What is the best environment to learn to dive in?

[--tom--]

I took classes where I would do most of my diving; cold, dark and scary I have to agree with the most posters.

Where I learned to dive was at the same dive sites, but it was the several dives after the certification dives. The 4 class dives were not much more than focusing on doing skills correctly. It was when I was turned loose that I started to learn to dive. (Still learning)Fortunately I had good mentors.

 

[Redhawk]

I loved being in Wales & regret not being able to relocate there (work circumstances), the sailing looks fabulous but I'll bet the diving in South Africa will be a bit nicer!

 

[String]

I've always found the climate very appealing - as Billy Connolly said "There's no such thing as bad weather only the wrong clothes".

Give me 35c and sunshine over 1c, torrential rain, wind and darkness for 300+ days of the year. Nothing more depressing than knowing that for 8 days out of 10 its going to be grey, cold, wind and usually drizzle. We dont even get seasons, all that changes is the temperature of the drizzle.

Cesspit? Dunno about that, I've dived a couple under the guise of inland dive sites I'm pretty sure of that,

Im thinking more of above the water. The UK in general, the filthy streets, run down areas, massive % of chav population and so on.

you're in South Wales, String - it's stunning round there! Bet the diving is good....

Nothing stunning unless you like looking at things through drizzle while getting wet.

Maybe the 1-2 days a year its not raining it looks OK but on the other hand ive been to and lived in many other places that have far better scenery and nowhere near as dismal a climate.

 

[halocline]

Most people are going to say "Learn in the conditions where you live" even if it's cold water, which I agree with in principle, but I probably disagree on how you should get there.

IMO, with decades of experience teaching complex skill activities, I think your initial training in diving should be in the easiest conditions possible. This mirrors how any other skill activity is taught, whether its music (what I teach) or sports like gymnastics. You always start with the easiest environment and build confidence with the basics, which then allows you to train in a more difficult scenario.

So, I'd say take OW in the caribbean, maybe a place like Roatan or Bonaire, then do a few dozen nice easy warm water reef dives. When you are comfortable with that, you can train, maybe take AOW and do some dives with mentors, in the more demanding dive conditions of cold water.

Starting the training of any skill activity, especially one that has an element of risk and some potential fear, in a demanding environment just doesn't make sense in terms of general learning principles.

I would argue that the majority of people posting here on SB are exceptions to the rule as far as beginning students' abilities to tolerate (and enjoy) learning in difficult conditions. I would venture a guess that this practice is a contributing factor to the statistic that only about 10% of certified divers continue diving regularly.

Now, it's true that my plan means additional training, which some people are not going to go for. But those that do will be likely to have had a more enjoyable and confidence building experience with their dive training.

 

[offthewall1]

We like to joke about how learning to dive in the North East US readies you for diving anywhere in the world. The thing is, it's really not a joke.

North East US divers learn to dive in some of the harshest conditions you'll encounter anywhere. Be they the limited vis and cold water of the local quarries to conducting deep and wreck certification dives in limited vis, cold water with 4 - 6 foot seas off the coast... sometimes rougher than that. Add the occassional swift currents and you've got the makings of some fairly hardcore training.

We say "If you learn to dive here, you can dive anywhere." There is a lot of truth to that statement. Why? Because it only gets easier from here.

Warm water divers routinely fail the farther north they go. Sometimes it's physical failure... but more often it is mental failure. They are ill prepared for the rigors of North Eastern diving. They get cold, can't see and give up.

When you learn to dive here then go south... it's like going to heaven. When you learn in heaven and go north... it's like a visit to a cold hell.

With all that said... if you know you will absolutely never come north to dive... or dive in cold water anywhere on vacation... then why bother. If you want to be a true explorer... then at some point you'll dive cold and blind... and for that, you'll need to prepare yourself properly.

Whatever you choose... choose to be safe and dive within your training... Happy Diving!

 

[DiverBizz]

I would suggest to learn to dive in the conditions that you dive for the most part. I understand we all take vacations (or at least want to) to places all over the world, but learning in your area or where you will be diving would be my suggestion. That is what I did.

 

[Jrock1062]

best place to learn is in water

 

[DiverBizz]

hmmm, good point jrock1062. In the water, yep your right.

 

[offthewall1]

hmmm, good point jrock1062. In the water, yep your right.

Places water can be found: Diveable noted with a *

Toilet
Sink
Tub
Puddle
Bucket
Glass
Jacuzzi
Pool*
Lake*
Pond*
River*
Creek*
Gut*
Canal*
Quarry*
Harbor*
Bay*
Sea*
Estuary*
Ocean*

Anything I forgot? Please Help

 

[Jrock1062]

Places water can be found: Diveable noted with a *

Toilet
Sink
Tub
Puddle
Bucket
Glass
Jacuzzi
Pool*
Lake*
Pond*
River*
Creek*
Gut*
Canal*
Quarry*
Harbor*
Bay*
Sea*
Estuary*
Ocean*

Anything I forgot? Please Help

nope perfect but if the bucket is big enough

the toiet never