diver 85
Contributor
Who wants to dive for a couple weeks(isn't that the time length of the resort course??) having to hold hands(almost) with a DM/&or instructor above ??30 something feet-----it's stupid----IMO.....
Resort Discover Scuba Debate
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H2Andy
Contributor
Damselfish
Contributor
I'd try and talk to her again without the other guy around and lay out her options, pros and cons, in whatever way will be effective and not scare her. It's unclear at this point how interested she really is, does her fiance dive and is she considering it because of that, etc. Maybe you can find out where she is going and offer to help find a good place to do one or the other, to increase her chances of a good experience. I wouldn't push the idea of completing it at home too much, for someone that is nervous and unsure they're probably more likely to be happy starting in warm clear water. They can always try diving at home later if they want.
It's really hard to say for sure whether starting with a resort class or going straight to a full class will be the better bet for someone. It's easy to make arguments for each, and most people probably know of people that have had good and bad experiences in each. A mindless easy dive with pretty fishies can be a good selling point if it goes well, especially if she still has time to then do the whole class.
It's really hard to say for sure whether starting with a resort class or going straight to a full class will be the better bet for someone. It's easy to make arguments for each, and most people probably know of people that have had good and bad experiences in each. A mindless easy dive with pretty fishies can be a good selling point if it goes well, especially if she still has time to then do the whole class.
Aigtbootbp
Contributor
I took the resort course and it convinced me to get certified. I know I wouldn't have even considered certification if I hadn't enjoyed the resort course so much.
I am quite new to scuba but as an experienced participant in other "dangerous" hobbies I have to say just about all the really skilled/experienced folk there love to talk about proper training from serious classes etc. but I bet none of them got started that way, by far the large majority got started by just playing around with little to no official training.
I am quite new to scuba but as an experienced participant in other "dangerous" hobbies I have to say just about all the really skilled/experienced folk there love to talk about proper training from serious classes etc. but I bet none of them got started that way, by far the large majority got started by just playing around with little to no official training.
Sas
Contributor
I think a resort course is fairly safe and a good way to see if one is interested in diving before they fork out the money for an OW course. My first dives were off a private (I think it was, did not seem to be a charter anyway) boat with no instruction and whilst in hindsight I would not have done this knowing what I know now about diving, there are plenty of reputable places where you can do a "Discover Dive" much more safely and I do not regret my experience as it is what got me heavily into diving.
A number of friends and colleages have done Discover Dives (a few in response to me talking up how awesome diving is) as they have not been interested in investing money into an OW course until they see if they like it (Discover dive is $100 versus $600 + mask/fins/boats OW here). Actually this seems to be the way many of the people I know got into diving originally.
The resort courses involve heavy supervision in quite shallow, calm water. They are quite safe but of course, not completely free from danger, but neither is doing an OW course. So I think try to give an unbiased summary of the pros and cons of both and let her make up her own mind. As an adult she should be able to make up her own mind.
A number of friends and colleages have done Discover Dives (a few in response to me talking up how awesome diving is) as they have not been interested in investing money into an OW course until they see if they like it (Discover dive is $100 versus $600 + mask/fins/boats OW here). Actually this seems to be the way many of the people I know got into diving originally.
The resort courses involve heavy supervision in quite shallow, calm water. They are quite safe but of course, not completely free from danger, but neither is doing an OW course. So I think try to give an unbiased summary of the pros and cons of both and let her make up her own mind. As an adult she should be able to make up her own mind.
driftwood
Contributor
Done right, the resort courses are safe. However, I have seen discover divers on regular dive outings. There were two discover divers, eight certified divers and one DM leading the group. Don't know about you, but that seems to be a pretty heavy load to put on the DM. Unfair for the divers who are looking for a guide and unsafe for the discover divers who need supervision.
What I suggested is to buy a hour of pool time at a LDS to work on equalizing your ears and clearing your mask. To me it just seems that there are too many new ideas and skills to learn for a lot of people to be comfortable in a discover scuba program. Problem we have is that not many of them will be posting here.
What I suggested is to buy a hour of pool time at a LDS to work on equalizing your ears and clearing your mask. To me it just seems that there are too many new ideas and skills to learn for a lot of people to be comfortable in a discover scuba program. Problem we have is that not many of them will be posting here.
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Guba
Contributor
I can only weigh in from the perspective of my own experiences. My first scuba contact was through a resort course in Playa del Carmen, and it was pretty typical...Just enough lecture and explanation to understand the basics (when he found out I was a science teacher and well versed in the gas laws, the instructor cut it a little shorter). The pool was closed, so he asked if I was comfortable with doing the first dips in shallow water just off the beach (10 feet or less). We did that, and then did the "main" dives on a shallow reef (about 30 feet). At no time was I out of arm's reach of the instructor, and I felt perfectly safe. However, the main thought that kept reverberating through my skull was, "When I get home, the first think I'm going to do is find a dive shop and get certified!!!"
And that's just what I did. Haven't looked back.
And that's just what I did. Haven't looked back.
Coldwater_Canuck
Contributor
Okay reading the responses these don't seem so bad. Does PADI or whoever mandate a minimum DM to Discover Diver ratio? Because there is a big difference with having a DM beside you watching your shoulder and a DM having a group of 10 students 
I think both arguements make very valid points, but it is all going to boil down to your friends personality, desires, and budget....both options have incredibly impressive safety records, but it is going to depennd on what your friend wants, and whether this is something they want to devote time and money into, if its a passing fancy the resort may fulfill the need, but if they are really interested in DIVING RIGHT IN, then maybe the class is better, but it is going to depend on what they want to get out of it, a one time carnival ride, or a major alteration in lifestyle, or maybe somewhere in between, either way just be cool and encouraging.....
IMO, the value and safety of a "discover scuba" dive depends significantly on the operation and instructor conducting the dive (echos of "it's the instructor, not the agency" come to mind?).
However, since you're highly unlikely to know who a good instructor is at a destination dive spot, particularly a resort, my fallback attitude is, "Would I want my wife/husband/son/daughter to take part in this?" Typically, my answer would be no, even if it can be gateway that exposes them to the wonders of the underwater world, if they're not ready/willing to go through an already abbreviated certification course with confined water and real instruction time, the reef and fish can wait. In the meantime, we can see 90% of what will amaze them on a snorkel cruise. Once they're ready to get certified, I'll be there 110% of the way. I just can't help but feel that the instruction time and in-the-deep-end environment of Discover Scuba isn't sufficiently safe for me to feel comfortable advocating.
However, since you're highly unlikely to know who a good instructor is at a destination dive spot, particularly a resort, my fallback attitude is, "Would I want my wife/husband/son/daughter to take part in this?" Typically, my answer would be no, even if it can be gateway that exposes them to the wonders of the underwater world, if they're not ready/willing to go through an already abbreviated certification course with confined water and real instruction time, the reef and fish can wait. In the meantime, we can see 90% of what will amaze them on a snorkel cruise. Once they're ready to get certified, I'll be there 110% of the way. I just can't help but feel that the instruction time and in-the-deep-end environment of Discover Scuba isn't sufficiently safe for me to feel comfortable advocating.
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