How did you choose your first agency?

[ivobj]

When I did my OW I didn't know the agencies, PADI, NAUI, SSI, PDIC, etc, they all was just some nice codes I never heard about... so my decision was based in 2 things, I was a college student full time, so basically I was broke, choose a cheap course, when I got there talked with the instructor and he inspired confidence, so I did it...

 

[Sas]

I had no idea about any kind of scuba agency when I started diving. I picked the shop that had the most comprehensive course. It turned out to be SSI.

 

[ScubaDocER]

It's ironic that my experience parallels Jim's so closely. Like many I am finding out, I did not know there were other training agencies out there. I did a Discover Scuba class in Jamaica in 1999 and was hooked. I came back home and started asking about dive shops that were available. I found one that a few of the people at my hospital used and it was a PADI facility. I signed up and had a great time. My Instructor was fantastic and taught me the basics and was both a NAUI and PADI Instructor. I went all the way through until I discovered cave diving and then things REALLY changed. When I was ready to become a DM and finally an Instructor, all of the people who initially trained me were now with NAUI exclusively. To be honest with you, I did not know there WERE other agencies that taught scuba diving until I came on ScubaBoard!!

I appreciate all of the training and education I received from my Instructors/CD. While I am glad that they trained me as a NAUI Instructor, I don't regret any of the education I received during my stint under the PADI system. I should stipulate however that my Instructors were cave divers/cave Instructors as well as NAUI Instructors and that looking back on it now, I was taught things more from that perspective than I was from a PADI perspective. The training was good and the education was even better so I am happy even if I don't know which system they were actually teaching me under.

To actually answer the question though, since GUE does not have an OW class yet, if I were doing it all over again, I would start with NAUI and stay with them all the way through. Come to think of it, given the Instructors I had, I probably did .

 

[DevonDiver]

I just knew that I wanted to learn to dive. I went to a dive shop, liked the instructor, and signed for a course. It happened to be PADI.

I do know that many customers do come asking "to do their paddy"...but I don't think this is a result of any detailed consideration of the merits of individual dive agencies.

 

[Diver0001]

I was clueless too. When I first started diving there were two options where I lived. Take it at the university where some of the students had organized funding from the student union and pay next to nothing or take it off campus and pay actual money.

The course at the university was PADI, which at the time had about 98% of the market in Vancouver. I think there were one or two NAUI instructors in the area in those days, the rest were PADI.

R..

 

[El Orans]

Another vote for Dr. Seuse.

Now I'm slightly more picky...

 

[glbtrekker]

I'm in the same boat of trying to pick an agency. Not having ever taken any classes, I'm at a loss. I've heard that NAUI is a little more demanding/physical, but I haven't heard any specifics as to how. Can anyone tell me? What exactly makes NAUI more difficult and/or better (subjective I know)?

 

[TSandM]

What's an agency? Peter and I drove down to the shop that's five minutes from our house, and asked when they were having a class. I didn't even know there were "agencies" at that point.

As several have said, I would do things quite differently now.

To actually answer the question though, since GUE does not have an OW class yet, if I were doing it all over again, I would start with NAUI and stay with them all the way through.

GUE does have an open water class now, and it has actually been taught a few times already. UTD also has an open water class, and it is being taught as well.

 

[Jim Lapenta]

I'm in the same boat of trying to pick an agency. Not having ever taken any classes, I'm at a loss. I've heard that NAUI is a little more demanding/physical, but I haven't heard any specifics as to how. Can anyone tell me? What exactly makes NAUI more difficult and/or better (subjective I know)?

It is not that it may be more difficult or even special. What makes the difference is what is included in the class in terms of knowledge and skills. Does the instructor adhere to standards or try to exceed them? Does he/she challenge the students or is it a monkey see,monkey do approach? How long is the class, a weekend, two weekends, or several weeks? Just what kind of knowledge and skills are required for completion? Walter has an excellent post on choosing an instructor and could apply to an agency as well here:

http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/ne...ng/287780-how-find-excellent-scuba-class.html

read his post and ask the questions of your potential instructor. You are also welcome to PM me for more info.

 

[leabre]

My instructor could hand out any card he wanted upon request. While an SSI shop, I requested a NAUI card. Could have provided a YMCA, La Country, NAUI, PADI, SSI, and Harvard mail order degree if I wanted. All my subsequent training mostly has been NAUI. Actually, after completing LACO ADP I also got a NAUI rescue and master diver with it. What's it matter?

There are some places I've observed produce really crappy OW students and some that produce spectacular students. It is the instructor, not the shop (for the most part). The best thing to do is hopefully find a good diver and ask them where they got their training (if locally) and accept the referral. Talk to the instructor first and determine if you even like them and so on, but the fact is a pre-OW is in no position to adequately interview a potential instructor for qualification. Sometimes you just take roll dice and take a chance. Every instructor will get you in the water so you can fill tanks and most hopefully safely.

I was at Catalina Island today and 3 rescue crews were called to the Point because of students panicing or doing becoming endangered in some way. I thought to myself, how the hell can our state of training be so bad that thrice in one day something happens during training? This is only the day I'm there, what about others?

Over time, I'll be you that students of such incidents will have come from SSI, PADI, NAUI, YMCA, SEI, or whatever. If students follow their training from most any instructor (not all instructors), they will probably be fine. 3 simple rules: Respect your training limits, watch your air, don't cork (and if you do don't hold your breath). Such is taught in all OW classes. Just some instructors are better about not granting a card until the student is ready.