Where Would You Take First Dive?

[Aigtbootbp]

Cozumel, yeah baby!

 

[yarik83]

Flight from Tampa to Ft. Lauterdale then connect flight to Cancun then 1 hour ride to Playa del Carmen then 40 minute boat ride to Cozumel then a trip to Casa Del Mar. Place that we dove was literally 50 yards from hotel called Del Mar Aquatics. Dove with Nitrox so extra money there. Most of dives were the usual 80ft for first dive 45 for 2nd. We dove on most dive sites. Our group also went out for that 125 feet deep punta sur. I chickened out and ended up having a better dive than they did.

Total bill for entire dive trip was $1400 8 days.
Day 1-travel
Day 2,3,4,5,6 dive days
Day 7 trip to Tulum
Day 8 -travel

Food ran into 200 dollars, trip to Tulum cost 37 including boat, park entrance and taxi fare to and from.

We had 12 people in our group. 9 had gear, 1 was bubble watcher/snorkler and 2 had to rent gear... all of it.. $85 dollars per day on top of what they paid for the trip.

I guess it all depends on when you book, when you travel, how you travel, whether you travel alone or with group, what you do there, how you get around et cetera. I visit cozumel on a yearly basis mostly on a cruise ship but when I actually go there to stay it always costs me 1200-1400 in June or in December.

 

[nielsent]

I agree with the local conditions diving for the OW course as well. I did my first dives up here in the PNW in Vancouver, Canada. It was March, snowing and 45ºF above water and 38º below water, and the dive con accidentally OVER over weighted me, (66lbs). I was neurtally bouyant with a full BCD We were down for 35 mintues, there was 2 feet of visibility and the instructors had to hold us to make sure they didn't lose us. When I came back up and stepped onto terra firma the J-valve on my tank failed, my gauge read 400psi, but i wasn't getting any air.

I LOVED every second of it, and I figured if that's what diving was like when things weren't ideal, then anything else should be easy.

Training in more difficult conditions that what you will normally be facing with competent instructors provides you with the opportunity to gain a high comfort and confidence level that will definitely be of service to you in clam tropical conditions.

 

[rk288]

I agree with the home turf approach. I'm in the Buffalo, NY area. Did my OW in a local Quarry (30 ft deep mud puddle) then a nav course and the Niagara River drift dive (major thrill ride when the current's up!!!). Home turf conditions up here are tough...cold, muddy, etc...then I went to St Croix in the USVI for a PADI AOW and some ocean diving...like night and day...paradise...

 

[cdolphin]

...or you could do the elearning thing and the book work and pool dives while you are waiting to go, then take your referral from your local instructor to one of the locations where you will be staying and do your open water dives. That's a common approach.

But there is the lure of certifying now wherever you are and having a fun experience for the rest of the summer. I think if I was going to have the opportunity to dive for two to three months in the Caribbean, I would want to have some experience so I could go on the more advanced drift dives and deep dives and wrecks that may be available to you in your southern locations. The deeper dives offer the opportunity for the bigger critters as well.

 

[tankdula]

It's humbling how little I know. I'll read over this thread a few times just to make sure I absorb all the good advice.

To answer the few questions that were posed:

I split time between AZ & TN. I will likely begin coursework in TN. Both of the schools I've found thus far offer certification (training dives?) through a diving holiday. Is this standard or can one be certified locally, diving in lakes? Since I'll be traveling extensively anyway, I'd rather not pay for a diving holiday to the Keys or CA to complete my training. Also, I can't begin training until late Sept.

As for my specific travel plans, they're quite flexible. Oct-Dec in the Americas is the first leg of a long trip; Jan-Mar is SE Asia. So, I didn't mention any specific cities because I don't have many constraints.

 

[diversteve]

It's humbling how little I know. I'll read over this thread a few times just to make sure I absorb all the good advice.

To answer the few questions that were posed:

I split time between AZ & TN. I will likely begin coursework in TN. Both of the schools I've found thus far offer certification (training dives?) through a diving holiday. Is this standard or can one be certified locally, diving in lakes? Since I'll be traveling extensively anyway, I'd rather not pay for a diving holiday to the Keys or CA to complete my training. Also, I can't begin training until late Sept.

As for my specific travel plans, they're quite flexible. Oct-Dec in the Americas is the first leg of a long trip; Jan-Mar is SE Asia. So, I didn't mention any specific cities because I don't have many constraints.

Near Phoenix you can certify in Lake Pleasant. Most of the diveshops here do that. But it's not warm...neither is SoCal.

You might check into a weekend certification trip to San Carlos (Guaymas) It's not terrifically expensive (dbl. occ.) and will be warm til about mid-October. It's shallow diving and a lot more interesting, typically you'll see Puffers, Cortez Angelfish and Stingrays on about every dive - and likely dive with seals/sea lions at San Pedro Island during/after your checkout dives. It's not always the clearest but that varies - one day it was pretty murky with a lot of particulates in the water, 24 hrs. later I could see the bottom (80') from the surface. El Mar in Mesa runs a bus trip down pretty often. http://www.elmar.com/sancarlos Other local shops carpool.

 

[cdolphin]

It's humbling how little I know. I'll read over this thread a few times just to make sure I absorb all the good advice.

To answer the few questions that were posed:

I split time between AZ & TN. I will likely begin coursework in TN. Both of the schools I've found thus far offer certification (training dives?) through a diving holiday. Is this standard or can one be certified locally, diving in lakes? Since I'll be traveling extensively anyway, I'd rather not pay for a diving holiday to the Keys or CA to complete my training. Also, I can't begin training until late Sept.

As for my specific travel plans, they're quite flexible. Oct-Dec in the Americas is the first leg of a long trip; Jan-Mar is SE Asia. So, I didn't mention any specific cities because I don't have many constraints.

1.) It's humbling how little I know. Always learning, ya know? Diving is one of those pursuits that always offers something new and something for everyone.

2.) You can be certified anywhere you happen to be, probably. Most dive shops offer an "Open Water" course. It should take several ( like 8-15 ) sessions of classroom and pool work. I paid about $300 in 2008, but price shouldn't be your deciding factor. Find a dive instructor you trust and like.
Go to the "New Divers" or the "Basic Scuba Discussion" headings in the forums here and read the sticky posts at the top that talk about choosing an instructor. I can't tell you how much I needed that. Unfortunately I just signed up at my local dive shop. I survived. I got certified. I've made more dives. It will all work out!

3.) I wanna go with you. Sounds like a great life is ahead of you in the near future. Make the most of it!!

 

[Ghanguss]

Deleted miss read the op

 

[JerseyMike]

I have no diving experience and plan to begin Open Water training in the States in late Sept. I hope to obtain a referral as I'll be in Mexico, Central, and South America Oct-Dec.

I don't know what to do with myself. I just want warm calm waters to gain some confidence, my certification, and fuel my excitement about diving. I didn't post this in the Travel Forum, as this isn't a diving holiday. I'm just a novice who thought diving might enhance my existing plans.

To the many experienced divers here, where would you complete your first round of open water dives?

My recommendation would be Bonaire. It is very good for beginner diving.
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