Scuba dive certification

[FlyKaesan]

Thanks! I have some company that I will look into and also ask the resort.
Just thinking about diving makes me itch to get out there right now...
I can't wait.....

 

[loosefeet]

Do you have a local Junior College around? They may offer scuba courses, so you can get certified, and then do dives when you get to Hawaii. That is what we did--had to scuba in cold water with full wet suit, hauling all the equipment, etc. It was much more fun for me in my bathing suit in the warm waters off Cozumel after preparing at home--and they even helped me get my fins off!

 

[BocaBum99]

My son is now a certified Open Water Diver! We went into the dive shop last Wednesday to sign up for the course. He read the book, watched the video and went to an all day cram and pool session on Tuesday. He passed all the end of chapter quizzes and the final.

We did 4 open water dives, 2 on Wed and 2 on Thursday. He completed his log book, got his stamps and a temporary c-card. Way too easy. 5 more dives and he will be an advanced open water diver. I think we will do that later in the year so he can go on the deep dives with me.

 

[renee]

Something else to think about if you don't have your own regulator is to find out their process for cleaning the mouth piece after they have been used.
I was certified in 84, when females getting certified wasn't a common occurance, at least around here, and I learned the hard way about using a rental. I"m sure now, since there are more people taking classes, that there is better control over how that is handled. Always good to check into though.
Also, watch the drinking when you are on a dive vacation. Saw bad effects from that happen to fellow divers. Always play it safe.
Haven't dove in about 5 years and this thread is making me want to get back out there.

 

[DeniseM]

for those of you who are the loan diver in your family - how do you handle not having a dive partner? do you shore dive by yourself? or do you always go on dive boats for safety reasons, which gets expensive?

 

[Ken555]

I got certified a couple of years ago during my first stay at WKORV at the dive shop at the resort. I was able to take "classes" and dives at both WKORV and the Sheraton (Black Rock). The same company has other hotel locations on Maui, and I did a beach dive at The Princess hotel (I think... southern most hotel in Wailea) which had a great turtle feeding station and more.

While I didn't like "wasting" my vacation studying it was a great opportunity to do it. FYI, I originally intended to just take a couple of dives and not get certified. But after the two dives they told me they would apply the cost of those dives toward the certification program, so I just went ahead with it.

Web Site - hmm, seems they are no longer in as many hotels...

 

[Ken555]

for those of you who are the loan diver in your family - how do you handle not having a dive partner? do you shore dive by yourself? or do you always go on dive boats for safety reasons, which gets expensive?

You should never dive by yourself. I've not dived many times yet but have always gone with a group / instructor. Since I need equipment anyway, there's not much savings in not going with an instructor.

 

[BocaBum99]

for those of you who are the loan diver in your family - how do you handle not having a dive partner? do you shore dive by yourself? or do you always go on dive boats for safety reasons, which gets expensive?

I have always found it easy to find a dive buddy either for shore dives or boat dives. Never dive alone! I had a cousin who died that way.

 

[UWSurfer]

I have always found it easy to find a dive buddy either for shore dives or boat dives. Never dive alone! I had a cousin who died that way.

You should not dive alone.

That having been said, I often dive alone.

I place upon myself fairly moderate limits on depth and intervals, but frankly I'm more comfortable and enjoy the dive better alone. It's a habit I picked up when I worked with a bunch of volunteer research divers who used to divide up an area into quadrants and we'd be assigned on to go out to and map what was in the quadrant. Most of my diving is from shore.

That isn't to say I won't dive with a buddy and on most boat dives I end up buddied up with another loaner or tag along if we have an instructor or dive master lead dive. In SoCal, most of the dive boats don't have leads so you pair up with whomever you brought or is also solo.