said, still going to be diving with a professional and parent not going to be going deeper than 12 metres. I'd recommend just doing a Discover dive skills review every trip, then just do dives during that trip. Wait until at least 15 or 16 years old, should understand the concepts better by then. But in the mean time can still go diving, gain experience gradually. This is what I'm doing with my niece.
Only people to gain from certifying an 11 year old are the Dive shop and the Agency....