Junior Open Water

[ChillyWilly]

Hello All,

I wanted to know if anybody has experience getting their kids Junior Open water Certified. My Daughter will be turning 10 this year and I wanted to see if anybody would recommend a kid friendly place near FLL to get certified. I don't want a place that will make her drag around a standard 80CF tank that she can't even carry and not have a negative experience. Want a place that will encourage them through their training.

Any input would be great,

Thanks

[iluvtheocean]

2 good dive shops in Ft Lauderdale are Gold Coast Scuba on Commercial Blvd and Divers Cove on University Drive. I got my OW at Diver's cove and there was a boy getting his jr OW in my class & they have smaller tanks. Can't say which one is better though I like em both! but Gold Coast is 5 dives, not the normal 4 OW dives. (the 5th is a beach dive which should be required down here since there are so many good beach dives)

[Chugwhump]

Gold Coast Scuba and Force-E if you are farther north and work well with kids.
My son started at 11, I started at 12

......there are so many good beach dives)

As to this comment, some facts:

All the really GOOD shore dives are from Sunrise Boulevard south.
There are virtually no lobster to be found north of Sunrise on shore dives......
Really......
They have been hunted out...
So everything from Sunrise Boulevard to the south is your best bet during bug season...
And leave my lobster alone north of Sunrise Boulevard....'cause you need a super special seeecret permit to catch them.

Chug
Hates shore divin' and stuff.

[Altamira]

Is the PADI Junior Open Water course the same as OW for adults? I have a hard time imagining a 10 year old dealing with the PADI RDP charts.

[Scubadreaminn]

Yes they are the same, however 10-11 YO are limited to a max depth of 40' and must dive with a parent, guardian or instructor. PADI does offer OW/junior via dive computer material now, so that could be an option if the shop allows. Some instructors are still Pro-RDP instruction, however I do know some that are Pro-computer as well. Personally I still like to teach the RDP version, but also demonstrate the computer as well. I guess my reasoning is not only for safety, but also as a backup means if a computer fails during a dive. Even though the dive must be ended immediately (if diving w/ only 1 computer) your whole trip is not busted as you can do the math w/ RDP's, log the dives and plan for additional dives w/o a computer.

Just my 2 PSI...

[scallop]

Just went through SDI cert. with my 11yr old son. With the exception of my end of chapter tests being online and his being on paper the course was exactly the same. Our classes were together and the in pool work was exactly the same. The 40' depth and accompanied dive restrictions are the same as written above.

[Altamira]

Thank you for the information on the Junior OW course.

[oly5050user]

For 10 and 11 year olds I strongly suggest PRIVATE lessons. Here at the facility I teach out of we only take on these kids in a private class. It really is not fair to a group class with adults and not really good for the child to be in standard group setting. As for a 10 yr old having issues with a rdp I have not seen any real problems with it. It is not mathematics just plain old addition of 2 numbers RNT + ABT=TBT..

[Pullmyfinger]

Is the PADI Junior Open Water course the same as OW for adults? I have a hard time imagining a 10 year old dealing with the PADI RDP charts.

Yesterday I spent 25 minutes teaching my 7 year old daughter how to use a NAUI dive table to plan two dives.....I was curious after reading this thread. :-)

Today, I had her plan a few dives just to see if what I showed her yesterday stuck.

She was easily able to plan two dives. She did it multiple times using various depths and times.
I'm sure most kids could get the same result.....my daughter thinks it's all pretty fun to do.

-Mitch

[SrLagarto]

Yesterday I spent 25 minutes teaching my 7 year old daughter how to use a NAUI dive table to plan two dives...

Hey, that's awesome! I'd have to say that I've had more problems teaching Tables to adults than I have to kids...!

...and, in response to the OP, the main thing to remember is that, although (obvious limits aside) the courses are essentially the same, an instructor will approach that course differently with a young student compared to when teaching an adult. The aim is to convey the important facts, skills and safety considerations of the course seriously, while making the experience as positive and fun as possible... the concept there being that taking things seriously a little lets you have fun a lot! Young students are the next generation of scuba-divers and underwater environmentalists - we do whatever we can to encourage their interest and enthusiasm. Having them lug heavy equipment around would be counter-productive to everything the experience sets out to achieve, so I don't imagine any instructor would do that - I know I wouldn't.

Yes, it's unfortunate that the scuba equipment a child requires is essentially the same weight as that required by an adult - but, they only have to assemble/disassemble it unaided... everything else, including kitting-up (out of the water) can be assisted as required by the individual.

I might have them push the equipment trolley to the boat, though - the kids seem to like that bit