Does "Discover SCUBA" discourage new divers?

[beepbird]

I did a discover Scuba 20 yrs ago in Barbados. My friend and I both did it. She freaked out and felt claustrophobic and I have been diving ever since. I think it depends on the person and their comfort in the water. I'm glad I did it!

 

[ncgator]

I did a Discover Scuba course while in Key Largo for my birthday a few years back. The course was a bit of classroom - a film mostly, some pool work that was quite good including mask removal/replace and clearing in the morning, then two dives on the reef around Pennekamp Park - the Benwood wreck and Christ of the Abyss. I think I was lucky - lots of snorkeling experience and 1:1 instructor ratio but a fantastic start to diving and clearly got me hooked.

 

[Damselfish]

I thought discover scuba and resort course were usually different names for the same basic instruction, with the terms getting used interchangeably when it's done in an easy tropical location where going out in OW can make sense. I don't think you can automatically assume either is good or bad from the name. Clearly these things can go either way. (Like many people, I know someone who had a crappy experience, and it does sound like it may have been the fault of a poorly taught resort experience more than it not "being her thing.")

 

[divingpyrate]

Discovery dives play an important role for beginners
I would not be certified if it were not for discovery dives
Diving is not for everyone, and finding that out early is a good thing
The last member of our family will do her first discovery dive on our next trip
The certified family members will do the dive as well.

Sent from my A500 using Tapatalk 2

 

[Quero]

She told me later that the incredible visibility was actually a distracting factor. Once she put her head under the water and saw allllllll that ocean, it scared her to death. She attempted to descend a couple times but could not get over her fear and, wisely, thumbed her dive.

Interesting reaction! I had the same thing happen once with a customer who was already a certified diver who was used to murky water. He got in, saw how far it was to the bottom, and got right back onto the boat. For him it was just such a surprise, and he was able to collect himself and do the next dive no problem, but people have trouble believing me when I tell them that clear water can be stressful in some cases.

 

[GrimSleeper]

[Hijack] We had something similar when I was working at a PADI CDC in another SE Asian country - an OWSI from the UK came to do MSDT/IDC Staff Instructor. She'd issued something like 100 certifications, so we were all a bit surprised when she came back from her first morning conducting Open Water dives and announced she couldn't teach there. Why? 'I can see for miles and everything's moving, it's too distracting!' Turned out she'd done all of her teaching in quarries... [/Hijack]

 

[dive_turkey]

My wife was concerned about the claustrophobic feeling of wearing all the equipment and the mask. I encouraged her to come take a Discover class at the pool while I completed my Scuba Review at the deep end. After I'd finished demonstrating all of my skills I got to swim in the shallow end with my wife. She had a great time, and will be taking her OW next spring when it starts to warm up!

I think it just depends on the environment and the instructor you get.

 

[vladodessit]

I had an absolutely wonderful experience with DSD at the resort in Puerto Vallarta. I was with my my 9 year old son (I know, too young, but he did as good or better then most adults). We had a class session (discussion then PADI video), then pool exercise (mask drills, air sharing, VERY BASIC buoyancy, things like this). Then it was OW. I was a bit heavy at the begging, instructor took some lead off me, then I turned maybe pound or two too light at the end. Surfaced with like 200psi in the Al80 (I let instructor know at like 600, he hand signed to continue, I had a lot of extra gas right next to me in my son's tank, so I didn't worry too much. Anyway, about an year later we had OW cards in the mail (Jr. OW for my son, obviously). OW was super easy, we did most of the skills in our DSD. We just blew through the course with no issues.

 

[ScubaSteve1962]

I had an absolutely wonderful experience with DSD at the resort in Puerto Vallarta. I was with my my 9 year old son (I know, too young, but he did as good or better then most adults). We had a class session (discussion then PADI video), then pool exercise (mask drills, air sharing, VERY BASIC buoyancy, things like this). Then it was OW. I was a bit heavy at the begging, instructor took some lead off me, then I turned maybe pound or two too light at the end. Surfaced with like 200psi in the Al80 (I let instructor know at like 600, he hand signed to continue, I had a lot of extra gas right next to me in my son's tank, so I didn't worry too much. Anyway, about an year later we had OW cards in the mail (Jr. OW for my son, obviously). OW was super easy, we did most of the skills in our DSD. We just blew through the course with no issues.

Great for you and your son, arty: just hope you're not in the habit of depending on extra air in your buddy's tank.

 

[TMHeimer]

My wife was concerned about the claustrophobic feeling of wearing all the equipment and the mask. I encouraged her to come take a Discover class at the pool while I completed my Scuba Review at the deep end. After I'd finished demonstrating all of my skills I got to swim in the shallow end with my wife. She had a great time, and will be taking her OW next spring when it starts to warm up!

I think it just depends on the environment and the instructor you get.

Pools usually require a shorty or less. No way my wife would put on a 7 mil wetsuit with her claustraphobia (having seen me in one), regardless of who the instructor was. Too bad, as she has no claustrophobic feelings about going underwater.