Okay, I'm certified...so now what?

[Leejnd]

DH and I just finished our certification -- YAY! We did all our class/pool work here at home (Ventura County, CA) at Sport Chalet, then did our OW dives as referrals in St. Thomas and St. Maarten, while on a cruise. It was fantastic, and I'm so excited about really diving into this sport (pun intended!)

So...what now? How do we continue to pursue diving? I hope these questions don't seem too dense, but hey I'm a noob so bear with me. I know that you can sign up to go on a dive boat, but...having not done this...how does this work? You just sign up and show up? I guess I'm afraid that we'll go there and see a bunch of people bustling around who seem to know exactly what they're doing, while we're standing around going "...um...". Having only done instructor-led dives, I'm not sure what happens once you're certified. Does the boat just take you out there and say, "have at it"?

Also, what would y'all recommend for improving our skills? Once you're certified, are you expected to just get out there and practice on your own? I feel very comfortable with all the basic OW skills that we learned and demonstrated during our course, except for one -- compass navigation. Our last referral dive instructor wasn't the best of the bunch, and he kinda glossed over this skill. And now that we're considering going off and diving on our own, I have some concerns over how to ensure we find our way back to the boat. Any suggestions on how to learn more and work on this skill?

And finally, here's a question that's of great concern to me. I took this course with my hubby, so here at home we'll be doing all our dives together. But in November I'm heading off on a 3-week cruise from New Zealand through the Tahitian islands, and I've signed up for a whole bunch of dives out there (it's one of the main reasons I wanted to get certified). I'll be taking that cruise with my Mom, so no hubby. So how do I get a buddy when I go diving? When you go off on these dives, does the dive master buddy you up with someone, or are the divers supposed to work that out amongst themselves? What if everyone else on the boat is a couple, and I'm the sole single?

Again, I hope these questions don't come across as too dopey...I just want to be fully prepared.

Thanks for any help you all can offer!

LeeAnne

 

[mikerault]

Usually the concept of buddies gets a little fuzzy if you dive with the POD people on cruises, the dives are usually herd dives with everyone following the divemaster. However, usually there is no problem pairing up with someone.

Now just dive your buns off...lakes, quarries or if you are lucky enough, a nearby ocean. Get with a dive group near you, a good place to start is down in the regional forums. Go dive the Kelp forests of Norther California...have fun!

Mike

 

[dlndavid]

well, LeeAnne, how much gear do you own? You will always need more gear, get out the wallet.

 

[BarryNL]

The best route is probably to join a dive club in your area. This will give you the chance to go on semi-organised club dives and to buddy up with more experienced divers who will no doubt be more than happy to pass on their knowledge - some of it will even be useful.

 

[Wayward Son]

Cheaper - locate shore dive locations within reach & find someone to dive with. Then go diving as much as you can.

More costly, but free of sand - Charters. Usually booked through a dive shop in the city the boat launches from. Call some dive shops & ask what types of charters they have suitable for new divers. While you can buddy with a stranger, you'd be better off to have a regular dive buddy who can go with you & book your dives together.

 

[Matteo]

check out the SoCal forum on here....lots of good folks that I'm sure wouldn't mind you tagging along

 

[neophyte]

In my opinion, the best thing you could do right away would be to head over to the
SoCal section of the California Kelp Divers forum.

This is a particularly active area for diving. We have shore dive/BBQ gatherings (Wrinkles Dives) every month as well as a monthly boat dive (Mo2vation Dives). In other words a whole bunch of us get together every two weeks. These outings simply couldn't be any friendlier (or more fun), beginners are very welcome and you should consider yourself invited.

You'll also find plenty of individuals posting to arrange dives all the time and all over the place. I only moved here a month or so after getting certified, knowing no one but my wife and her family, and still can't believe how many great people to dive with I've met here. Our first child will be three weeks old tomorrow, so lately I've been turning down a lot of invitations, but at least a couple a week are still trickling in.

As to your other questions, opinions differ as to where your continuing education should come from. Lots of people will tell you to dive as much as possible and get more experience before you start taking more classes. I went straight from my OW course to taking Advanced Open Water and, while it certainly didn't make me anything even approaching an "advanced" diver, I did learn plenty and got to do more work with an instructor on underwater navigation.

Oddly enough, the first two dives I did outside of a class (numbers 10 and 11) were in/off of Bora Bora. I got on the boat alone. As was mentioned above everyone just sort of dived as a herd with a DM leading, another DM following and a third videotaping everything for a dvd to try to sell to us afterwards. If you get a chance to dive with mantas, don't pass it up.

Have lots of fun and be safe,

Adam

 

[spectrum]

Well by going to warm water for your checkout dives in warm water you short sheeted yourself just a little so you should get a local orientation.

Since you and DH are in this together the buddy issue is covered. Get a mentor, DM or instructor to take you out for a few local shore dives. Get accustomed to the local exposure protection and to making entries and exits. After that the two of you are certified divers and can begin building your abilities. Shore dives are nice in that they are cheap and done at your own pace.

Hooking up with a local club is a good way to break into a circle of other companions. Diving with experienced divers can be very helpful. Here is a link to some stuff that has worked well for us:
http://home.gwi.net/~spectrum/scuba_buddies.html

As a last resort dive right into AOW but personally I think you'd be best served doing so with 1-2 dozen dives made in your local waters. That is exactly what is required by one of our local dive shops of divers who have done their checkout dives away.

Dive safe and often,
Pete

 

[randini]

Congratulatioins & wlecome to the underwaterworld. To answer your manin question, Yes, for the most part you are on your own to get more practice. By that I mean you are responsible for how much more divcing you do or do not do. Get into a local dive club or go to a LDS. Both usually offer boat charters and the dive club memebers will know all the good local spots for a shore dive. They also frequently organize shore dives where the whole club is there and have BBQ after. It would probably be a good idea since there will stillbe other people around that can help out until you're absolutely confortable inteh water.

From Ventura it's like a 1.5 hour boat trip out to the channel islands (usualy Anacapa or Santa Cruz) where visibility is much clearer than shore dives. I'm not sure how much these trips run now, since I've been away from Cali for about 9 years now (IIRC they were like $30 back then), but I think that would be the way to go. First there will be dive masters on the boat to help you out with any problems you may have and sort of watching over the crowd. Second, since they have compressors on the boat, you can usually get about 4 dives in on a day trip during which you and DH can do what you want (I'd suggest practice compass navigating since you mention that being a weak point for you) and get more experience in the water. Third, September/October is a GREAT time to get out there as the water's clearer (fewer plankton blooms) and it's still not too cold out.

Beach dives can be tiresome and if you're not comfortable compass navigating, that will mean lots of surface swimming (and more tiring). Also, if you have to rent gear, chances are unless you rent several tanks, you won't get as many dives in. Considiring the swim out & back to shore, I doub't you'd get more than 2 dives in (probably only one) in a day making the cost per dive kind of steep.

On that cruise there might be other singles looking to buddy up, so I don't think it'll be much of an issue. But, keep your fingers crossed.

 

[Blackwood]

I know that you can sign up to go on a dive boat, but...having not done this...how does this work?

Your LDS probably charters boat trips. Try there. Also, there are websites where you can find info on local boats: www.californiadiveboats.com comes to mind.

Give your shop and some boats a call. Let them know you're a new diver so that you don't mistakenly sign up for an "advanced" dive like Farnsworth.

You just sign up and show up? I guess I'm afraid that we'll go there and see a bunch of people bustling around who seem to know exactly what they're doing

Fear not. That's exactly what you'll see. Fortunately, divers tend to be a friendly, helpful bunch. But if no one offers assistance, ask a crew member.

Does the boat just take you out there and say, "have at it"?

Yah, that's pretty much how it works around here (it's much different than the charters you'll find in the tropics).

The captain goes where he thinks the diving will be good, and the DM (who generally remains on the boat) will brief everyone: how deep the boat is, how deep the anchor is, what to look for, when to be back, etc..