The bug bit me (the Diving bug) :D

[s.iker]

So ive been kinda sorta wanting to learn for a while how do dive.. a friend brought it up about how his friend is a teacher.. etc, bla bla bla, and it kinda sparked interest, but never enough spark for me to really do anything about it... Okay, so i live in the states, and right now im in the Caribbean for a vacation. We went on a scuba dive through one of the local dive shops (PADI Instructor) and OMG It was really fun!!!!! I wished we could of been diving for longer!!! Like i said, the bug bit me...

So, I found a dive shop kinda near me to get certified when i get home, (however it prolly will be too cold to do too much beyond that, seeing as the class is class room, and a pool indoors.) Thats for an Open water certification course... I do have a bunch of questions that i want to know before i jump into the deep end... ha ha.. pun.... get it... nudge nudge!

So im wondering, what does that mean. After i get this "certification", can i go home to my water (lake Michigan) and start diving? (say i have the equipment and such) or what does each level of certification mean, and what can i do with it. At some point i really want to buy my own equipment, and to be able to take my family and friends if they want to go diving, but i dont want to drag them through a course if they dont like it, or have them pay a guide (same reason). Or i want to pack my stuff up, fly to where ever my family's vacation is next, and go for a dive! Explore..!

I know im SUPER far from this point, but its been bothering me.... Say i do end up getting into it, and i buy all my own equipment... How does a diver fill their tank(s)? I know theres "no such thing as a dumb question" but for some reason i feel really dumb asking this.... Is there something that you guys buy or do you have to take it somewhere every time you need a fill up? '

Is diving in the murky great lakes worth it? As compared to the clear waters of the Caribbean? Our water wasnt exactly crystal clear, but compared to Lake Michigan, it was. But for anyone who lake dives, what is your opinion on that. Now yea, i know that this is where my experience will come from seeing as im only 10 mins away from it. but im just wondering what everyone thinks about really..

thank you guys for your patience... im gonna be off reading the forums for the rest of my trip now, while you lovely friendly's replly to me!

Thanks loves!
Samantha! <3

 

[Belzelbub]

So im wondering, what does that mean. After i get this "certification", can i go home to my water (lake Michigan) and start diving? (say i have the equipment and such) or what does each level of certification mean, and what can i do with it. At some point i really want to buy my own equipment, and to be able to take my family and friends if they want to go diving, but i dont want to drag them through a course if they dont like it, or have them pay a guide (same reason). Or i want to pack my stuff up, fly to where ever my family's vacation is next, and go for a dive! Explore..!

The certification, provided it is an Open Water certification, means that you can get tanks filled, dive off of charter boats, etc. No Dive Master required. You and a certified buddy can go out on your own. There is a depth limit for Open Water certification. The Open Water cert is different form the Scuba Diver cert. With the Scuba Diver cert, you aren't supposed to go without a DM.

To get tanks filled, you just take it to a dive shop, show them your open water card, and they'll fill. After a while, once they get to know you, they won't need to ask any more.

 

[TMHeimer]

Google one of the agencies (see above forum), or something like Open Water scuba course, and of course a million places will come up with their ads and descriptions.

 

[Neilwood]

So ive been kinda sorta wanting to learn for a while how do dive.. a friend brought it up about how his friend is a teacher.. etc, bla bla bla, and it kinda sparked interest, but never enough spark for me to really do anything about it... Okay, so i live in the states, and right now im in the Caribbean for a vacation. We went on a scuba dive through one of the local dive shops (PADI Instructor) and OMG It was really fun!!!!! I wished we could of been diving for longer!!! Like i said, the bug bit me... The bug has got some set of teeth - it got me as well this year!

So, I found a dive shop kinda near me to get certified when i get home, (however it prolly will be too cold to do too much beyond that, seeing as the class is class room, and a pool indoors.) Thats for an Open water certification course... I do have a bunch of questions that i want to know before i jump into the deep end... ha ha.. pun.... get it... nudge nudge!

So im wondering, what does that mean. After i get this "certification", can i go home to my water (lake Michigan) and start diving? (say i have the equipment and such) or what does each level of certification mean, and what can i do with it. At some point i really want to buy my own equipment, and to be able to take my family and friends if they want to go diving, but i dont want to drag them through a course if they dont like it, or have them pay a guide (same reason). Or i want to pack my stuff up, fly to where ever my family's vacation is next, and go for a dive! Explore..! As said below, with OW you can dive with a certified buddy. Now if you don't know any(situation I am in ), your Local Dive Shop (LDS) will probably run trips or know of clubs etc in the area that you can go with. Best bet for any friends and family wanting to try is the same thing you did a try dive or Discover Scuba Diving (DSD) through a resort shop or your LDS

I know im SUPER far from this point, but its been bothering me.... Say i do end up getting into it, and i buy all my own equipment... How does a diver fill their tank(s)? I know theres "no such thing as a dumb question" but for some reason i feel really dumb asking this.... Is there something that you guys buy or do you have to take it somewhere every time you need a fill up? ' You can initially rent your kit but once you have your own, you simply take it to your LDS with your card and tell them to fill you up!

Is diving in the murky great lakes worth it? As compared to the clear waters of the Caribbean? Our water wasnt exactly crystal clear, but compared to Lake Michigan, it was. But for anyone who lake dives, what is your opinion on that. Now yea, i know that this is where my experience will come from seeing as im only 10 mins away from it. but im just wondering what everyone thinks about really.. To me all diving is worth it, the simple feeling of being in the water breathing with the surface way up there is enough for me (conditions here are less than perfect - vis about 3-5m in the sea)

thank you guys for your patience... im gonna be off reading the forums for the rest of my trip now, while you lovely friendly's replly to me!

Thanks loves!
Samantha! <3

Enjoy diving and remember to keep breathing! lol

 

[archer1960]

The certification, provided it is an Open Water certification, means that you can get tanks filled, dive off of charter boats, etc. No Dive Master required. You and a certified buddy can go out on your own. There is a depth limit for Open Water certification. The Open Water cert is different form the Scuba Diver cert. With the Scuba Diver cert, you aren't supposed to go without a DM.

To get tanks filled, you just take it to a dive shop, show them your open water card, and they'll fill. After a while, once they get to know you, they won't need to ask any more.

My LDS didn't even care about seeing my OW card, as long as the VIP sticker and hydro were current on the tanks.

 

[kevindsingleton]

You don't need a certification to dive. It is in your best interest to learn how to dive safely, and how to mitigate some of the risks, but it is not required by law. Most suppliers won't fill your tanks, or rent gear to you, if you don't have a c-card, but that is something you can get around, if you are determined and clever. I'm pretty sure "determined and clever" are the two most common traits of divers who eventually get into serious trouble under water, though. Keep that in mind. Spend some time reading posts, here, and learn as much as you can about basic scuba diving and how to find good instructors. You won't ever regret having earned your certifications.

 

[razorbackdiver]

The first thing I recommend to all new or potentially new divers do, is read Jim Lapenta's who's responsible for what post.

http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/ne...ering-diving/283566-who-responsible-what.html

The second thing I recommend is do as much home work as you can to ensure you pick the best instructor available to you.

As far as diving in murky waters go, I am appearantly an odd duck. One of my local favorite sites will at times have visability so poor that I have trouble seeing the tips of my fingers if I stretch my arm out. Why do I do it? First of all I love diving. Secondly, diving in these conditions improve my compass navigation skills and reduce my stress level when I have better visability.

 

[s.iker]

Thanks guys. I'm not ignoring you i finaly have a wifi spit for my phone in the airport. Sorry for the typos if any. Hang in there with me. Lol. I want to get certified. Get experience and just enjoy the sport. I Had so much fun when i went out. I am reading as much as the wifi allows. Kinda a pain right now. But once I'm back in the states ill get more into it. Okay so someone fills the tanks for me. What if the nearest person is an hour away, but like i said my dive area is only about 10-15 mins. Is there something i can buy to do it myself? i really don't want to drive an hour each way every time i wanna dive. :/

 

[archer1960]

Thanks guys. I'm not ignoring you i finaly have a wifi spit for my phone in the airport. Sorry for the typos if any. Hang in there with me. Lol. I want to get certified. Get experience and just enjoy the sport. I Had so much fun when i went out. I am reading as much as the wifi allows. Kinda a pain right now. But once I'm back in the states ill get more into it. Okay so someone fills the tanks for me. What if the nearest person is an hour away, but like i said my dive area is only about 10-15 mins. Is there something i can buy to do it myself? i really don't want to drive an hour each way every time i wanna dive. :/

You can buy electric air compressors certified for breathing air, that will give you enough pressure to fill your tanks. They won't be as fast as a shop's compressors unless you spend a lot of money on one, but they will work. Just make sure you don't get a standard garage/shop compressor; they'll put oil in the air, which can be fatal under pressure.

 

[stuartv]

what can i do with it. At some point i really want to buy my own equipment, and to be able to take my family and friends if they want to go diving, but i dont want to drag them through a course if they dont like it

Taking people diving who have not had any training is really not a good idea. Especially if you are a relatively new diver yourself.

Is there something i can buy to do it myself? i really don't want to drive an hour each way every time i wanna dive. :/

If you just watch Craigslist and the ScubaBoard classifieds, you can probably pick up a few tanks for yourself for cheap and then just make the 2 hour round trip periodically, to get them all filled. The more tanks you have, the less often you'll have to make that trip.

Besides, until you have all the other gear, you'll have to make that drive to get rental equipment anyway, right?

BTW, there are a lot of great wrecks in the Great Lakes. They are generally well-preserved, too, because of the water being fresh and cold. I haven't been up there yet, but I certainly have it on my To Do list.

---------- Post added September 18th, 2015 at 01:10 PM ----------

You can buy electric air compressors certified for breathing air, that will give you enough pressure to fill your tanks. They won't be as fast as a shop's compressors unless you spend a lot of money on one, but they will work. Just make sure you don't get a standard garage/shop compressor; they'll put oil in the air, which can be fatal under pressure.

How much can you get one for? I've only seen ones that are well over $2000, I think.