Upstate NY certification locations... Help?

[EricS.]

Looking to get into diving, but am a little bit lost with what organization to go through and what location to use. I believe (from the very limited reading that I have done) that PADI is a good choice and then for the location that I was looking at is Seguin’s Scuba Center in Albany, NY has a good reputation.

Can anyone tell me if Seguin's is a good place to get it from and if you have had any experience with them?

Am I going in the right direction, or should I look elsewhere?

 

[Stoo]

One could argue all day about which agency is best, but the reality is that PADI completely dominates the world, or at least North America. (As an old NAUI guy, it pains me to say that...)

At the end of the day, what matters most is the care you get from your Instructor. Most Instructors will know the technical aspects well. Only some can teach it well, and even fewer can teach well, and make the entire process fun.

If you can, spend some time talking to the Instructors at the shop you like. Look for inflated egos... they are common sadly. If you don't like what you are hearing, look elsewhere.

There is a great tendency (especially in the PADI World) to emphasize the "fun" in diving, and fun it is. But diving can also kill you, so don't take you're training lightly. And once certified, dive as much as you can, and upgrade your training as you go!

And welcome to the club!

 

[Kharon]

I certified with Adirondack Scuba, which is SDI. My dealings with Sequin's has been limited to fills, visuals, and hydros - and I have been satisfied. I would probably go for whichever was most convienient after talking with the instructors as Stoo said. Adirondack is taught by the owner with a few assistants. There were a couple of things about the OW checkout dives that I was a bit put off by - PM me if you want details.

In any event, I've come to believe that any certification is nothing more than an introduction to, explaination of, and demonstration of the skills needed. Once you get your card you still need to practice a ton till you get the skills down. The card is a learners permit. Given that, it probably matters more that you get along well with the instructors and that the classes are convienient. I can't imagine that the content is very different.

Also, look into joining the local club (Albany Aquanauts). We've got a meeting coming up (Feb 6th at 226 Old Loudon Rd, Latham, NY 12110 time 7:30pm) - lots of good people who can advise you. You don't have to feel you need to join to come to the meeting. Our website is http://albanyaquanauts.com/

 

[rhwestfall]

Welcome to SB, and welcome to SCUBA. I lived in the Capital District for many years, but never got a chance to get certified there....

As is always the consensus here on SB, its more about the instructor AND the student. It takes both having a good attitude to make it work.

If you are a reader, I'd suggest getting the book written by Jim Lapenta (see the signature line in the post linked here): http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/hot-deals/474622-limited-supply-new-products.html#post7012905

This is a great resource to someone asking: "What should I know when I know nothing?" From this you will get an idea of what you should expect/demand from your training. Armed with it, you can "interview" your perspective instructor.

There are a few others from your area here on SB, and hopefully they too can guide you on your journey.

direct link to the book: Welcome to UDM Aquatic Services