Newly certified - any one day courses we can take next?

[accur8shot]

Hi all - my girlfriend and I just passed our first PADI course and are happy to be certified noobs. We are going to be in Miami in early February and have the opportunity to dive only during one of our days there. Are there any courses we can take to further our progression? From what I've read on here, I believe the AOWD certification would take at least 2 days.

Also, we are looking for a great place to explore underwater - can be anywhere from the Keys to West Palm Beach. Can anyone recommend some great sites for two beginners in those areas?

Thanks!

[Mr Carcharodon]

you will become a better diver by diving. Forget about classes for now.

[TSandM]

Although I enormously enjoyed diving off West Palm, with the exception of the Blue Heron Bridge, I wouldn't recommend the diving for a brand new OW grad. (Hot drops off boats into significant current, and depths in the 80 foot range.)

I agree with Mr. Carcharodon. If you only have one day, just go diving. If you aren't comfortable doing that, hire a DM to dive with you (and fie on your instructor!). I believe, from what I have read, that there is quite reasonable beginner diving in the Keys, and you'll have fun just working with the skills you already have.

[wmperry]

Key Largo would be a great place to do some noob-diving. Great sites in the 30-50 foot range give even novice heavy-breathers nice long dives (no offense meant -- I speak from experience there... A lot of 20 minute dives when I started out )

If you feel like taking a class so you 'have to go diving' then peak performance buoyancy is a good one. But just practicing is great too.


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I am here: http://maps.google.com/maps?ll=17.746552,-64.696335

[gurnie]

Look into the Peak Buoyance class, you need to learn to master the foundation skills of trim and buoyancy.

[Brendon]

Although I enormously enjoyed diving off West Palm, with the exception of the Blue Heron Bridge, I wouldn't recommend the diving for a brand new OW grad. (Hot drops off boats into significant current, and depths in the 80 foot range.)

I agree with Mr. Carcharodon. If you only have one day, just go diving. If you aren't comfortable doing that, hire a DM to dive with you (and fie on your instructor!). I believe, from what I have read, that there is quite reasonable beginner diving in the Keys, and you'll have fun just working with the skills you already have.

Hot drops? Significant current? 80' range? Well I live and work here, theres not much of the reefs I haven't seen. Palm Beach County has some of the best boat captains around- hot drops really are a non-issue... Current, no more or less then anywhere else in the ocean. For that matter I have dove locations in the puget sound that are far worse then anything we have here... The average is more like 60' not 80'... Let's try to be a little more realistic.

[Sabanist]

[i recommend sea experience if you want to go on a 2 tank while you are here. They are a great dive shop in fort lauderdale. They do the wreck trek quite often. Its a series of wrecks all within about 100 or so yards at about 65' just off the coast. Great dive

[boulderjohn]

I think the best place for a new diver to gain experience is Key Largo. The dives on Molasses Reef are shallow and relatively easy. The hardest part is finding our way back to the boat--you will not have a DM leading you unless you choose to hire one for that purpose.

[TMHeimer]

Yes, do a lot of diving first. PP Buoyancy can be the best one, but it is more than one day. The only one I can think of that's one day and very practical is Nitrox. You should be very familiar with tables/computer NDLs before doing that.

[TSandM]

Brendon, all I can post is from my experience, which is admittedly limited, and from discussions with people who live and dive there. Would you recommend jumping off a WPB dive boat for someone on his first dive out of OW? Maybe I have a jaundiced view of people coming out of OW, but I wouldn't. I'd like to see new students dive somewhere like Molokini, where the water is calm and there is no current to worry about. Sounds like the Keys would be a good choice for these guys, with shallow and quiet site options.

Once they get a bit of experience under their belts, I'd HIGHLY recommend WPB. I really loved the diving there. It was very beautiful, full of color and everything from schools of batfish to Goliath Groupers and lemon sharks. I just don't think the diving I did there is for beginners. (Of course, the none of the folks on the trip WERE beginners, and the itinerary was not designed with them in mind.)