what things do i need to know

[Walter]

Read Scuba Diving by Dennis Graver. It's the best text I've seen.

 

[knotical]

a lot of the best books have punctuation don't let that deter you youll get used to it after awhile

 

[fisher2]

im not trying to learn so i dont have to get offical training im just trying to learn as much as i can so i can be a little more sure of the fact i know what to do so when i take the class im not bombarded with info without any idea on anything like im a slow learner at some things like the padi dive charts took me an hour to figure it out with any certainty so im trying to get all of the things i really need so when i take the course it'll be like a slight refresher and some new things

 

[randini]

If you were able to figure out the padi dive tables on your own in an hour, I'd hardly call you a slow learner. Find a good instructor and just go take the class. If you have any problems with any of the topics, that's what the instructor's there for. It's his/her job to make sure the material is crystal clear and that you are confident in your understanding of the material before having you take any exams. In other words when you sign up for the class, you are paying them to teach you the material to become a certified diver.

However if you still want to do the prestudying, I'd say pick up an open water diver manual from any of the cert agencies and give it a read (the book walter links to looks good as well, got quite favorable reviews on amazon as well, but I've never seen it). That should give you a good idea of what topics will be covered and what you feel you'll need to research more.

 

[jpro]

The SSI (Scuba Schools International) website (Google it - this board doesn't allow me to post the web address until my post count increases...) allows you to read through the information, and do a short quiz section by section for the academic "book studying" portion of their course for FREE. It's how I started out last fall, before registering for actual classes in the new year. Even if you wind up doing your course with another agency, you'll have had that background and some time for it to sink in.

Good luck!

 

[TSandM]

If you particularly want to learn stuff before your class, I will again recommend the PADI Encyclopedia. It's really a good reference book -- you may or may not like the style of the writing, but there is a lot of very good information there.

 

[Amphiprion]

I would suggest learning how to snorkel well. By Snorkel, I don't mean just laying flat on the surface, but diving down to see something interesting. Learn how to do various types of kicks, flutter (like in freestyle swimming), frog (like in breast stroke), dolphin (like butterfly stroke) and helicopter (turning in a circle with the axis of the turn being the middle of your chest).

I'd also suggest learning how to clear your mask if you can. This is often one of the biggest chalenges for divers in open water class for some reason.

 

[knowone]

Yeah. Started snorkelling in the late 60s as a younger boy and swam around until my mask filled, stood up and emptied it. Many many times. What's this all about? Fun?.
So. I went to the LIBRARY filled my head with as much as could fit and today am able to fill other peoples heads with my really well structured blurbs.

 

[fjpatrum]

Maybe it's me, but I think you've already found one of the best resources for learning more about diving. I took my cert class in May and I've learned almost as much from reading scubaboard in the last 3 months as I did in my class. Certainly the fine folks here have helped clarify some things and introduced me to some others that simply didn't get discussed in my OW class.

Read as much as you can, but participate here as well. You'll find this a fount of knowledge that is easy to access and far more interactive than a book. Plus, it's like reading hundreds of books all at the same time.

 

[tah81]

I agree, the forum is a great resource for learning a lot.