Finally taking the plunge

[Harleynick]

Thank you for all the responses!! Im defiantly going to do the book work and pool training here found a local dive shop close to me that does it all in the same place. I'm thinking cancun or Cozumel for my open water in March. Is it true Cozumel is more for experienced divers was told they do lot of drift diving and that cancun has more calm waters for first timers

 

[diver 86]

Cozumel is fantastic. Did my first dives there. Drift diving is fine, you just go with the flow and they pick you up at the end. I'd do Coz.

Wife did her entire course there. Just get good instructor, not resort course.

 

[scubadiver888]

I was certified in Jamaica but I was there for 2 weeks. I don't think I would want to try everything in the tropics if I only had 1 week. I got really good training but the person I hired wasn't going to train me if I only had 1 week. So it is a good call to do the class and pool work at home. If you don't you'll probably not get good training.

I used to go to the Caribbean to go diving for the first 5 years. Then I found out people went diving locally. So I got my AOW locally. I was so not prepared to dive in cold lakes with low viz. However, once I learned to dive locally going to the Caribbean was such easy diving. I think you might want to see if you can do everything locally. If you do go for finishing your OW in the tropics and want to dive locally, you should consider taking a refresher before diving locally.

In terms of cost, you will find that everything locally will probably be the cheapest. Class and pool local, the rest tropics will cost a bit more. Plus if you want to dive locally, a local refresher will add even more cost.

Another option might be do the class and pool work now. Practice in the pool until local dive season starts then finish the checkout dives locally. This might not be an option with your local dive shop. The current shop I'm at gives this option. Gets people in the pool right away. If they rent, the shop gets rent money until the Spring. If they buy, gets some sale. In either case they get some tank fills.

 

[Slym]

I am new and in the same position as you so my input won't be as experienced as the guys above, but I will be doing my check out dives in Cozumel in April with my LDS. I asked if there were a lot of places for me to dive given I will be probably the least experienced on the trip, they said the morning dives are usually deeper and the 2nd and 3rd dives of the day I should have no problem doing!

I know they are in the business of selling dive trips and equipment, but I don't think they would have misled me. Also given my research of the trip, it seems there will be lots of places for a brand new OW diver to get a bit of diving in

 

[TMHeimer]

Re your cost question--Think I agree that if you do it all locally it's the least expensive way. I'm no expert on total cost if you do a referral (split locations), but I have experienced starting a more advanced course in one place and finishing elsewhere--was more costly.

 

[Littlerayray]

As said above if you do all your training and your open water locally the water will be fresh cold water with cumbersome thick wetsuit or potentially a drysuit that being said once you get used to the cumbersome equipment once you make it down south and she'd a lot of your material go from a 7mm farmer john style wetsuit to a 3 mm or even just a rash guard diving down south will be a breeze

 

[Littlerayray]

Heck you may actually end up enjoying the cold water diving I know I myself love it
And if you only plan on diving while on vacation you will eventually stop diving
It's a use it or lose it sport

 

[Dive Right In Scuba.]

I just want to address the liveaboard issue. I have been on quite a few, and they would all have been the wrong place to do it. I know at least two advertised that they don't even allow it in their programs. Most liveaboards are filled with more experienced divers, and that is how the trips are set up. Many and sometimes ALL the dive sites wold be inappropriate for open water students.

 

[Flutter]

Harleynick,
A lot of really good advise here already. Just a few more comments to add -

Be very up front with the dive shop (boat capt & dive masters) in Cozumel regarding your limited experience level and they will look out for you. The shops get a varied degree of divers experience from dive masters/instructors on holiday and/or bringing dive groups down, to new divers just getting certified with them. The ONLY DISadvantage of not being certified while on holiday, is that the dive shop may assume you are more experienced than you truly are, unless you tell them otherwise. So, don't hesitate to be up front (telling each new dive master you haven't previously dived with your experience level).
And, secondly, Watch & Listen to the more experienced divers in your dive boat - generally you can identify them by their well worn quality gear & their quietly modest style (the loudest divers with all the gadgets aren't always the most experienced). More than once, I have learned interesting facts from such divers on holiday. Also, your lds will most likely have such experienced individuals in it's midst - another good reason to connect with them.

Welcome to diving! Happy Bubbles.

 

[islanddream]

When we got certified we were living in Washington State (eastern side) and didn't want to do training there because I hate cold water. We were on a two week Christmas vacation with family and arranged with a dive shop in Puerto Vallarta (Pacific Ocean) to do our classroom learning (this was before e-learning) and check out dives there. There was no pool work because there was no pool so all of our work was in the ocean. Since we knew we'd never go diving in WA, Mexico was a good place for us to certify. As I recall, the whole process took four days. A few years later we got our AOW in Cancun (by then we'd moving to AZ). Several years ago we did e-learning and got our Nitrox certification in AZ. There was about a three hour classroom session and no check out dives. We've never felt uncomfortable not certifying where we lived locally and have done a fair amount of diving in the tropics. Now that we live in Florida, we can dive, dive, dive.

We love Cozumel and have been diving there for years. Some of our earliest dives were there. Yes, the currents can be swift at times, but there are plenty of sites for new divers to feel comfortable. I would suggest, however, to hire a private DM for your first boat dives. That way you will have all the attention given to you, and the person will be able to help you get comfortable in the Cozumel waters. In Coz, there is supposed be one DM for every eight divers when the diving takes place in the marine park (which most of it does). So it'd be nice not to have to share a DM with the rest of the boat. There are many great dive shops in Coz. If you go to the Cozumel forum, you'll find tons of information to help you choose the right shop.

Welcome to the wonderful world of diving!