How the heck do I get started?

[Heatherly30]

My husband and I have been blessed to earn a trip with his company the past two years. First to Punta Cana where we snorkeled, and this past year to St. Thomas where we snuba'd. We loved both of them so much that we want to get scuba certified so that we can dive when we're in Cancun with the company next year. So, how do we go about this?

I am finding that this is an extremely expensive sport. As a former teacher, I believe in class training is probably the best, but for the $$ can we go with online training?

So after we do our book work, we have in water training. How long does that take? Is that usually an additional cost?

And then a certification dive? So we can do this locally, or when we're in Cancun? What will we need to plan on for that? How long will it take? One day, several days? Being a business trip, should we plan to do this here locally (Cincinnati area)?

Is it safe to say that it is going to cost around $500/per person to get this done? If we don't start classes until after the New Year, will we be certified in time to dive in April?

What will this certification allow us to do? Quite honestly, we don't even know the full spectrum of scuba diving, but will this allow us to see some great things under water?

Any advice, tips, suggestions, referrals to local instructors, etc would be great! I want to do my homework early, so fill me in!

Heather

 

[David P]

Many agencies offer online classes, I don't think they really reduce the price though. You still have to get with the instructor and take a test. You still need to get with the instructor for pool time, as well as open water time.

Time depends on you the student and how the dive shop runs the class. 2 weekend classes seem quite common. One weekend for classwork and pool sessions. The second weekend is for open water. As far as I know all agencies require 2 days of open water diving to get certified

Some people will tell you to do a "referral" do the class and pool at home and then do the open water on vacation. I am against this as when you are on vacation, why do dives where you kneel on the bottom, remove your mask, and other skills, and follow around an instructor. Get it all done at home that way when you are on vacation, you do the dive you want to do.

I used to work at a shop. I would tell the customers that the class was $500 (gear rental, books, class, pool, open water) extras was personal gear (mask, fins, snorkle, booties, gloves) air fills during open water, and food during open water (weekend on island) I said that you can go cheap on the gear, but for good quality gear, expect to pay ~ $1000 to get certified.
500 class
175 split fins
100 frameless mask
30 gloves
30 booties
30 snorkel
extra goodies....

 

[911Diver]

I cant speak for Cinci, but it is safe to say that the two of you can get this done for around $500pp. It is also safe to say that both of you could be certified by April if you start after the New Year.

Google Search for 'Scuba Certification, Cinci OH'
scuba certification cincinnati, oh - Google Search

Contact individual shops and see what you get from them. You will also probably get a couple ideas from this board as well.

You can do this online as well, I am not familiar with that though...

Good luck and welcome!

 

[don Francisco]

Heather-

How the heck do you get started? Just jump in like the rest of us. (couldn't resist the straight line)

You can do an online course, but as a teacher I'm sure you know that there is no substitute for a good instructor, and hands on experience. Since you're going to Cancun, I suggest a referral course, wherein you do your pool and class work in Ohio, and then do the 4 open water certifiaction dives in Cancun, or if you can swap your lodging, Cozumel.

This gives you the best of 2 worlds. The richer course you'll get in the US, and the ease and comfort of diving in the warm, clear Caribbean, not to mention the scenery.

The cost of referral courses is usually slightly more than doing a standard course up north, but when you assign a value to the 4 warm water dives, it's a relative bargain. If later on you decide to be a cold water diver, it'll be relatively easy to add those additional skills onto a layer of basic dive skills, when you get back home.

Whatever you decide, spend time interviewing instructors, as you would any prospective teacher, as to their teaching methods and philosophy, and also what your TOTAL cost would be for various options, and what is provided for that fee. dF

 

[SkipperJohn]

I too am just starting out. A few weeks ago I was all signed up for the classes. Bought the package (cost just under $400) and started reading the book (told to come in once I completed chapter 4). Then due to several other factors my course changed to use the online study. This costs $160 and you link to it from your LDS so they get the status reports as you progress.
I was skeptical but I have to say the online course is top notch. Very very flexible, lots of explanations and videos, frequent quizzes to check your progress and you proceed at your own pace. I flew through as I had just finished the book. Finished in 3 days. At the end is a final exam. 75 is passing with 50 questions. I got 1 wrong (2, but one was because I was bleary-eyed and clicked the wrong button).
Sceptical at first, I highly recommend the online training through PADI. (and as a computer professional in this industry for 35 years I want to say again how superb the software is).

Much of what the others posted I am doing. I just got off the phone with my dive instructor. He is checking his pool calendar. One day next week I should complete the CW training and will have a referral for my trip to Aruba. Use the PADI site to find dive shops Cancun. Ask the folks here if they know of the shops you find and have any feedback (the help you get here is priceless). Then talk to your local shop about the referral.
It turns out that the shop I chose form my e-mails and feedback here is the one my local dive hop recommended!
You will probably need your own snorkel, fins and mask at a minimum. Your local shop and the one you chose in Cancun should be able to furnish everything else. If you change your mind, owning a snorkel fins and mask is not expensive and fun as you will most likely use it for snorkeling. I already had this stuff but since bought a wetsuit & log book and am having a ball getting ready to buy much of the other stuff (divers have such neat toys!). But for the BCD & regulator I will wait until after I return form Aruba.
Good luck!
By the way, you and your husband are lucky you have each other... I am doing this alone as my GF is terrified of water. I have to tell you I envy you guys who have a partner in this.

 

[JillGadget]

Our local dive shop has coupons during the winter months for 50% off class costs. It's the slow time so I guess they figure less money is more money.

Just a thought!

 

[Walter]

How the heck do I get started?

That all depends on what you want to accomplish.

If you just want a c-card, call around and ask prices, sign up at the cheapest, fastest class.

If, on the other hand, you want a top notch class, you'll need to start with a little research.

Take your time to research and find the best instructor in your area. Next, take time to complete the course. A good course will last several weeks. Don't rush this, it's something you can spend the rest of your life enjoying.

How do I find an above average course and how will I know I've found it?

Interview potential instructors. Most people never ask any questions beyond price. As the old saying goes, "You get what you pay for." Excellent instructors will usually have a higher priced class for a number of reasons. The instructor is dedicated toward providing you all the time you need to master necessary knowledge and skills. Extra pool time can be expensive. Keep in mind; the instructor is trying to make a living. His time is valuable.

Consider alternatives. While many instructors teach through dive shops, some of the best are independent instructors or affiliated with colleges, universities or YMCA's.

Questions to ask the instructors:

How long have you been teaching? Most instructors improve over time. They learn new techniques and get ideas from other instructors and through experience to improve their classes.

Do you certify all your students? Only instructors who are in a hurry and care nothing about your safety will answer yes. You want an instructor who will require you to be safe and knowledgeable before issuing a c-card. An excellent instructor might tell you that he is willing to keep working with a student until the student either qualifies or gives up.

What skin diving skills will I learn? While there is some disagreement on this point, many professionals believe a solid foundation in skin diving will not only make you a better SCUBA diver, it will make learning SCUBA easier.

Will I learn confidence-building skills? There are some skills which have no direct application to a typical dive, but which do build your confidence as well as your abilities. This, combined with an understanding of the panic cycle, will make you much less likely to panic.

Do you teach the panic cycle? Panic is the most dangerous aspect of diving. Many instructors do not understand panic and believe there is no way to combat it. In actuality, panic is understood. It is though learning the panic cycle and by increasing skill levels that panic is avoided.

Do your students swim with their hands? This will let you know if the instructor pays attention to details. Good divers do not use their hands for swimming.

Do you work on trim? Divers should usually be horizontal in the water. Good instructors will see that students are striving towards good trim. Poor instructors often neglect it.

Do you overweight your students? Many instructors overweight students. It is not a good practice.

What method do you use to correctly weight your students? Any answer that does not involve actually getting in the water means you want to avoid that instructor.

How many people will be in my class? Small classes are better. You'll have more individual attention. Unless the instructor is using certified assistants, more than four students are difficult to watch.

How many certified assistants will you be using? Unless the class is relatively large (more than 4 students) this should not be an issue. An instructor should have a certified Divemaster or Assistant Instructor for every two students over four. There are times when divers working on their Divemaster or Assistant Instructor certifications assist with a class. This is normal and not an issue, but they do not count toward the assistants an instructor should have when working with larger classes.

Will I be learning skills kneeling on the pool bottom or mid-water? This question is not critical, but will let you know if you've found an instructor who has a great deal on the ball. The over whelming majority of instructors (even good instructors) teach skills kneeling on the bottom. Don't eliminate instructors who do. Some instructors have realized your mask will flood while you are swimming, not when you are sitting on the bottom. You need to learn skills in the manner in which you'll be using them.

Do you dive for fun or just when you are teaching? Instructors who've stopped diving for fun are burned out.

Questions to ask yourself:

Is the instructor patient? While talking with your potential instructor, you should be getting a feel for his personality. Patience is an important quality for an instructor. You want to avoid instructors with a drill sergeant demeanor.

Would I be happier learning from a man or a woman? Only you can answer that question, but in general it is not usually a serious consideration. There are excellent instructors and there are poor instructors. Men and women fall into both groups.

 

[sixgears]

Let me throw a little more envy in here, sorry Skip .

My wife and I just finished our classroom and confined water dives (swimming pool). We are also on a referral route to Grand Cayman and will be doing our open water check-out dives there. We went through the "regular" PADI schedule where we met with instructors in a classroom and also got wet that very first time. The weekly classes in a YMCA setting took us 5 weeks to complete. Other dive shops also have their own swimming pool so they might meet multiples times during the week making the classes a bit more convenient and also allows the students to take their time and learn.

I did some searches a few weeks ago for scuba instruction in your neck of the woods and came up with a few that have their own facilities so you should have no shortage of places to choose from.

Good luck and hope to see you in the water soon.

 

[psychocabbage]

A lot of this is all about opinions..

Personally, I have found that buying the gear online after shopping around and making a list of what I want saved me hundreds. LeisurePro.com and Scubatoys.com remain our favorites.

Next, look into the different certification agencies. There are quite a few of them but 3 are the usual SSI, NAUI and PADI.

Each has their loyal following and most will say that it all comes down to the instructor. While I somewhat agree I also do not agree with any agency that will limit my instructor on what they can teach me because of what certification I am wanting to buy.

Good luck with it all! Its a blast!

 

[Pearldiver07]

Heather,

You and your husband can start on line, then finish with a shop - as posted above, you will have to be with an instructor any time you're in the water, and there is no way to skip that in training.

But really, who want's to skip the water part? That's why you're there.

Concerning cost, please don't go "absolutely cheap" but instead try to get the best "bang for your buck." I used to run a shop, and whether we made $500 or $1000, I got paid the same (salary), so I gave (and still give) advice not based on $$$.

A few tips:
- Beware of shops that have prices far below the others in your area. Get details, sort of like asking what the total price of the class is going to be, all of the way through. Rentals, access fees to pools or boats/shore entry points, books, classes, etc. Then compare across the shops to look for glaring omissions.
- About your personal gear: the price difference between masks on the wall of the shop is not great. To save a few bucks at the expense of a bad fit isn't worth it. And don't go to Wal-Mart or other discount shops for this stuff. They sell toys, you won't be happy.
- About the schedule: On line, in the shop, weekend or weekdays, or some combination, get the one that allows you the best amount of time to learn and play in the water. Nothing substitutes for diving time when it comes to learning diving.
- Rental equipment: See if it is all the same type. You don't have to be an expert here. Just look. Now, if you're a size "0" petite, they may have to use a different model to fit you, but it is very confusing if everyone is using different style of gear to learn in. You never know if the instructor's instructions apply to you or not.
- And a big one: See how the shop treats you when you're in there asking. If they're blowing you off now, figure how they're going to treat you once they already have your money.

Much of this can be done on the phone, then just go to the stores that didn't rule themselves out with the basic questions. Most of this is really just one trip through a few shops. But by being selective up front, you'll find you get hooked up with a shop that is a good fit for you.

Let's face it: after your training is done, a scuba shop's only advantage over on-line buying is the service they provide. If good service isn't there, plan on not using them much more.