Shouldn't be about the agency right? 
Get Certified, NAUI or PADI
- Thread starter VABeach
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Wow!! What a great fourum. You guys are awsome! Thank you for all of the responces. If it doesn't really matter which one, I think I did find a dive shop that I was happy with. They have their own pool and offer free maintance programs. You can use their pool as much as you want to for free (including rental gear) for brush up purposes. They will also give you the "refresher class" for free if you are getting ready to dive and haven't for a while. I was just torn between that one and going to the Y.
I can swim ok under water, but not as well on top of water. I can tread water well also. I grew up around the water and am comfortable in it, but would like to be a better swimmer. Should I take swim lessons first?
I can swim ok under water, but not as well on top of water. I can tread water well also. I grew up around the water and am comfortable in it, but would like to be a better swimmer. Should I take swim lessons first?
Being a good swimner isn't necessary in order to be a good diver. But it sure can't hurt right? If you'd enjoy taking swimning lessons then have fun
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Well, there is a surface swim challenge in training, I think. And surface swims certainly happen with Scuba - on shore dives, or when you surface away from the boat. Wouldn't hurt.
Your dive shop sounds great. Please don't insult them by buying online then asking them for help with that gear. If you're tempted to buy online, print out the offer, take it to them, and ask them to comment. It's worth it to pay some more to a good local dives shop (LDS).:14:
1_T_Submariner
Contributor
Hey VABeach....The instructor is what really matter I think. Their TLA or ETLA really don't matter that much from what I have seen.
ETLA = Extended Three Letter Acronym
ETLA = Extended Three Letter Acronym
Hi... Welcome to SB...
I would say... get certified... That's it... It doesn't matter which agency you choose... You will learn how to dive and sufrace alive. The rest is up to you, and what you want to make of it. Certainly a good instructor helps you get started, but you as the diver are the one who makes it what it is. So pick an agency and get going... If there's a closer shop to you, or maybe a less expensive course... for the basic OW cert, I don't think it makes that much of a difference. Get in the water and have fun!
I would say... get certified... That's it... It doesn't matter which agency you choose... You will learn how to dive and sufrace alive. The rest is up to you, and what you want to make of it. Certainly a good instructor helps you get started, but you as the diver are the one who makes it what it is. So pick an agency and get going... If there's a closer shop to you, or maybe a less expensive course... for the basic OW cert, I don't think it makes that much of a difference. Get in the water and have fun!
jj_freelord
Guest
Hi, Jenny/VABeach. I too am addicted to the ocean though I don't get to spend much time diving. I was pretty much afraid of it until a friend decided I would enjoy it because I swam so much. That was 3 years ago. I'm PADI certified (it was a gift). It's unusual but I ended up with 3 instructors and each one of them were great. Whether you choose NAUI or PADI, the instructor is important and I'm sure the more, ahem, senior divers might even help you find a good instructor from your area. But even more important, it's how you approach the certification. If you are serious about learning you will get more from your instruction than what's required to get certified.
But it sounds like you're off to a good start. Happy diving.
might even help you find a good instructor from your area. But even more important, it's how you approach the certification. If you are serious about learning you will get more from your instruction than what's required to get certified.But it sounds like you're off to a good start. Happy diving.
Scuba Brad
Guest
I too used Padi. I love to learn and have continued to add more certification levels. As look as you care and accept learning more as a challenge you should be ok with whatever agency you use.
Happy Diving
Happy Diving
Thank you so much for the responces. You guys are awsome!
Just out of curriousity, is there somewhere to go and look to find who is a good instructor and who isn't? The dive shop that I'm interested in came HIGHLY RECOMMENDED by several people, then one person told me they had "unsafe equipment". After the reading I have done, I want to take this very seriously and make the right choice. (I care a lot about my health and saftey.) Is there a method of research available?
Thank you agian for all of the helpful info.
Just out of curriousity, is there somewhere to go and look to find who is a good instructor and who isn't? The dive shop that I'm interested in came HIGHLY RECOMMENDED by several people, then one person told me they had "unsafe equipment". After the reading I have done, I want to take this very seriously and make the right choice. (I care a lot about my health and saftey.) Is there a method of research available?
Thank you agian for all of the helpful info.
scubabear6
Contributor
Welcome I have to vote with the it's the instucter not the agency group. I'm both PADI & NAUI certified not much difference with either. It's how well the instucter can teach and how much you wanna learn.
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