What to expect during OW dive for PADI course?

[msanta]

I am taking the PADI diving course and would like to know exactly how the dives will be conducted, what the instructors will make me do, how safe will it be in case of emergency and most of all how long will you be underwater. They said we will be doing two dives per day, we are five in the class with two instructors. I don't know if the instructors go down with us, if everyone goes underwater at the same time..Can anyone give some details so that I don't look like an idiot asking so many questions! I feel kind of unconfortable because thre of the students are firemen looking to become rescue divers and the other student has done dives of 100 feet already(don't know if it is true or not). I am 45 yrs old, in good shape, don't smoke, and want to do the right things while underwater. thanks for your comments!

 

[diveaussie]

Hey there,

Congratulations on wanting to take the first step in what will be an amazing adventure to come! I work for PADI, you can email our training department on traindep@padi.com.au for all the answers you are looking for in regards to your initial training and standards! Enjoy!

 

[alcina]

First, you shouldn't feel uncomfortable asking questions of your instructors! They are there to help and SHOULD have already explained this to you in the classroom & pool sessions.

Second, have a look in your PADI Open Water Manual. At the end of each module (chapter) there is a complete list of the things that you will do in each water session - both confined and open.

Third, yes, your instructor WILL be with you for all dives. Safety will be of utmost importance to your instructors and they will do everything they can to ensure smooth diving and they will have oxygen, first aid, communications equipment etc in place in case there are any problems.

Fourth, duration of dives. This will vary wildly from one location to another. Ask your instructors what to expect from your particular course. The dive plan should be discussed before the day so you will have a general idea of what to expect and a more detailed briefing will happen right before you go under.

Fifth, (I have no idea why I am numbering these!!) you will not be doing anything in the open water that you have not already talked about in class and experienced in water during your confined water sessions.

Sixth, ask questions, relax, enjoy your first dives! They are bound to be exhilirating and you'll be hooked & on the phone making a dive holiday plan after your first day

 

[scubalarry54]

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Welcome to scuba. I am a 50 year old and just began diving a little over three years ago. Several things come to mind related to what you can look for.
1. How many years experience does the instructor have as an instructor.
2. Are they there more to sell equipment or to really to get you interested in diving.


I want with an independent instructor that did smaller groups, and showed a real passion for wanting to teach people about the experiences of diving. I have truly fallen in love with the sport, and have done over 50 dives this year alone. It is therapy for me to get in the water on the weekend and hear nothing but my bubbles for an hour after a long week of work. I have traveled off the coast of North Carolina, been to the Carribean, and love the Florida Keys. The experiences are more than rewarding, and wish I had gotten my C card years ago. Good luck and go make bubbles.

 

[Mick_O]

One thing that will most certainly be different from your pool dives is the water temperature. It seems a lot of people have problems doing a mask clearing, and remove/replace mask for the first time in open water, since the water is (most likely) much colder. It'll freak some people out to have a bunch of cold water against their face.

Also, be prepared to do your skills at a fairly high pace. Since you'll probably be deeper in open water than in the pool, the instructors may want to be able to do the skills faster than in the pool, while still making sure the students do the skills right.

Of course, this is entirely based on my own OW experiences and this advice is worth exactly what you paid for it...

 

[DandyDon]

It's a lot of fun, msanta. Better answers might be given if you'd complete your Profile including location. (See Quick Links above)

<edit> I found your Intro, and you're in Long Island, NY? I guess you'll check out in a cold quarry. You'll wear a 7 mil suit, I guess, with neop gloves, booties, and beanie, I hope. Buy them if needed. Worth it. You might ask your Instructor if it'd be okay to go for a swim in your suit, without the mask, to adjust to the water temp. That may or may not be a good idea?

2 Instrucotors for 5 students is good. One will lead, the other will follow, so you'll be well coverd in case of problems.

Oh, I was 53 when I certified. I was diving 50 degree F water last May. Neat!

 

[No Fish]

One of the things you will find about diving, is that most everybody gets a bit nervous before every dive. Remember that knowledge overcomes fear. Ask questions, again if you have to and don't feel out of place if you are a bit anxious. You don't have many dives to base any experience on, so try to relax and listen. It helps. In the open water you will be demonstrating what you learned in confined water. All the same stuff, in a different environment. That builds experience, which eventually overcomes the apprehension of the unknown.

Good luck, and remember... have fun.

 

[Mick_O]

One of the things you will find about diving, is that most everybody gets a bit nervous before every dive.

One of my instructors is a navy diver with over 8,000 logged dives (yes, for years, he dove daily, often several times per day), and even he says he gets a little excitable and nervous before every dive. That's GOOD though - it keeps your mind sharp and alert.

Good luck, and remember... have fun.

The single most important advice here. Diving is FUN.

 

[utnapistim]

I am taking the PADI diving course and would like to know exactly how the dives will be conducted, what the instructors will make me do, how safe will it be in case of emergency and most of all how long will you be underwater. They said we will be doing two dives per day, we are five in the class with two instructors. I don't know if the instructors go down with us, if everyone goes underwater at the same time..Can anyone give some details so that I don't look like an idiot asking so many questions!

We had four dives for the OW course. Before each dive we had to read a part(chapter) of the PADI OW book, then had a debriefing of what we were going to do underwater, went over the exercises and their purpose, then went in the water following the instructor (we were three: two students and the instructor), then stoped at about 6m depth and went and sat on the bottom. Then he came to each of us and repeated each exercise, then waited for each in turn to be able to do it.

After each dive we went over the exercises we did once again (how they were, any difficulties, any questions etc) then we went over the quiz in the OW PADI book at the end of the chapter.

I also had lots of time after each dive to ask questions and look around the school at equipment and stuff.

I feel kind of unconfortable because thre of the students are firemen looking to become rescue divers and the other student has done dives of 100 feet already(don't know if it is true or not). I am 45 yrs old, in good shape, don't smoke, and want to do the right things while underwater. thanks for your comments!

Regarding the other student - giong 100 ft under with no certification - I dont see that as an advantage but as highly dangerous. I'd have doubts before going with him for a dive (I'm not sure I understood this correctly - it seems a dangerous thing to do)

And as for doing the right things underwater, try not to do anything stupid (the instructor should tell you what NOT to do); just relax, breath naturally (dont pay too much attention to breathing - that comes in time) and you'll do fine!

 

[shugar]

I am taking the PADI diving course QUOTE]

i cans still remember my OW classes just a year ago... we were just 2 in the class (it was a bit off season being december and all) and my classmate was having problems because she couldn't keep up with me... (i'm incredibly comfortable in water and she gets tense snorkeling... her boyfriend put her up to diving, sheesh)

anyway it's THAT that gave her a harder time learning... don't worry about your classmates, even the firemen... take your time to learn the skills and learn them well, don't get pressured to keep up the pace if they happen to learn faster (understandable because they'd be fitter and most probably younger than you)... your instructor KNOWS how to teach you according to your required pace (unless he's a bumbling idiot in w/c case report his sorry *** to the agency), and will be there to make sure you get your cert the right way and in a manner you are comfortable with

hope you have a great time! just breathe, don't over-study (things will come to you and if they don't you won't drown), relax, have fun, count fish! (i spent about 5 glorious minutes belly-down on the sand bottom watching a patch of anemone with a school of clowns flitting in and out while my instructor handled my classmate... loved the peace and quiet)

Jag