Intro to Wreck class

[_Ralph]

To echo a bit of what has been said, find an instructor that teaches an Advanced Wreck course, or a cave instructor.

They both will have lots of additional information that a recreational only wreck course instructor might not have, let alone, what the advanced instructor wants to see in a student at that level


_R

 

[Scuba Cobra]

Why shouldn’t he train in his local conditions on wrecks he would actually dive? Why go down to FL? Believe it or not, there are instructors outside of FL, regardless of the SB bias towards FL.

Because south florida has a ton of wrecks that are perfect for wreck penetration classes, as well as the fact that boat rides are literally 10 minutes from the dock..there is also the whole $40-60 boat fee that is pretty appealing.

*edit* cant forget cheap helium and not getting blown out.

 

[Marie13]

Because south florida has a ton of wrecks that are perfect for wreck penetration classes, as well as the fact that boat rides are literally 10 minutes from the dock..there is also the whole $40-60 boat fee that is pretty appealing.

Did it occur to you that maybe the OP wants to train on the same wrecks he’ll be diving? I fought against the same FL centric mindset myself when people were urging me to do my tech training in FL. Screw that. I’m all for local training. Especially if you’re a cold water diver.

 

[MiloR]

Did it occur to you that maybe the OP wants to train on the same wrecks he’ll be diving? I fought against the same FL centric mindset myself when people were urging me to do my tech training in FL. Screw that. I’m all for local training. Especially if you’re a cold water diver.

I agree with this to a point. It might be best, and only the OP can know what is best for them, to take an Intro or Basic class in Florida and then taking a more Advanced class back home.

The warmer/clearer water will should allow for less stress and better learning for new skills. They can then take these new skills back home and build on them in their local environment.

Having Florida is a really nice asset. I just returned from the Ginnie Springs area and completed a Cavern class while there. The caverns/caves/springs are something I have no way to really experience in Ohio but the skill will be transferable to many different environments and diving.

 

[Scuba Cobra]

Is a ship sunk in a lake somehow different than a ship sunk in the ocean?

Because the NC wrecks are the same as the florida wrecks, and i can do a whole lot more dives for a whole lot more cheaper...

 

[rjack321]

Is a ship sunk in a lake somehow different than a ship sunk in the ocean?

Because the NC wrecks are the same as the florida wrecks, and i can do a whole lot more dives for a whole lot more cheaper...

Which lake?

But yes at least for Lake Eire Michigan Huron and Ontario (Superior doesn't have mussels)
Zebra or Quagga mussels cutting your line, no current at all but really short steep waves if the winds kicks up yanking the mooring all over the place, drift deco basically unheard of, dry gloves and numb hands and line are great fun too.

NC is generally suboptimal for actual wreck classes just from a scheduling perspective and most everything being on the edge of the nitrox zone makes for a very limited bottom time. If you fumble the tieoffs you have barely any no deco time to practice redoing it. Perhaps there are some shallower wrecks that give you enough bottom time to actually learn but I've never seen a class report from there.

 

[rjack321]

oops

 

[stuartv]

I did my original Wreck class checkout dives on some NC wrecks. But, that was only after a fair bit of practice, first in the pool and then the local quarry.

My first training in running a reel was a serious eye-opener on how poor my buoyancy control was compared to how good I thought it was.

 

[Marie13]

Is a ship sunk in a lake somehow different than a ship sunk in the ocean?

Because the NC wrecks are the same as the florida wrecks, and i can do a whole lot more dives for a whole lot more cheaper...

We have awesome 19th century wooden schooner wrecks you salt water folks can only dream of.

 

[ScubaWithTurk]

Does a cave instructor/diver have good reel skills? Yes

Does this mean a wreck instructor does not? No

If wrecks are your thing (they are my thing) then look for an instructor who dives wrecks often and is also a tech diver. I believe that wreck and cave are different beasts. Yes they are both overhead environments but the issues you can run into in a wreck would be different than in a cave.

Look for an instructor that has the "lust for rust" and I think you will get more bang for the buck