New Diver , Next steps

[MichaelMc]

2. Keep notes, in your log or otherwise, after every dive about what you feel you could have done better, or if you are having some gear issue. When I started out, and every time thereafter that I changed configurations, I made a point of trying to identify the one, two or three things that really bothered me most about a dive or series of dives, and then fix it for the next time either through practice or tweaking the setup.

Eventually, as you fix things one by one, you'll find that there's either nothing left, or what is left is really trivial. Especially in the beginning, it is an iterative process.

^^^ This

 

[divad]

And, would that apply to Bonaire, too?

Yes.

 

[hhmoore]

I did my OW in Albany. Personally, I feel that I want/need to improve my skills before heading off on a dive vacation...primarily because I think I'd be better able to enjoy myself. My main struggle is with buoyancy (little help in that area from OWC); but I'm getting there. Once I have better control, I'll probably join the local dive club.
Went in for the first time this year, yesterday - 43 degrees at 42 ft. (Ahh - the joys of diving locally)

 

[Neilwood]

I did my OW in Albany. Personally, I feel that I want/need to improve my skills before heading off on a dive vacation...primarily because I think I'd be better able to enjoy myself. My main struggle is with buoyancy (little help in that area from OWC); but I'm getting there. Once I have better control, I'll probably join the local dive club.
Went in for the first time this year, yesterday - 43 degrees at 42 ft. (Ahh - the joys of diving locally)

I would do the opposite - join the local dive club now and get diving. The more diving you do, the more comfortable you will feel and the better control you will have. A lot of clubs will go out of their way to help you with it (just be up front about your experience).

Going on a weeks diving trip will help your diving no end - think of it as a concentrated dive clinic. You can still have lots of fun but getting all that time in the water helps a huge amount.

 

[hhmoore]

I certainly understand the logic that could lead one to that suggestion...but, in reality, joining the dive club won't get me in the water much (due to scheduling issues).
As far as the dive trip - if I'm struggling with buoyancy here, in the only conditions to which I have been exposed, I think salt water & a different wetsuit are likely to compound that. I've got a Peak Buoyancy course coming up which, combined with regular diving, should significantly improve my comfort in that area.

 

[Saniflush]

I would agree with @Neilwood . Mrs. Flush was a bit in the same boat as you. She had maybe 15-20 dives under her and we went on a week liveaboard. She got more experience and comfort in a week's time than she had gotten with the same number of dives over the course of six months. Every dive allowed her to tweak minor things until she found the right combination for her and because we were doing 4-5 dives a day it allowed her to reinforce the things that worked immediately and build upon them.
Whether it is a dive vacation or local club matters little in my book just start getting wet!

 

[hhmoore]

Truth be told, to an extent, I'm convincing myself that I'm better off working on things here for a while. (Sort of a sour grapes thing, since two tentatively planned dive trips fell through due to issues with my dive buddy's schedule.) Not a such big deal now that I can get back in the water here.

 

[Tug]

If I lived that close to the Saint Lawrence Seaway, I would rather go there frequently than sit on an airplane for a ridiculous amount of time.

+1 to the St Lawrence Seaway! You’re close enough that it’s easy to do some frequent trips there. The diving is awesome and I’m the summer it’s a lot warmer than any lakes around you.