My OW certification checkout dives didn't go so well unfortunately.

[Neilwood]

It will sink in.

The first dive after a long break takes me a couple of minutes more than normal but that comes down. A lot depends as well on whether you own your own or rent every time. Owning your own means that you always know what pocket things are in, where your cutter is, where your octo fits whereas renting means that each trip might be slightly different due to equipment differences. Only you can decide whether it is better to take your own or rent.

Some of the main things to think about (and possibly note):
1) Tank band placement with regards to the crown of the tank (where the tank sides cease being straight and it tapers toward the valve). So long as you are diving with a similar tank and similar BCD (doesn't need to be the same one) it will give you a pretty good idea of where to put it.
2) weighting for differing thicknesses of wetsuit (also worth noting condition of wetsuit as old well used suits do not have the same buoyancy as new)
3) Pockets - what do you keep in the pockets (assuming a jacket BCD)? Try to keep the contents standard so that if you need a DSMB, you always know which pocket it is in etc.

Tip whether you rent or buy with regards to wetsuit boots - bring a pair or two of reasonable socks with you (not too thick but not mesh thin either). If you find the boots are rubbing after a couple of dives, put either one or two on before the next dive depending on fit. I learned that to my cost after a liveaboard (first time I had done 4 dives a day for 5 days) - I still have the scars where the seams rubbed through on my ankles.

 

[purbeast]

It will sink in.

The first dive after a long break takes me a couple of minutes more than normal but that comes down. A lot depends as well on whether you own your own or rent every time. Owning your own means that you always know what pocket things are in, where your cutter is, where your octo fits whereas renting means that each trip might be slightly different due to equipment differences. Only you can decide whether it is better to take your own or rent.

Some of the main things to think about (and possibly note):
1) Tank band placement with regards to the crown of the tank (where the tank sides cease being straight and it tapers toward the valve). So long as you are diving with a similar tank and similar BCD (doesn't need to be the same one) it will give you a pretty good idea of where to put it.
2) weighting for differing thicknesses of wetsuit (also worth noting condition of wetsuit as old well used suits do not have the same buoyancy as new)
3) Pockets - what do you keep in the pockets (assuming a jacket BCD)? Try to keep the contents standard so that if you need a DSMB, you always know which pocket it is in etc.

Tip whether you rent or buy with regards to wetsuit boots - bring a pair or two of reasonable socks with you (not too thick but not mesh thin either). If you find the boots are rubbing after a couple of dives, put either one or two on before the next dive depending on fit. I learned that to my cost after a liveaboard (first time I had done 4 dives a day for 5 days) - I still have the scars where the seams rubbed through on my ankles.

I have my own wetsuit and booties already. I used my booties for 9 dives in 3 days and didn't have any rubbing so I think they fit pretty well. That is good to know though if I do get some chaffing, to look into socks.

Now I need to get some wetsuit cleaner. I soaked it in a tub with a little dish soap and that did seem to get rid of the funk on it, but I'd like to get some real wetsuit cleaner to soak it in (as well as my booties and weight belt, and I noticed my go pro camera even had the stench lol) in, so that I can store it in as fresh condition as possible since it will be a couple months before I use it.

 

[Storker]

I noticed my go pro camera even had the stench

Huh. That's, um, impressive.

I'm assuming you don't pee all over your GoPro, and that you in any case rinse down your gear and dry it before putting it into storage. If you do, there should be very little stink-material left on the gear, and if it's stored dry there should be very few things happening that could produce new stink. Except, of course, old stale piss in your wetsuit...

The only piece of gear I have that has ever developed any kind of noticeable odor is my undersuit. After some 50-100 dives in it, my wife told me in no uncertain terms that I'd better throw it in the washing machine. Or else...

 

[IncreaseMyT]

This stuff works awesome, I use it for my flip flops too, cause they start to stink after the long hot days.

• Sink the Stink biologically eliminates the odors commonly found in neoprene wet suits, BCDs and dive skins, including urine, mildew and other gnarly smells that can knock the Oakleys right off your face.

https://www.amazon.com/Sink-Stink-W...ink+the+stink&qid=1553785981&s=gateway&sr=8-1

 

[dmaziuk]

Different people have different sensitivity to smell.

Back when Dive Friends at Sand Dollar Bonaire had only these little metal storage lockers, we took all our stuff to the condo and hung it out on the terrace: no air = stink. Thankfully they expanded and have a proper gear room now; it's not as well ventilated as AllWest's in Curacao, but you can leave your stuff there and have it not stink. Except booties: they will stink regardless (can't really air the inside). So don't put your gopro inside. Back home dry them on a rack or stand or something, someplace where there is a lot of air.

 

[uncfnp]

For the booties cut the ends off of two plastic soda bottles and use to hold the boot open and ideally place in front of a fan.

If all else fails put a few drops of essential oil, I like eucalyptus oil, in the boot. Or even mouthwash. At home I will even let them soak in diluted mouthwash.

 

[dmaziuk]

For the booties cut the ends off of two plastic soda bottles and use to hold the boot open and ideally place in front of a fan.

Oh, good one. Thanks.

 

[mtngoat2674]

I'm a big proponent of learning to dive near home as opposed to in a vacation or resort setting. There's nothing wrong with doing it either way, but travel logistics and stress can put a lot of undue pressure on new divers and impact both the learning process and the enjoyment of completing open water training. One huge benefit of learning to dive near wherever you live is that you have a much more relaxed schedule or timeframe in which to complete training. Cramming an open water course into a few days is just not ideal, regardless whether or not you take advantage of the online coursework or not. Becoming ill due to travel stress or bad luck can obviously completely derail course completion. I have always encouraged new divers to complete their training prior to an actual dive vacation. My opinion is that this process makes the vacation part much more enjoyable, and encourages a more comprehensive training environment as well.

I hope you're able to complete your training when you're feeling better.

 

[mtngoat2674]

I live in the DC area in MD but I don't really have interest in getting the training done in the cold murky quarries around there.

Ask almost any cold water trained diver, and they will tell you that training in a more challenging environment made them a better diver overall. I learned to dive in Hawaii, but did the bulk of my training in North Idaho and Puget Sound. I'm a much better diver thanks to the challenges I encountered in both environments. (Hawaii was a winter trip, stormy weather overall, heavy surge, and unusually cold water). My personality is such that I thrive on challenges, and I realize not everyone is the same. There are definitely benefits to training closer to home though.

 

[purbeast]

Ask almost any cold water trained diver, and they will tell you that training in a more challenging environment made them a better diver overall. I learned to dive in Hawaii, but did the bulk of my training in North Idaho and Puget Sound. I'm a much better diver thanks to the challenges I encountered in both environments. (Hawaii was a winter trip, stormy weather overall, heavy surge, and unusually cold water). My personality is such that I thrive on challenges, and I realize not everyone is the same. There are definitely benefits to training closer to home though.

I'm not disagreeing or dismissing any of that, I simply have no interest in doing any of it.

If you read along the rest of the thread and the update I posted a few days ago, you'll see that I've completed both my OW and AOW certification and did it once again in tropical clear waters. It was pretty neat being down 100ft and being able to see the surface, and kind of eerie looking off into the dark depths below.

I am going to the Keys in May over Mother's Day and I plan on doing at least a morning of diving, as long as the wife is cool with it lol. Maybe 2 mornings but I don't want to push it!