Learn to dive in Australia or Fiji or Thailand?

[davidshap7]

Hi guys,

I want to get certified to dive, and I'm in the lucky position of getting to choose whether I want to do it on the Great Barrier Reef, Fiji, or Thailand (or another even place in the that geographic area). Does any one have a recommendation for where to do it, based on how good the location is for seeing stuff, or if one spot is just somehow a better place to learn based on stuff that a non-diver like myself wouldn't realize?

Thanks a lot!

 

[Blackwood]

I'd recommend learning to dive in the area where you will most often dive.

 

[davidshap7]

I live in NY and am only in this part of the world (Sydney) for another month or so, but I need to learn to dive now. I will probably do most of my future diving in the Caribbean.

Does anyone know if one of these places is similar to the Caribbean? I'm kind of leaning towards learning in Australia (Carins) and then doing some diving in the other places as a certified diver? Please let me know what you think of this plan.

 

[Blackwood]

Think you'll dive much in New York? If so, doing your initial training in cold water may serve you well. Fiji is probably caribbean-esque. Warm and clear water.

 

[davidshap7]

I found a dive school in Cairns that sounds good (Deep Sea Divers Den), so I might to that unless I find a good school in Fiji. I would still go to Fiji though and dive there, and probably Thailand too or maybe a different Asian country.

Is there much to see in NY? I guess I would dive there if there is, since I live there.

 

[boulderjohn]

As would be true anywhere, check out the quality of the instruction first. I am sure you can get excellent instruction in any of those places. On the other hand, I witnessed the most horrible instruction ever in Fiji when I was there.

All those places are pretty similar to what you will experience in the Caribbean.

If you decide to dive locally in New York afterward, take some classes to learn about cold water diving--it's a very different (but still wonderful) world requiring different skills.

 

[davidshap7]

Thanks for the advice guys.

 

[Kris69]

Hi,

Took my OW class in Egypt and I'm really happy I didnt start diving in Norway where it is dark, cold and horrible viz. Had lots of shallow dives in Norway just after my course in Egypt and liked it. It was different and I think the poor visibilit was the major difference. Cold water didnt make so much of a difference. Dont know how it is in NY but if you want to get certified somewhere warmer just go for it!

Dived with a wetsuit in the beginning and its no problem to dive with a 7mm wetsuit in 6 degrees C water. The problem is the SI when diving with a wetsuit. You need someplace warm for your SI or just avoid multiple dives in one day. After approx 25 dives I bought I neoprene drysuit. Had no problems getting used to the drysuit because I already had some dives in the wetsuit and I dove with the local diveclub here in Oslo.

My advice would be to find the local diveclub in NY and get some pointers from them. Find someone who can tell you what you need to look out for with a drysuit. It is very easy. Most diveclubs are very helpful towards new divers. Take it easy in the beginning. I did not feel the need for a drysuit course or coldwater course. If the air temperature is below freezing, be careful about breathing in the regulator on the surface without dipping it in the sea first. Just let your buddy know that you are new to diving and the divesite. You should of course get a cold water reg.

Take care,

Kristian