Newly certified PADI OW w/ uncertified partner - best dive options?

Hi,

I am a newly certified PADI open water diver and am planning on spending a week in Roatan with my partner at the end of May 2014. He has never been diving before and I am a total beginner (though certified). Are there options for us to share open water diving experiences together while on the island even though he has not yet been certified? We have not booked lodging at this point. Thanks for any information.

Regards,
Ecco

On traveling dive trips, you will almost certainly be using rental gear, even if just tanks and weights. If a dive op. finds out you're using their gear to take an uncertified person scuba diving, don't be surprised if you get kicked out, no refund. So if that's what you mean by sharing open water diving experiences together even though he's not yet been certified, then I suggest no, don't do it. After all, if he has an anxiety attack and bolts for the surface holding his breath, gets an air embolism and dies or is permanently brain damaged, you'll bear some of that responsibility.

On the other hand, I imagine he could take a Discover Scuba Diving course or an Open Water Diving course while there, if not before.

Please clarify what sort of 'shared experiences' you have in mind.

Richard.

I was referring to the latter. The reason for the question is that I've read about resorts that provide multiples dives per day and shops providing discover dive & scuba diver classes. But neither of those options exactly fit our situation. Resort dives are for certified divers I would guess (I need to research this further) and the classes for discover dive and scuba diver are a limited # of open water dives (one for the discover dive, few more for scuba) with a fixed cost. I was looking for an option in which the two of us could dive together for around two days in open water (w/o endangering either one of us, clearly). I suppose he could take scuba diver and then we could find a divemaster to dive with. Thanks for the feedback.

"Resort" is not for certified divers it is basically a discover scuba dive. If you and you buddy want to dive together and he/she is up for it there is still time to do all the Online stuff before your trip , couple days on Roatan and your both certified

I agree with RTB...don't waste time on trying to come up with a solution that may or may not work. Just have your partner do the online portion of the open-water certification process, then do the check-out dives in Roatan. Roatan offers some of the best dive experiences in the Caribbean...don't limit yourselves!

CajunDiva:

I agree with RTB...don't waste time on trying to come up with a solution that may or may not work. Just have your partner do the online portion of the open-water certification process, then do the check-out dives in Roatan. Roatan offers some of the best dive experiences in the Caribbean...don't limit yourselves!

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still need to do confined water portion of course before doing the 4 open water training dives. est advise is do academics and confined water work locally at home and take referral to complete training dives on your holiday

Question is does partner need to be sold on the diving idea or are they gung ho? If the second, then getting certified is the best bet and most fun. If they are not even sure they will like it, then a discover scuba that includes a shallow reef dive might seal the deal. They will often let certified divers accompany them. However, that is just a way to do a dive or two.

I will add that while traveling a couple times I have accompanied strangers on a discovery dive in Mexico. I noted, while hanging over the coral, that the DM was keeping the discovery person out over the flats and not taking them into the coral. Good for them and the coral. So while the partner may enjoy it, the quality of the diving may not be as good for you especially if you need to stay close the the instructor which I did not since I had dove with them before. But you would want to be close to the partner anyway.

Note that I went and got certified after a discovery dive in Hawaii. In my case it converted a snorkler into a diver.

Are those the only dives both of you are planning to do? If so, I probably wouldn't stay at any of the AI Dive resorts as they're all fairly isolated - some more than others.

If you're planning on daily diving, you can also buy a dive/non-dive package for each of you from a resort. Or ala-carte from any number of shops in the West End/West Bay and find your own accommodations. Some resorts in West Bay (nicest beach) also have dive operators on-site. Dives are typically $35 or 10/$300 - some include gear - others it's $5-10 more.

One option is have your partner do the Discover Dive program. On Roatan (depending on where) it's minimal classroom, maybe some quick pool skills (if the resort has one - Cocoview/Reef House don't) followed by a shallow beach dive then the Discover Dive - either from shore or boat. Typically those are done in the afternoon.

Some of the operators - Cocoview, Anthony's Key, Coconut Tree Divers in the West End, also offer an additional dive for $50 afterward. Since some of the Discovery Divers have to head back for their cruise ship at that time, it's possible it could be your partner, their Instructor and you. I doubt any of them would have a problem with you tagging along if you pay also. I honestly can't see any reason why they wouldn't even do a dive the next day for $50 - their schedule permitting. Things are pretty casual on Roatan and most things I've wanted out of the ordinary just cost a little extra. Or ask your shop for a Guide whose also an Instructor and pay them directly just to take you both out.

You could also boat dive while your partner is in class - the reef on the north side is about 5-10mins. out in most cases and they need the boat back by noon anyway for your partner's dive. In the West End there's even time for lunch nearby.

You should do some boat dives, the reef in most areas is pretty shallow and in summer it's pretty calm. Since many shops also train DM's they may have more than one shadowing your group. So if you want to stay shallower there's someone who can stay with you. Just let them know when you sign up. I shoot video and like the light at 40-60' so several dives I had my own DM trainee follow me. I didn't need them but the shop liability said I had to have one - I didn't pay anything for it.

If you could define your expectations/ requirements better someone here might be able to make a better suggestion.

You can't bring too much bug spray either...

Thanks for all the information and great ideas. I just sent the link to this thread to my partner so we can further discuss what route he wants to go. The referral idea sounds viable. I could possibly attend his open water dives for his certification in Roatan to brush up on my skills and then once he's certified we could do a few dives together. Or just go on a dive myself while he's doing his class. It's good to know that dive shops are flexible if we go the scuba route and then pay to do an additional dive. Really appreciate the feedback from everyone.

If your partner is doing O/W cert dives, some instructors may not want you hovering nearby - it potentially distracts the students. Also if you're buddyless, you become someone they now have to watch also. Unless you mean paying for and going thru the dives/drills again. That's going to be a couple hundred dollars.

I'd suggest you buddy up with someone else on the boat and dive while your partner does his checkout dives. Then he's your buddy for the rest of the dives.

It will also take 2 days for him to do the dives most likely. It depends on who/where you dive with.
First dives on the north side can be too deep/complex for certification dives in the morning. No where safe to rest. In the marine park they frown on you kicking/standing on the coral...
Not every operator has the resources to do both - unless you pay for private lessons. Afternoon dives are shallower and typically when certifications/resort course/Discover dives are done - 2 per afternoon.