Newby on first SCUBA Trip

[Grover48]

I just got back from my first dive trip. I was certified on October 5 and left for 17 days in Mexico on October 21. We have had the trip planned for a year but just decided to include diving. I went through the certification pool process in a weekend and went on 4 open water dives the following weekend. Quite an adventure.

I found this forum and started reading the many posts. When we arrived in Cancun, I scheduled a dive trip. The port was closed due to weather. It was open one day out of 10 so I did not dive while in Cancun. We went to our second destination further south and stayed for 7 days. I went to a local dive shop and could not find anyone who spoke English more than a few words. I was not comfortable there. I went to another shop a short distance away and walked into a different world. The fellow at the counter spoke English. He explained to me that I would have a dive master with me on every dive. I could run a tab and pay at the end of the week. I could mix and match my dives to my experience and comfort level. I signed up for a dive the next morning.

I spent 6 days diving at every opportunity. I had the same dive master for every dive. I had told him I was new and had only my 4 certification dives. He worked with me to improve my skills each dive. Buoyancy control, breathing, fin technique and how to care for the reef were just a few of the things I learned. We dove the underwater cenotes, caverns, in fresh water.

I learned much from this man during my stay. I logged 22 dives and have taken steps to become a better diver. Thanks to the members of this forum, I had the courage to walk away from the first shop because I did not feel comfortable with them.

I met another diver while there. We became fast friends and made several dives together. There were three dives I made where I was the only paying customer aboard. The dive master and I went down and the captain trailed us while we drifted the reef.

All in all it was a great experience. I am hooked!! I am making plans to return next year. I plan to have completed my AOW cert by then.

Thanks for your support and help so far with this new era in my life.

 

[psumike]

Congrats on the cert and the smarts to find a shop where you felt comfortable. Sounds like a great find. What shop was it?

Mike

 

[CamG]

Greetings Grover48 it sounds like your trip was awesome! Did you get to dive in Coz or Playa? I to had a great trip early in my diving to Mexico that was a incredible experience. While there we dove with a great guy Tim Dow , like you said it made our dives remarkable. Everyone in the group had a ball! Our dive briefings were very detailed and in spanish, french, and english. It was a trip that we all will never forget, I know it was the spring board that put my diving in gear.
I encourage you to get involved in your local scene and stay in the water. Continue your training as soon as possible. Read and research about diving feed the desire to become the best diver you can!
I have been diving not two years yet and still I dream of those awesome drift dives!
I love my local diving as much as Mexico and it is so much easier to get to. In the time I have been diving I have met some incredible people and made some life-long friends.
My dive buddies are like my brothers and diving has changed my life!
Good luck and safe diving Grover!
CamG Keep diving....keep training....keep learning!

 

[The Chairman]

Thanks Grover! You are the main reason we exist. We were never meant to grow this big but we have learned that it's most important to help one diver at a time. New or used, this forum exists to help you learn skills and and garner the knowledge to be a better diver. A far better diver!

Good luck, and thanks for the positive feedback!

I just got back from my first dive trip. I was certified on October 5 and left for 17 days in Mexico on October 21. We have had the trip planned for a year but just decided to include diving. I went through the certification pool process in a weekend and went on 4 open water dives the following weekend. Quite an adventure.

I found this forum and started reading the many posts. When we arrived in Cancun, I scheduled a dive trip. The port was closed due to weather. It was open one day out of 10 so I did not dive while in Cancun. We went to our second destination further south and stayed for 7 days. I went to a local dive shop and could not find anyone who spoke English more than a few words. I was not comfortable there. I went to another shop a short distance away and walked into a different world. The fellow at the counter spoke English. He explained to me that I would have a dive master with me on every dive. I could run a tab and pay at the end of the week. I could mix and match my dives to my experience and comfort level. I signed up for a dive the next morning.

I spent 6 days diving at every opportunity. I had the same dive master for every dive. I had told him I was new and had only my 4 certification dives. He worked with me to improve my skills each dive. Buoyancy control, breathing, fin technique and how to care for the reef were just a few of the things I learned. We dove the underwater cenotes, caverns, in fresh water.

I learned much from this man during my stay. I logged 22 dives and have taken steps to become a better diver. Thanks to the members of this forum, I had the courage to walk away from the first shop because I did not feel comfortable with them.

I met another diver while there. We became fast friends and made several dives together. There were three dives I made where I was the only paying customer aboard. The dive master and I went down and the captain trailed us while we drifted the reef.

All in all it was a great experience. I am hooked!! I am making plans to return next year. I plan to have completed my AOW cert by then.

Thanks for your support and help so far with this new era in my life.

 

[Grover48]

Thanks Doc.

I am an administrator on a Harley Davidson Forum with over 60,000 members. It started out very small and grew by helping one member at a time.

I find a similar kindred spirit here.

Thanks for making me feel at home here.

 

[dwaters]

yup, this board has help me continue learning and diving.
Hey, Grover48, is Walker Basin in Kern county... if so you're close enough to drop on down to some of the best cool water diving here in SoCal. Feel free to join in our fun here:
http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/beach-crabs/ and
http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/socal/
Enjoy!!!

 

[Grover48]

Yes, Walker Basin is east of Bakersfield. I took my certification dives in the Channel Islands.

I will look in on the other forums.

Thanks for the invitation.

 

[icedtea_]

Hi! I am so happy to have found this forum! I am going on a 6day trip to Playa del Carmen in December and I plan to go scuba diving. I've done an intro dive once in the Philippines and loved it=). I'm am really considering diving as a hobby. Do you think it's a good idea to sign up for an Open water certification course during my Mexico trip? Thanks!

 

[dwhthediver]

I just got back from my first dive trip. I was certified on October 5 and left for 17 days in Mexico on October 21. We have had the trip planned for a year but just decided to include diving. I went through the certification pool process in a weekend and went on 4 open water dives the following weekend. Quite an adventure.

I found this forum and started reading the many posts. When we arrived in Cancun, I scheduled a dive trip. The port was closed due to weather. It was open one day out of 10 so I did not dive while in Cancun. We went to our second destination further south and stayed for 7 days. I went to a local dive shop and could not find anyone who spoke English more than a few words. I was not comfortable there. I went to another shop a short distance away and walked into a different world. The fellow at the counter spoke English. He explained to me that I would have a dive master with me on every dive. I could run a tab and pay at the end of the week. I could mix and match my dives to my experience and comfort level. I signed up for a dive the next morning.

I spent 6 days diving at every opportunity. I had the same dive master for every dive. I had told him I was new and had only my 4 certification dives. He worked with me to improve my skills each dive. Buoyancy control, breathing, fin technique and how to care for the reef were just a few of the things I learned. We dove the underwater cenotes, caverns, in fresh water.

I learned much from this man during my stay. I logged 22 dives and have taken steps to become a better diver. Thanks to the members of this forum, I had the courage to walk away from the first shop because I did not feel comfortable with them.

I met another diver while there. We became fast friends and made several dives together. There were three dives I made where I was the only paying customer aboard. The dive master and I went down and the captain trailed us while we drifted the reef.

All in all it was a great experience. I am hooked!! I am making plans to return next year. I plan to have completed my AOW cert by then.

Thanks for your support and help so far with this new era in my life.

Reactions like this is why I became an instructor, congratulations, and dive, dive, dive, and then dive some more, and always be learning, taking the advanced class is a good way to see what specialities interest you, and of course it is more bottom time, keep up the great work, and congratulations on walking away from the dive shop where you did not feel comfortable

 

[ligersandtions]

Hi! I am so happy to have found this forum! I am going on a 6day trip to Playa del Carmen in December and I plan to go scuba diving. I've done an intro dive once in the Philippines and loved it=). I'm am really considering diving as a hobby. Do you think it's a good idea to sign up for an Open water certification course during my Mexico trip? Thanks!

Personally, I'd try to do the class at home if you can, that way all your time underwater is spent looking at cool things, rather than flooding your mask and clearing it. If you can't finish it before your trip, maybe you could get the universal referral form and take it to a dive shop of your choice to finish up (for this, you do the classromm / written portion of the course, as well as the confined water....but then do the open water in Mexico).