Finally getting started!

[Skittl1321]

I got my medical clearance so we are signed up for open water! We visited the dive shop today to pick up our pre-course study materials and buy fins. Both my husband and I ended up with Cressi Frog Plus fins with short-boots. I had been thinking about going with cheaper bare foot fins, but I didn't like how they fit. He was thinking about getting more expensive spring strap ones, but we both thought the springs put too much pressure on our Achilles tendons. I've never successfully swam with fins before, so I'm hoping these ones will work for me. I'm also hoping the shop gets the color I want in stock before my class: pink! Pretty pink fins will be better motivation for diving. If they can't get the stock in, I'll be going with boring blue.

We started watching the PADI DVD tonight and all I can say is I hope the class is more rigorous than this! Pretty much everything covered I have already picked up from reading scubaboard! It is also really long with way too many 'humorous' cut scenes! Get rid of the crap and just tell me the things I need to know!

Classroom and confined dives are in two weeks. It is really short- just 1 weekend, so I think 8 hours of class and 8 hours of pool total. The dive shop does let you take the next month's pool time without extra charge if you need it, but we are on the list to do our open water check outs at the end of June. Lots of anxiety watching the skills we have to do- so I hope I can make it!

Tomorrow is dedicated to book work. Studying for diving is a great way to spend a long weekend!

 

[diversteve]

The issue with barefoot fins is that coral is sharp. If you always only dive off a sandy beach or a boat they're fine but you'll get more functional use out of open heel fins with different boots for the appropriate conditions. At many shore dive locations you walk in over rocks/ironshore/coral rubble then put on your fins.

If the Cressi's have a standard post - I believe they do - you can add generic spring straps later if desired.

 

[Skittl1321]

Yeah- the woman recommended the short boots because they serve as foot protection for shore dives. We decided not to get the longer boots just to save a little bit of money since we plan to only warm water dive. I think that was a good compromise- we spent more on the fins rather than getting really cheap ones. I was kind of surprised my husband didn't get higher end ones though, but he liked the feel of these better. We figured it will make more sense to start him in better equipment because he is more likely to stick with it- for me, it is more of a gamble. I'm not a fish like he is, so it makes sense to risk buying twice if I want to upgrade.

We also tried a few masks on in the store and were amazed how much more comfortable they are then our snorkel masks. But the shop owner said our masks should work fine, so we decided to wait to upgrade them until we see how well they work. There are plenty of other things to buy!