A Friend at work wants to get certified but has a "hang-up"!

[SteveTW]

A friend at work has been talking about getting scuba certified. His motive is because he wants to do the treasure hunting thing in 10-20 foot of water. He's big on hunting on land. I talked him through what a typical course involved and he confessed about his 'fear'. He's been in creeks, lakes and oceans but has a problem with pools. Says it's the germ thing in pools that bothers him. I know people have all kinds of hang-ups so it didn't bother me.

Question: What can he do to take a course? Most are started out in the pool. Would he have to take private lessons at the quarry or what. I'd like to see him get in to scuba.

Thanks, Steve

 

[mathauck0814]

I believe the confined water elements of an OW course can be in a non-pool environment (lagoon, marina, etc). So long as it's something that's protected from open water conditions.

 

[scubamarketing]

mathauck0814 is right, at least in the PADI world. For what most people experience as "pool dives", it's really "pool-like conditions". Many tropical locations actually have a shallow spot just off the beach where they do the "confined water" exercises. So he may need to do it on vacation, but that's not the end of the world.

 

[ThomasScherrer]

>Says it's the germ thing in pools that bothers him

it is possible to get a more detailed explain of what the issue is, and what it does to him,
a better understanding is the first steep into a way to solve or handle or cure it.

also try to ask, if he go on a holiday there is always a nice pool, and he do swim in it, right ?

I must say I had it other way arround, feelt much better in a pool, due to:
clear water, steady, no current, no waves, no fish, no sharks, can see the bottom,
no sharp corners and no spikes to step on.

 

[diverkun]

If your co-worker has a thing about pools, how does he feel about rental gear?

 

[scuba steve1]

As per the PADI instructors handbook. Confined water is an open water site that offers swimming pool conditions with respect to clarity, calmness and depth so to answer your question, if the above criteria is met, then no swimming pool is required.

 

[Pullmyfinger]

If your co-worker has a thing about pools, how does he feel about rental gear?

If he has issues with the cleanliness of a pool, he's going to love sticking a rental reg in his mouth.

He should post a "which reg should I buy question."


He's going to be thrilled with buddy breathing.

-Mitch

 

[Jim Lapenta]

If he has a thiong about germs how is he going to feel about jumping into creeks, lakes and rivers with God knows what floating there?:shocked2: He may run into a "brown trout" or worse! There are a number of places one can do pool or confined water training in open water. Every agency has guidelines for using something other than a pool for training.

You may want to also get him a copy of my book. "SCUBA: A Practical Guide for the New Diver"
It will answer many of his and your questions as well as provide answers to ones you didn't know you had or were not aware you should ask. Pdf is only 10 bucks and can be converted using free software from Calibre to e-book format.

 

[oly5050user]

A friend at work has been talking about getting scuba certified. His motive is because he wants to do the treasure hunting thing in 10-20 foot of water. He's big on hunting on land. I talked him through what a typical course involved and he confessed about his 'fear'. He's been in creeks, lakes and oceans but has a problem with pools. Says it's the germ thing in pools that bothers him. I know people have all kinds of hang-ups so it didn't bother me.

Question: What can he do to take a course? Most are started out in the pool. Would he have to take private lessons at the quarry or what. I'd like to see him get in to scuba.

Thanks, Steve

There is an fenced off area at Dutch Springs that is considered confined water..But the "germ thing" in pools really is unfounded.You are much more likely to get sick from something in the water in openwater than you are in a pool.Pools are filtered and there is chlorine, a disinfectant, in the pool water.Creeks-lakes-ocean can support all kinds of "germs" in it.After all fish poop and birds and mammals living near or in the water contribute their share toh I left out human caused pollution also.

 

[gypsyjim]

Ditto on confined dives in local quarries. No need to be in a pool.

As for the germ thing, I may not enjoy the chlorine, but the only time diving has made me sick was in Mexican "fresh" waters , and that was not in any swimming pool.