I don't think Discover Scuba existed when I started
Did you do a Discover Scuba?
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Mikemccrsa
Registered
I did a discover dive at Aliwal Shoal - I was mesmerised but could only get certified 3 years later, the memory of the dive was never too far from my mind though.
In 2004, I, followed by my wife became avid local skindivers. I logged 80 dives by the end of October.
Meanwhile I had wanted to scuba dive since I was a little kid snorkeling locally in the ocean. Never the athletic type I never considered it in my range and life went on, we started a family and had a nice time of it all.
Fast forward to latter that summer 2004 and the then local scuba shop 1/2 a mile from the house. I was already a regular here on SB and had learned abut discover dives. I stopped into the shop looking to make a discover dive as a bucket list item. Already being comfortable with wetsuit, mask, fins, snorkel, weights and all it went great in a local pond that I already knew well.
A few weeks latter I announced to my wife that I wanted to start training that winter to get certified in 2005. Together we got started around this time of year and were certied locally in June.
In our case the discover dive provided that all important pre-assurance that YES, we can do this.
Pete
Meanwhile I had wanted to scuba dive since I was a little kid snorkeling locally in the ocean. Never the athletic type I never considered it in my range and life went on, we started a family and had a nice time of it all.
Fast forward to latter that summer 2004 and the then local scuba shop 1/2 a mile from the house. I was already a regular here on SB and had learned abut discover dives. I stopped into the shop looking to make a discover dive as a bucket list item. Already being comfortable with wetsuit, mask, fins, snorkel, weights and all it went great in a local pond that I already knew well.
A few weeks latter I announced to my wife that I wanted to start training that winter to get certified in 2005. Together we got started around this time of year and were certied locally in June.
In our case the discover dive provided that all important pre-assurance that YES, we can do this.
Pete
Griffo
Contributor
After reading some of the stories here I think I was spoiled.
I did a discover scuba a couple of years ago. We had 2 days left of a Thailand holiday, and the GF decided we had done enough snorkeling and that she wanted to go for a dive for the first time in 10 years. While I'd toyed with the idea of getting scuba certified over the years, I most likely never would have got around to it. After the Discover dive though, I was hooked, and the rest as they say is history.
An hour of basic instruction the night before, a quick reminder in the morning, 5 minutes in the shallows, and next thing I was doing back-rolls off a long-tail and having the time of my life. I was pretty lucky that my first ever dives were reef dives in the beautiful (and warm)Thai waters. I was obviously pretty comfortable (or just distracted by the fish
) as we got in two dives both around 50 mins at 40-60 feet. The second dive was a gentle drift dive with a live pickup. I didn't even know what an SMB was when the DI shot one off at the end of the second dive.
So yeah, my DSD's were a pretty awesome way to get into scuba.
I think we were only home a week or so before we'd booked in a holiday to Vanuatu to go dive the Coolidge and get me certified.
I did a discover scuba a couple of years ago. We had 2 days left of a Thailand holiday, and the GF decided we had done enough snorkeling and that she wanted to go for a dive for the first time in 10 years. While I'd toyed with the idea of getting scuba certified over the years, I most likely never would have got around to it. After the Discover dive though, I was hooked, and the rest as they say is history.
An hour of basic instruction the night before, a quick reminder in the morning, 5 minutes in the shallows, and next thing I was doing back-rolls off a long-tail and having the time of my life. I was pretty lucky that my first ever dives were reef dives in the beautiful (and warm)Thai waters. I was obviously pretty comfortable (or just distracted by the fish
) as we got in two dives both around 50 mins at 40-60 feet. The second dive was a gentle drift dive with a live pickup. I didn't even know what an SMB was when the DI shot one off at the end of the second dive.So yeah, my DSD's were a pretty awesome way to get into scuba.
I think we were only home a week or so before we'd booked in a holiday to Vanuatu to go dive the Coolidge and get me certified.
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I had completed my OW cert when I first heard of a discover scuba in open water. I was surprised at the story I was told about the 100' depth he said he went to.
K
KeithG
Guest
Nope. It was Not one of the viable options presented. Certify or get dumped were the choices.
My brand new girlfriend had just returned from her first scuba trip to Bonaire and indicated our first vacation would be a scuba trip to curaçao. I didn't swim. But I loved Jacques Cousteau.
So I sucked it up, signed up for OW course and spent the next few months splashing around the pool learning to swim well enough to get certified.
24 years later I still have 13 dives fewer than her.
My brand new girlfriend had just returned from her first scuba trip to Bonaire and indicated our first vacation would be a scuba trip to curaçao. I didn't swim. But I loved Jacques Cousteau.
So I sucked it up, signed up for OW course and spent the next few months splashing around the pool learning to swim well enough to get certified.
24 years later I still have 13 dives fewer than her.
My wife and I went to Cancun and while we were there we wandered over to Cozumel to ride the Atlantis. We thought that was cool, but it was too bad everything was so far away. So we rode the BOB submarines. Much cooler, but still not good enough. Especially since there are divers with you on the BOBs picking up starfish and such.
So we got in touch with Alvaro at AlwaysDiving.com. We did a morning in the pool, then went out for two tanks on the reef. We did another two tanks/day with him for the rest of our trip. When we got home, we booked another trip and started on then PADI online courses for OW and AOW. Back to Cancun and Alvaro for OW and AOW and we've never looked back.
What did we like? How relaxed it was. There was no pressure to sign up for the more expensive certification courses. The small group - Alvaro and us. He told us that even though 4:1 is allowed, he prefers 1-2 at a time.
So we got in touch with Alvaro at AlwaysDiving.com. We did a morning in the pool, then went out for two tanks on the reef. We did another two tanks/day with him for the rest of our trip. When we got home, we booked another trip and started on then PADI online courses for OW and AOW. Back to Cancun and Alvaro for OW and AOW and we've never looked back.
What did we like? How relaxed it was. There was no pressure to sign up for the more expensive certification courses. The small group - Alvaro and us. He told us that even though 4:1 is allowed, he prefers 1-2 at a time.
brnt999
Contributor
I just did a DS in January while I was on Vacation in Thailand. There was a dive shop across the street from my hotel and after walking by it for a week I got up the courage and stepped inside. 15 minutes later I was signed up for a 2 dive excursion out of Phuket the next day. There was just me and a DM and we were diving with 9 or 10 other certified divers out for a day of diving. It took an hour to get to the dive site and the DM and I just chatted about ourselves--there wasn't too much talk about what we were doing. I liked the guy and trusted him. I figured we wouldn't be doing this if it wasn't safe. I hadn't done any research and was oblivious to the dangers of diving. I was zoned in to what he told me and he seemed zoned in to me. The first dive he hovered over me and held on to my tank, and by the second dive I was basically on my own following him around. I was exhilerated by it and thought it was a piece of cake. ( ignorance is bliss). I went on to get certified and complete 25 dives over the next couple of months.
BabyDuck
Contributor
no, and i was so sure i was gonna like it that i bought all the gear before confined dive 1. thank goodness i was right, though of course i've bought everything over again as my diving evolved.
Bob DBF
Contributor
Yeah, I was diving for years before I heard about SCUBA certification.
I guess maybe freediving was my Discover SCUBA, I sure wanted to stay underwater longer.
Bob
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I may be old, but I’m not dead yet.
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