Where to do my open water instructor course...

[chloe_blackman]

I've recently returned from Mexico where I spent three months diving every day. Whilst there I even got to lead a few dives and loved every minute of it. I'm now planning another trip where I plan to spend three months diving in the seychelles and then a further three months in thailand doing a dive master internship.

I'm considering then going on to do my open water instructor course as part of the same trip. It would be great if people had any advice on wether this is too rushed to go into my instructor and most of all great locations (not too far from Thailand) where I could do it. The names of recommended dive shops where I can do so would also be awesome as I'm trying to avoid cowboy dive shops!

I've been considering somewhere on the great barrier reef in aussie so the names of tried and tested dive centres there would be great or the Philippines also

 

[fisheater]

I'd want to do my IDC where I intended to teach.

 

[supergaijin]

Solid diving for 3 months at a time definitely increases your exposure to the industry as you can develop relationships with the operators and get a more 'inside' look at the industry. I would consider Sharm el Sheikh for doing a Divemaster course- there were some excellent instructors there when I was in the area.

DM has a steeper learning curve than the Instructor Course. If you receive a solid DM training, you can focus on the IDC. I saw too many gap-year backpacker- orientated DM courses in SE Asia to rate that area as a good place to do DM training, however exceptions always exist. The instructor themselves sometimes have little experience and are merely working off checklists without much meaningful training.

I do recommend SE Asia as an inexpensive place to do the IDC. The IDC is fairly regimented and is quite easy if you have a solid foundation as a DM, with a focus not just on watermanship but physics and physiology etc.

Sharm el Sheikh is normally busy now until September, I think June is a great time for training as the season has begun but staff are not yet exhausted, like they will be in a couple of months. With that in mind, consider diving for the next 12 months and look towards May/June in Sharm in 2014.

Koh Tao Thailand is an inexpensive place to do an IDC and I don't see much difference between this course taken anywhere in the world. Divemaster however is the key. Best of luck.

 

[rivers]

Why not spend some more time diving? Maybe even locally. There is very good diving to be had in the UK, so instead of rushing through courses and travelling around the world to dive, do it locally.

 

[Lorenzoid]

Why not spend some more time diving? Maybe even locally. There is very good diving to be had in the UK, so instead of rushing through courses and travelling around the world to dive, do it locally.

Yeah, who would want to travel around the world to dive in exotic tropical destinations when you can dive in the UK.

 

[ScubaBen1]

Hey Chloe

Was on the same OW course as you, we did the confined dives together! Glad to hear the trip was a success

 

[chloe_blackman]

Hey!!!! Yeah trip was amazing, did my advanced whilst I was out there and got around 60 dives under my belt including night and some cenotes Done many dives since your certification?

 

[ScubaBen1]

Sounds wicked . I snorkeled in a cenote in January, great experience, diving one must be even better! Managed to log 14 dives so far and completed my advanced and PPB specialty so all good. Off to Cyprus tonight so hoping to get my first warm water dive in this week! You should join the shops club if you're back in the uk. They have some good trips and stuff. Looking forward to Plymouth in September

 

[trady]

Hi,

As supergaijin pointed out, Koh Tao is a cool, inexpensive place to do your IDC, and here is one guy that is definitely no cowboy.

Dive-Careers - Dive Careers

You can scroll down the page a bit and see what reviews he got.

Best of luck and enjoy, there is nothing better than being on the road with loads of diving to come! I am envious , just FYI

 

[chloe_blackman]

emailed Rob this morning about having another go at diving here and club membership cost etc been four weeks since i last dived and i'm used to diving most days at least once so it sucks! desperate to get back in the water asap!