what were your first certifications?

[silvernotch]

how long did you go inbetween them? did you get a few one year then wait a few years before getting any more?

 

[cloudflint]

I got my padi open water in 5 days then worked for a year or so getting my ScotSAC sports diver qualification a couple of years ago. Im currently just chilling out doing dives getting more experience, im not in any rush to get more qualifications.

 

[Stujiro]

I did my deep diver specialty about an hour after i finished my open water.

Three weeks later i did my under water navigation.
two weeks after that i did my night diver specialty and my limited penetration wreck.

I might have been tempted to wait longer but my lds was running a buy one specialty get a second specialty free deal. Plus i had free rental and free air the first month i was certified. So i had a few extra motivations.

I'm glad i did it, as i feel like i'm a better diver because i took all of those classes.

 

[Zaixon]

I got my OW cert this year at the end of May, and I start my Advanced OW classes tonight and this weekend so thats.... 3-4 months heh. Got about 20 somethin dives

 

[ScubaSam]

I did my OW in 2007 cause I wanted to be a warm water vacation diver.

A year later 2008 I did AOW and Ntirox because I wanted to dive past 60 ft and dive in local cold water.

Six months after that I did my Rescue.because I wanted to more aware of my dive environments and be more self-aware underwater.

2009 I did Intro to Tech cause I was interested in tech and Fundies cause I wanted better precision and control in the water.

2010 is about honing in my drysuit and doubles skills so I can do my adv nitrox/deco procedure dives.

 

[AndrewA]

I started my first PADI course in December 1999 and finished in Jan 2000 (my instructor still recons I was the slowest student he ever taught taking a millenium to finish the course!) Ten years, and 700+, dives later I am still learning. I'll gvie a brief summary of the main qualifications:
PADI OW Jan 2000
PADI AOW May 2000
PADI Rescue July 2000
BSAC Dive Leader Dec 2001
BSAC Advanced Diver Sept 2003
ANDI Tech SafeAir July 2004
ITDA Trimix Aug 2006
BSAC Frist Class Oct 2007
TDI Rebreather Aug 2010

There is nothing quite so humbling as the first dive on a rebreather when you realise that you really are a novice again.

 

[Saint4429]

I went from OW to Rescue with 8 specialties in my first year of diving. I try and take at least one class a year. I'm a huge believer in continuing education, in diving and out!

*I believe there are some certifications that you shouldn't rush namely PRO & Tec.

 

[vladimir]

I got my "Scuba Diver" certification from the YMCA in 1975. In 1991 I got re-certified by PADI and NAUI with my wife. In 1999 I got my Nitrox card. So it's been 11 years and ~500 dives, it might be time for another cert. AOW maybe?

 

[Rhone Man]

I did each of my first 4 certifications as soon as I was old enough to under the old PADI rules; that made me wait 3 years between certs, but not a day longer.

First cert - PADI Junior OWD (1984)
Most recent cert - TDI Adv Wreck (2009)
I haven't counted, but I would guess 15 or so in between?

 

[TMHeimer]

First ones after OW were AOW, Nitrox, ERF and Rescue within a year. After Rescue I became amazed there weren't at least some basic rescue skills taught in OW. Particularly OOA and unconscious diver at depth.