Need a gentle, patient dive operator/intro class for timid newbie!

[photobetty]

Hi! This is my very first post, so thanks in advance for your help.

My husband and I are traveling to Grand Cayman for a week next month, and we're interested in trying an intro diving class (husband's idea, but I'm curious, too). We are staying at a villa in the East End, but I'm absolutely willing to drive to SMB if it means we'll have a better experience. Is there a dive operation that is GREAT with timid new divers, and will the west side make much more of a difference than the east as far as conditions go (wind/choppy water)? I'm a fairly good swimmer in the pool and I'm starting to like snorkeling on our island vacations (St. John, Tortola, Virgin Gorda), but what I like about snorkeling is that I can pop my head up or get out when I'm spooked. I'm hoping to try a local Discover Scuba class in the pool before we leave, but then I think I'd want to take a Discover class again on the island to see what it's like with the ocean creatures and the deepness/vastness. I'm pretty sure I'll be totally fine in the pool, but I'm also pretty sure I'll feel just a notch below terrified in the ocean, so I'm hoping there's someone to work with who is patient and kind. I've happily been skydiving, zip-lining, snowboarding/skiing, and I love rollercoasters, etc., but the ocean makes me anxious just thinking about it even while I'm on land and the trip is a month away!

I've been lurking and reading as much as I can in the forums, but I'm still conflicted on who to go with so I thought I'd ask for specific help. So, should I book someone on the East End, or someone on SMB? Please let me know if you need more info from me! Thank you! I really appreciate any advice.

 

[zf2nt]

Diving is a very mental exercise. If you are confidant of yourself and relaxed in the water, you will have no problems with diving. If, on the other hand, you are afraid of it and genuinely believe that the solution is to find a very patient instructor who is good with "timid new divers", you're not going to find him or her. You're going to have a miserable experience...and likely blame it on the instructor. It's really in YOUR head that the problem lies.

Any Discover Scuba Diving experience is going to start in the pool. It's required by standards. You may optionally proceed to the ocean afterwards, but it's going to start in the pool. I think it would be a very good idea to find a local dive operator with a heated pool and do a Discover Scuba Diving experience with him. Most importantly, though, put the responsibility for success with this experience on yourself. Just relax! All you have to do is breathe in and breathe out. Nothing could be simpler.

 

[photobetty]

Diving is a very mental exercise. If you are confidant of yourself and relaxed in the water, you will have no problems with diving. If, on the other hand, you are afraid of it and genuinely believe that the solution is to find a very patient instructor who is good with "timid new divers", you're not going to find him or her. You're going to have a miserable experience...and likely blame it on the instructor. It's really in YOUR head that the problem lies.

This is a great point, thanks! It's certainly up to me to be confident in myself, but I'm hoping to find a patient instructor who understands that new people need to be reminded of things like this. Not to mention if I know the dive operator is safety conscious, maintains good equipment, etc., that will add to my confidence, won't it? And, if the conditions are typically better on SMB vs. East End, I might as well give myself a leg up right? Or no?

 

[AggieDiver]

Think of diving like this. When you were a kid and would dive to the bottom of a pool, and then hold your breath until you were forced to come up? Well diving is just like that...only instead of being forced to come up, you open your mouth and take a breath. And then you do it again...and again...and again... It is just like swimming around underwater, without that pesky need to go back to the surface for a breath. I am actually far less comfortable snorkeling than I am diving. But Bruce is right, it is all mental. If you go into it looking forward to being able to breathe underwater and explore without having to surface, it will be easy and you will love it. If you go into it scared and wanting somebody else to make it easier, you will have a very hard time getting comfortable.

I second the recommendation to try it at home first with a local shop. If you like it in their pool, take a full class and do all your classroom and pool work before going on vacation, then just do your checkout dives while on vacation and you will be certified.

---------- Post added March 19th, 2014 at 10:14 AM ----------

As for instructors on GC, I would recommend Sunny Moore at Deep Blue Divers. I dove with her when she was a boat captain and DM on Little Cayman, and have heard many good reviews of her patience as an instructor. Also, if Drew the Sailbum who posts here is still working on the island, I would not hesitate to recommend him as well.

 

[photobetty]

Think of diving like this. When you were a kid and would dive to the bottom of a pool, and then hold your breath until you were forced to come up?

Yep! I did, and I think scuba in the pool will be fun and easy for me. I'm a good swimmer, and not afraid of the pool in any way, on the surface or sitting on the bottom. I don't have a problem breathing through a snorkel, putting my face in the water, or anything like that. It's definitely the ocean creatures and open water conditions that contribute most to my fears - I should have explained that better.

So, it sounds like there's no component to having an instructor who is gentle and encouraging, it's just that I need to get over it on my own? I'm the kind of person who just needs a bit of encouragement and reinforcement, so I was hoping to find a dive operation that I can trust to be safe and kind to new divers. And...I was just trying to figure out if the conditions on SMB vs. East End make that much difference.

---------- Post added March 19th, 2014 at 10:42 AM ----------

Also, my questions come from reading forums and reviews, and watching videos of dive classes. Sometimes the comments include things like, "wow, you had a terrible instructor," or, "that guy shouldn't even be teaching," etc. So I got the impression that there are good teachers and not-so-good teachers (as is the case in anything). Really I'm just looking for a quality dive op and instructor and I figured having some recommendations would give me a confidence boost.

 

[Doctorfish]

Happy Fish Dive School on the West Side might fill your needs. They do their open water work at Turtle Reef which is calm and has a ladder for entry/exit.
I've watched them in action at Turtle Reef and they looked to be thorough, safe and relaxed. It is however, a fair trek from East End to Turtle reef so if anyone has experience with scuba intro with the East End operators, please chime in.

 

[photobetty]

Happy Fish Dive School on the West Side might fill your needs. They do their open water work at Turtle Reef which is calm and has a ladder for entry/exit.
I've watched them in action at Turtle Reef and they looked to be thorough, safe and relaxed. It is however, a fair trek from East End to Turtle reef so if anyone has experience with scuba intro with the East End operators, please chime in.

Awesome! Thank you so much! This is a huge help and I'll check them out. I don't mind the drive at all.

 

[caymaniac]

Awesome! Thank you so much! This is a huge help and I'll check them out. I don't mind the drive at all.

But are you realizing that if you are on the East End (Rum Point would be farther) you will be about as far away from the north west point where Turtle Reef is?

 

[photobetty]

I'm calculating that it's about an hour from where we're staying. I honestly don't mind the drive. Is that weird, or is there something I'm not considering? I've never been to GC, but my understanding is that the driving isn't terribly difficult. And at least that way we'll be sure to see the whole island. It's only one day, and we planned to trek out to SMB at some point just to see it, so we'd probably combine the two outings.

 

[diversteve]

Go to Ocean Frontiers - they're at Compass Point on the East End. They're highly recommended here - as well as being the only operator in the East End. Except for Tortuga at Morritt's where someone who worked there once said the water conditions are rougher at times.

Besides being local, they do their Resort Course (discover dive) in protected water that's about 20' deep. And off a boat which easier than doing a shore entry. I think they tuck into a protected cove nearby also so it's calm. Try Scuba

In your case you might want to inquire about their least busy day during the week you're there - it's possible it would be just the two of you doing the class plus an Instructor (required) and probably at least one Divemaster also.

OF also has two dedicated snorkel boats. http://www.oceanfrontiers.com/snorkel-boat-trips.html

If you're planning to snorkel Stingray City - get up early and do the dawn trip with them one morning. The rays are much more natural than when the cruise ship traffic shows up hours later. http://www.oceanfrontiers.com/dive-boat-trips/stingray.html