DIR from the start

[UncleJT]

I've been a wanna-bee diver, snorkler only, for a number of years. I went to a PADI instructor a few years ago for my Open Water c-card but had issues with the dive center and trainer and didn't complete. I didn't complete partially due to these politics but to a job move as well. I've now settled down ub a part of the country where I won't be moving around every year or so and thinking seriously of finally becoming certified although I am not very interested in PADI.

I've always been an extremely technical-oriented person and tend to research alot of things to death. I know that once I start diving, my dives will quickly start taking a more technical path vs. a recreational diver. I've worked with reef fish professionally and as a hobby going on 10 years now so I'm not too impressed with typical tourist destinations. I'm sure I will be doing alot of diving in the Florida Keys now that I am living relatively closely to Florida. However, I'd be the type to spend more time at some place like Ginnie Springs instead. I now live only 4.5 hours from Ginnie Springs so I am very excited to start diving here. I've always loved the pics people share with me from here.

With that said, I am trying to figure out how I want to begin my certification path and with which agency. I know agency doesn't mean crap. However, I'd like to find an instructor who will let me learn with MY equipment of choosing. I know with a high level of certainty that I will want a Hogarthian style setup in the future so rather than learn on a traditional BC, I want to buy my own equipment first and learn on MY equipment with the wing. I've been to a few PADI only shops in the past who were completely arrogant and oblivious when I stressed that I wanted to LIR (Learn it Right).

I have been leaning toward NAUI or SDI for my open water so I can start getting into the water and probably move on to GUE. With SDI, I have the advantange of doing the classroom stuff on-line and then going to a dive center for just the in-water work and check out. I completed the PADI classroom stuff 3 years ago, and passed the tests, so the classroom stuff will be the easy part.

Anyone have any suggestions/opinions? Anyone know of any "technical" friendly dive centers/instructors in the Atlanta area?

I always appreciate all input.

Thanks

- JT

 

[WaterDawg]

Finding the right instructor should be your main priority, doing the classroom stuff online should NOT be!! I know NAUI encourages instructors to exceed the standards, and w/ an online class youll get very little of the instructors experiances taught to you.

If you want to move on to take GUE training try and find an instructor that has taken their training, and can do your class in a similar gear config and is knowlegeble about basic procedures out side their agency.

Good luck....remember take no short cuts in training!

 

[UncleJT]

remember take no short cuts in training!

Didn't mean to imply that I was interested in SDI's online classroom as a "short cut". I have already done PADI classroom work and was thinking that, if I went with SDI, I could do the course work online while I found the ideal instructor for the in-water portion of my training.

I am in no way looking to fast track this, that's why I am here and not at some PADI resort down in the Keys getting my c-card over the weekend.

- JT

 

[RonFrank]

I'm sure you will get a number of responses on difference agencies and what not.

My response is about your desire to run out and purchase a BP/W setup before you even done one dive. IMO you have basically made up your mind about a LOT of things before experiencing any of it?

If money is not object, sure run out an purchase an expensive BP/W setup with out even trying one on.. however there are a LOT of options in the way of even BP/Wings, and gear in general. I guess if you are positive you want to go DIR, then there are a lot LESS options.

You should be able to find an instructor (even PADI) that will have no issue with you diving a BP/W during Pool, and CO dives.

Good Luck,

 

[UncleJT]

Ron:

I actually used to own a Halcyon Pioneer wing and liked how it felt compared to a traditional BC. I never had any real dives with it, but it felt good in the pool. Unfortunately, my PADI instructor told me I couldn't use it for any of my training and I became quite disappointed with this dive shop very quickly.

- JT

 

[lamont]

My response is about your desire to run out and purchase a BP/W setup before you even done one dive. IMO you have basically made up your mind about a LOT of things before experiencing any of it?

I made up my mind about a lot of stuff in the few months between my final BOW checkout dive and my first post-BOW dive. My first post-BOW dive was done in a trilam drysuit, BP/W, apeks regs, long hose, etc that I'd purchased between BOW and hopping back in the water again.

No major regrets. The drysuit could have been done better, but I simply didn't have the experience back then to spec out and buy the perfect drysuit. Nothing that I could have really done better, though...

DIR is great for beginning divers, IMO, becuase you skip buying a lot of the junk out there. You don't need some big floppy console, you don't need an AI computer, you don't need to experiment with using an air-2 becuase you think that fewer hoses must be better, etc. You may not understand exactly what you are doing when you are buying equipment and may find out later -- but that's true of any equipment that a brand-new BOW diver purchases...

 

[kidspot]

I agree - all my gear was purchased (though it didn't arrive) before I began BOW - and no regrets over that decision. My instructor said it would be good to learn in what I intended to dive so I would be familiar with it...

Aloha, Tim

I made up my mind about a lot of stuff in the few months between my final BOW checkout dive and my first post-BOW dive. My first post-BOW dive was done in a trilam drysuit, BP/W, apeks regs, long hose, etc that I'd purchased between BOW and hopping back in the water again.

No major regrets. The drysuit could have been done better, but I simply didn't have the experience back then to spec out and buy the perfect drysuit. Nothing that I could have really done better, though...

DIR is great for beginning divers, IMO, becuase you skip buying a lot of the junk out there. You don't need some big floppy console, you don't need an AI computer, you don't need to experiment with using an air-2 becuase you think that fewer hoses must be better, etc. You may not understand exactly what you are doing when you are buying equipment and may find out later -- but that's true of any equipment that a brand-new BOW diver purchases...

 

[Charlie99]

Check out www.gue.com and ask them about their OW certification course. The last I heard, it was supposed to be starting around the end of the year. Hopefully the end of 2005, but it has been delayed a few times.

 

[UncleJT]

A GUE OW course would be awesome, I'd have no qualms about driving 6 hours to Extreme-Exposure in Fla. for the weekend to do something like this.

- JT

 

[jonnythan]

Give them a call!! We'd love to hear the first GUE OW trip report!