Finally taking the plunge

[Harleynick]

No pun intended lol but finally decided for a late birthday gift to my self I'm going to get certified something Iv talked about for years but never seem to make it happen.

I'm trying to decided the best route to take I recently moved to Minnesota so not much open water diving till summer time. Was thinking about doing the class room and pool work here there is a dive shop close to me that offers a course then take off somewhere for my open water. Or should I just do everything at the destination I pick.
Sadly I'll be doing this alone so I'm looking for a place that won't mind me not having a dive buddie with more of a younger crowd in mind for when I'm not diving go out and have fun.

Would a liveaboard be the wrong choice for my first dive? Should I look for a resort close to a dive shop or one that has its own dive shop? Iv been to Nassau Cozumel and Cabo for vacations so that has been my 3 go to's but would like to try something new so any help would be greatly appreciated on locations shops ect

 

[TMHeimer]

I always say do as much as you can at home. I would either do the academics/pool work at home and the open water "checkout dives" in the tropics--or, wait 'til summer and do it all in Minnesota. Makes sense to me to just go diving when you are spending $ going to the tropics. Don't want to be doing classwork/skills to complete in the pool & ocean when on vacation. I've never been on a liveaboard, but my thoughts are to start off with some very simple shore dives. Others may differ on that.

 

[Harleynick]

Thank you for your input that's kind of what I was thinking doing the book work and pool work here to have an extra day or two of diving down in the tropics.
Just wasn't to sure how it would all work if id be paying extra money in the long run by starting here and finishing in the tropics

 

[Gareth J]

I would suggest, if you can do the complete course locally.
There are a number of reasons for this as Tom says.

1. You don't want to be on holiday sat in a classroom.
2 ditto for the pool.
3. You will have a ' relationship' with the instructor by the end of the pool sessions. This may well help with confidence and trust on the initial open water dives.
4. It minimises the period between lessons, reducing what you forget between the sheltered water lessons and the open water lessons.
5. When on holiday, you may well have 'time pressure', you most achieve x & y before you go home. Also there are other distractions.

With regard to a liveaboard once you are qualified. Most liveaboards are targeted at experienced divers wishing to visit more remote, deeper, challenging sites.
I would strongly suggest that you initially do a shore based trip, with a dive master as a buddy. Possibly doing the advanced OW course. Potentially with the opportunity to do the odd boat dive. This would give you the opportunity to establish your skills, learn a little more and start to relax and enjoy your diving.

Doing the open water dives locally may well also help to encourage you to dive locally. During the course, ask if they have a dive club, or if there is one locally. This will provide support and encouragement once you are qualified.

Gareth

 

[Montana Diver]

I agree. The resort is more interested in getting you through the course rather than spending the time to teach you how to become a proficient diver. Take as much locally as possible. Do your open waters at the destination/

 

[t-mac]

I also agree with doing what you can locally. That said, many people are not comfortable with or are put off by their local OW options. I did mine in a cold, dark quarry. Ok for me, but definitely not for everyone starting out. Do not get pressured by the if-you-can-dive-here-you-can-dive-anywhere talk. Do it only if you are comfortable.

There may be another option. If you talk to your LDS, you will probably find they run trips loaded with their instructors. Ask them if they are offering a trip where you could sign up and do your OW dives with your local instructor on the trip. This way you do class and pool at home, do OW someplace warm and you have your local instructor with you for the whole thing. You also meet a lot of the local dive community with varying skill levels who will be an ongoing positive influence and resource.

There's no wrong way here unless you don't put the personal time into it. Like everything, you get out in proportion to what you put in. Do your reading in advance! You're going to have a great time no matter what you choose.

Best of luck to you!

Tom

 

[Dive Right In Scuba 2]

I'll echo what has been said above about doing your course locally. In doing that you may find more local dive opportunities by hooking up with your LDS and the surrounding dive community than doing it at a destination.

With respect to doing your cert dives on a live aboard, I wouldn't recommend it. Like said above most often they are faster paced dive environments with dives a bit more challenging than you are ready for. In addition, if you find that you can't complete the dives then you're stuck on a boat topside.

 

[Neilwood]

I would also agree with the sentiments to do the entire course at home.
1) You waste no time on a holiday getting stressed about passing a course.
2) You qualify in potentially harder conditions making diving easier when you do go abroad
3) you build up a relationship with your local dive shop and instructors which should make it easier to find dives locally.

 

[maj2]

I will echo everything above.

If you plan on doing local diving, it is better to get used to the thicker wetsuits, hoods, etc. during your certification.
Also note that depending on how a local class is set up, the local season may be closer than you think! Here in Southern Ontario, the classes at my LDS take five weeks, and open water checkout dives get started in Late May.

If you are going south this winter, you can also consider what I did. While on vacation in Cozumel around 2000, I decided to try the discover scuba course offered at our resort (sort of a "When in Rome..." thing). It involved a day consisting of some class time for the basics, some pool time for some skills, and then a dive in the afternoon. By the time I was back on the boat, I knew I was going to seek a course when I got home for my full certification. I knew I wanted to dive locally here at home, so decided early on that I would rather do the training here as well.

And do not worry about doing it alone. Whether in a Discover Scuba course, or your OW course, the chances are that you will not be the only one signing up as a single. You will be buddied up quite easily!

Have Fun!

 

[lerpy]

Another agree with it locally to the extent you can. I did exactly what you are saying, I did the book work online then did the in water stuff while I was the Baja, the open water being in the Sea of Cortez. It was really awesome, the instructor was great, and I ended up diving with sea lions as part of my training. That being said upon return I had to re-learn some stuff to be better adapted to my local diving area. As well being no instructors or operators knew me, I had to kind of get introduced to boat operators, shops etc and kind of prove myself before being able to get "into" the dive community here. As well when I was south it would have been hard to difficult to find a buddy, fortunately someone was learning with me.

As people have said, if you do all your training at home will have already completed these relationships.