Discover Scuba... opinions?

JustJules · Sep 5, 2001

My sister is interested in diving, but she's been really wishy-washy about actually going ahead with getting certified. I can see that she's jealous of all of my diving stories, and she loves snorkeling. Someone recently suggested to me that I have her do a discover scuba dive... one of those "you don't have to be certified but they take you diving under monitored conditions" dives. I didn't know about this before, and I'm not sure what I think of it from a safety point of view.

Has anyone had any experience with these programs? Opinions?

Thanks,
Julie

The Chairman · Sep 5, 2001

Hey Julie,

Now that you know Don and the gang... ask his advice. I bet he would do something like that for you. It's in his best interest to get your sis interested in diving anyway... :tease:

BTW, I will be going out @ 1:00 this Saturday... the Loggerhead looks one swell boat!

jbd · Sep 5, 2001

She watched a short film and then the instructor talked to her about what she saw and what she could expect during the pool session. She was suited up and in the pool they went. She had some fears about all this so he let her take some time getting use to the equipment and breathing through the regulator before putting her face in the water. Little by little he got her doing more UW and then got her swimming UW in the shallow end. Then he told her that he felt she could handle the deep end so they slowly worked their way to the deep end and down to 8 feet. He tried to get her to the bottom(10') but she declined and told me that one ear wasn't quite cleared enough after the session was over. Overall she had a great time and decided to take the lessons. I thought the instructor did a great job with her. I strongly recommend this Discover scuba to anyone that has the slightest idea that they might want to try scuba.

TexasMike · Sep 5, 2001

While vacationing in Australia (with the intent at the time to get my o/w certification at the tail end of the land tour) I took the opportunity for 2 instructor led Discover Diving courses.

All I can say was both were some of the fastest 30 minutes underwater I ever spent. And I had a blast. Both game me an increasing understanding of being underwater and really helped increase my comfort level when it was time to take the class.

In fact, I'm seriously thinking about offering Discover Scuba courses to some of my local friends as Christmas presents.

terrydarc · Sep 5, 2001

My 25 year old son and I both went through Intro To Scuba and were turned on enough by the experience to get our C Cards just recently. He had two dives in Oz a couple years back and I was still stoked from 4 Intro dives in Roatan this April.

Discover scuba is a great way to blow bubbles without having to invest a major amount of time getting the cert. There's really not that much difference in enjoyment levels between bubbling along at 10m with an instructor hovering nearby and doing the same your own OW dive. Good way to subvert your sis's suspicions, IMO and a nifty holiday present - do it!
Terry

JustJules · Sep 5, 2001

Okay, you've convinced me. It's a good idea.

I'll talk to some of the local dive shops and see what they are willing to do. Sounds like a great gift for her birthday, which is coming up soon....

Julie

hphobbie@aol.com · Sep 6, 2001

be aware there are two programs: Discover SCUBA which takes you in the pool. Most shops offer this free or at a reduced rate. At our shop I am required to be able to offer it every week of class because we have enough help to meake it happen every week if necessary. Cost for this is either nothing, or the cost applies to their Open Water class if they sign up. I find the best time is to do Discover SCUBA during Module 1. This way we can get them in the class with the students, and the help sell the class to the Discover student.

There is also Discover SCUBA Diving where they do a bit more and they havbe an open water experience as well.

Each has its benefits and more than once it has hooked someone, or has eliminated someone who had unreasonable fears they could not overcome, before they bough the required stuff for class. Either way it works!

Good luck to you and your sis. Hope she becomes your buddy.

jdlo · Sep 6, 2001

I took the Discover Scuba before signing in on
the OW course and would recommend it.
My girlfriend now wants to learn to dive and next Saturday,
as a birthday gift, she will take the Discover Scuba
class too.

MnLakeDiver · Sep 6, 2001

I did the PADI discover scuba diving course in Cancun last year and thats what hooked me into scuba. I couldn't see spending $600 to try scuba but with this course I spent $80 and got 1 classromm,1 pool dive, and 1 Open water dive with full equipment provided. I think it was a great deal and with the right instructor a great beging to learning scuba.

syruss32 · Sep 6, 2001

My wife is going to take this when we go to St. Thomas in October. She has an injured arm and back, so cannot do the full certification right now, but I hope this will get her hooked, cause it would be easier to convince her to let me buy more gear!

Syruss
http://www.coraladventures.net

Discover Scuba... opinions?

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