Is this what I should usually expect? (long, advice requested)

[PeterNBiddle]

While I really did think this was cool and had fun, I actually had a much better time kayaking to a coral reef and snorkeling at my leisure. I saw more critters and worried a whole lot less.

Comments, advice?

I snorkled for over 30 years before finally doing scuba and I still love it. On dive trips I routinely scuba in the afternoon. And my first few dives were a bit wretched - sucked down gas like a Hoover, couldn't get my buoyancy right, leaky mask, etc. But at some point in my first 10 or so dives it all came together and it was just splendid.

It's a new set of skills. Like any complex activity it will take awhile for the tasks you need to perform well to become natural enough that the joy and beauty come to the forefront.

 

[WarrenZ]

I was on a dive trip last year when I was asked by another diver from our group "How I avoided getting run over by a certain pair of divers?" My answer was "Other than staying deep the only thing I could do was run the other way when I saw one of them the other was never far behind".

Until I was asked about this I thought I was doing something wrong as I seemed to always be in the way of someone on the dive. her response was "You were the only one besides the divemaster who hadn't run her over."

It will get better if you learn from these experiences but even the bad dives can be fun too.

 

[TMHeimer]

I snorkled for over 30 years before finally doing scuba and I still love it. On dive trips I routinely scuba in the afternoon. And my first few dives were a bit wretched - sucked down gas like a Hoover, couldn't get my buoyancy right, leaky mask, etc. But at some point in my first 10 or so dives it all came together and it was just splendid.

It's a new set of skills. Like any complex activity it will take awhile for the tasks you need to perform well to become natural enough that the joy and beauty come to the forefront.

Yeah, sounds somewhat like me....decades of snorkeling then OW certified. Not to steal from another thread, but certified doing a lot of the skills on the bottom. Then a very few dives and it all comes together really quite smooth. Not rocket science, is it?


tursipos, I noticed on your Adventure Diver list was not "Nitrox Adventure Dive". I did that in 2006 as one of my 5--does that mean my instructor was mistaken and my AOW is now void.....!

 

[TheBigE]

Interesting read, especially since I have just returned from a Holiday with family where I did some Scuba Diving on the side. My Diving history is a bit different, but I can say I felt the same way before...and most recently on this latest vacation. I started Diving in the Red Sea at a Resort - I earned by Scuba Diver Certification during my holiday at the resort and was very happy. The training was very good, diving was excellent and frankly it was just on whim that I decided to take the plunge. The following year, I decided to stay as Scuba Diver and just go on some casual diving in Thailand during our Holiday. Again just three dives. Overall I was impressed with the resort dive shop, instruction, and administration. I had 3 more dives for a total of 6 in my logbook. As you can see a very Recreational Diver in every sense of the word.

This year on Holiday in Mauritius I decided, before our trip, that I wanted to go and finish up my OW certification. Before the trip I purchased a Wetsuit, a Mask and a Dive Computer. I contacted the Dive Shop on the resort well before my visit to let them know my intentions and received good response. Overall, I was excited heading into this year's winter vacation. My experience was not as optimal as previous trips, mainly from the Administrative side of things. In the past I was used to a much more proactive approach by the dive shop on the resort - schedule dives, deeper discussion of plans, etc. This time, they ran on a much different schedule than other dive shops. As a note this was the same company as I used in Thailand. In all fairness too, there were other complication during the week with weather and that made things very challenging on the dive shop.

Without going into all the details I really felt that I was the only one pushing my training. I felt like I was doing the job of the dive shop. I was frustrated. I decided to sit down with the head diver and discuss the situation and gave him some honest feedback. It was a good discussion and I was able to see things from his point of view and realize the other items in which he was dealing with in this case...dealing with people on vacation who dive occasionally adds an entire additional level of complexity to the situation. Not to mention the 2.5 days they lost due to the weather. We agreed on a plan and were able to move forward.

In short I was able to finish my OW Cert, and do not feel that my training was compromised. If I was to due all my OW Cert at this place, I think I would have been disappointed. I did learn that all Dive Shops/Resorts are not created equal. I have had 3 experiences with different dive shops so far and they have varied in many levels of service, administration and equipment. Even research before hand may not prevent a bad experience. I can only say that the the only one who really cares about your training, experience and enjoyment is YOU.

Equipment wise going forward. I would recommend purchasing your own equipment and knowing it backwards and forwards. This really is true for a Dive Computer. I saw this for the first time this year, having a few items that were my own really made a difference and helped in this situation. Even though I may only dive once a year, I really think that having my own equipment is beneficial. Right now I am really looking at my next purchase to be a BCD.

So to answer the OP original question (and prevent hijacking this thread on my own), I would not expect this is a normal experience but mileage does vary from dive shop to dive shop. Review post here on SB and see what shops other recommends. Good luck

 

[casts_by_fly]

Yeah, sounds somewhat like me....decades of snorkeling then OW certified. Not to steal from another thread, but certified doing a lot of the skills on the bottom. Then a very few dives and it all comes together really quite smooth. Not rocket science, is it?


tursipos, I noticed on your Adventure Diver list was not "Nitrox Adventure Dive". I did that in 2006 as one of my 5--does that mean my instructor was mistaken and my AOW is now void.....!

Enriched Air Adventure Dive. Middle of the list.

thanks,
rick

 

[TMHeimer]

Enriched Air Adventure Dive. Middle of the list.

thanks,
rick

Missed it. Thanks.

 

[admikar]

Enriched Air Adventure Dive

tursipos, I noticed on your Adventure Diver list was not "Nitrox Adventure Dive". I did that in 2006 as one of my 5--does that mean my instructor was mistaken and my AOW is now void.....!

You're still good!

 

[Token]

Is it normal to feel this rushed/hurried for your first few dives because you're thinking so much about everything? ... I would really like to have one dive where I just fall in love with the sport before I start spending thousands of dollars on it, but I don't know if that's going to happen if diving is always like this. While I really did think this was cool and had fun, I actually had a much better time kayaking to a coral reef and snorkeling at my leisure. I saw more critters and worried a whole lot less.

I'm not that far from my own first dives, and I can relate to a lot that you mention. Cattle boat dive ops concentrate on getting lots of relatively unskilled divers into and out of the water with a minimum of specialized care, and they often skimp on quality equipment as well. The fact that you did your dives in a place where there were language problems and problems with documentation and training materials didn't help. One of the problems we landlocked holiday divers face is that we have very little opportunity to just throw on our gear and puddle around in the water getting used to our gear. Also, we frequently lack patient, experienced dive pals who are willing to do these casual sort of dives with us.

What I found helped me most was finding a dive op that understood my desire to increase my knowledge and skills and was willing to work with me. The expense of a private DM isn't really necessary [not the worst idea tho'] but a dive where the DM understands you want to take things slowly is very helpful. Good communication with the dive op and crew is the key. For Eg. don't be afraid to say that you want to set up your gear under supervision. My first dozen dives [a year or more after OW checkout dives] were 'valet dives' where the boat crew handled everything. Sounds nice, but after I realized I still felt very uncertain about putting everything together, I made a point of doing the setup myself.

Smaller dive ops are usually more flexible and approachable. Shop around and talk to dive operators before you lay your money down. Some ops are in it for the money and it's 'just a job' for them...they offer quantity over quality. Find ops that clearly still have some passion and find excitement for diving...it doesn't take much talking to figure that one out.

Having your own gear is a good idea, but you can start small. Aside from basic snorkelling gear, having your
own familiar, properly fitting BCD is most helpful. You can get along with a rental reg set and wetsuit early on so those can wait until you're sure you want to continue diving. You should be able to get a decent price for a lightly used BCD if it comes to that. More and more dive ops are supplying divers with computers gratis for their dives...just make sure you get a good briefing on their use. Don't be shy about asking!

It may take a bit of time and commitment to reach the point where diving is a magical experience [ I still haven't quite had one of those fabulous magazine cover dives...], but you'll make it with a bit of determination. I find the best experiences are the ones that start out being a bit demanding...so good luck finding your way.

 

[tarponchik]

Is there a better way to do this, like renting gear and renting my own boat so I have control of the timing? Or hiring a DM for a private dive so I don't feel like I'm holding people up? (Sounds expensive.) I didn't want to jump right into buying all of my own gear since I can barely tell if I like scuba enough to keep going with it, but that seems like one way to help with the (minor) complications of figuring out the rental gear. That's such a big commitment, though! I would really like to have one dive where I just fall in love with the sport before I start spending thousands of dollars on it, but I don't know if that's going to happen if diving is always like this. While I really did think this was cool and had fun, I actually had a much better time kayaking to a coral reef and snorkeling at my leisure. I saw more critters and worried a whole lot less.
Comments, advice?

The better way is shore diving. You can't do this everywhere, but when you do you decide where, when and how you dive. And it is less expensive than boat diving.

 

[OrangeCountyScuba]

As an instructor I really appreciate when students/customers ask a ton of questions. I am apart of a small diving op, myself and another instructor that just happens to be very busy, but we always make time to hang out with students or potential customers. I can only speak for myself, but most of the time when I am teaching I am a bit bored. I know that sounds harsh but lets be honest, taking students out to the same location every time to do cert dives is a bit redundant. However, what really makes it worth while for me, is the reactions I get from my students, I love it when they have a sh*t eating grin on their face after their dives.
Good advice to go find a SMALL dive outfit or maybe even some divers in the area with more experience that can help you out with any questions you have. Any shop that has FULL TIME instructors on staff is usually an indication of a healthy shop and more than likely friendly instructors willing to take the time. I know you mentioned that you dont have a chance to get in the water much since you are land locked, but if there is an aquatics center near by, I would ask them if you could practice your basic skills.
DISCLAIMER: Do not do any skills without supervision by either a professional diver or a highly experienced buddy. This is assuming that you are already certified as well, you may not and should not have someone supervising you that is not a professional if you are not certified. The reason is if something were to happen that person with you may be liable for your accident possibly and thats not cool.
Also dont underestimate doing dry runs for practice as well. Set up your gear do all your checks or if you dont have your own gear or access to it, study the steps so they become second nature. In scuba something can change in literally a second and if you have honed your safety skills then you will just react and not have to think, making you a damn good buddy!!