Learning to Dive

[DeniseM]

We are avid snorkelers and I think I have convinced DH to try diving. I have read the recommendations about taking your classes on the mainland and then getting certified in Hawaii. I have also looked at snuba, which looks like glorified snorkeling.

Is there a safe way to try out diving without out paying for all the classes? I realize safety is a major issue, and I'm not trying to circumvent that, I just would like a chance to try it before going through all the classes. Is that unrealistic?

Also, how much, on Avg. would the basic introductory classes on the mainland cost?

And, is it feasible just to rent everything, if we would only dive in Hawaii for 2 weeks every year?

[ScoopLV]

Originally Posted by DeniseM

Is there a safe way to try out diving without out paying for all the classes? I realize safety is a major issue, and I'm not trying to circumvent that, I just would like a chance to try it before going through all the classes. Is that unrealistic?

See if you can find a SNUBA (not SCUBA -- sNuba) operator. For the price of a dive trip, anyone who can snorkel can SNUBA. It's an inexpensive way to try it out.

http://www.snuba.com/where.asp

If you decide to get certified, you don't need to buy EVERYTHING. But I would at least buy a BC and regulator (and a suit, depending on local water temperature (at 30/60/90 feet deep -- keep that in mind. Hypothermia is no laughing matter, and can happen in the tropics). Tanks and weights are better rented than owned. You likely already have masks/fins/snorkels. I like ultra-low-volume masks when diving, but it's a question of personal preference.

[jzsackst]

Some places offer an introductions to scuba course where you get to try it out in the pool before commiting to the whole certification class. I actually took a "resort " diving course in Hawaii before I was certified. They give you about 45min of basic scuba instruction and then you get to do a shallow dive with a dive instructor right with you. I wasn't even interested in scuba until I did this and I fell in love with it. I have been certified for over 15 yrs now and love every min of it. Just check around with your local dive shops and even the YMCA's sometimes offer an intro course. Goodluck - you will love it.

[BocaBum99]

I am a diver and I just got my oldest son certified last year. I learned the old school way which was over 6 weeks, 2 days per week about 18 years ago. When you take such a course, you learn the dive skills better. But, nothing beats actual dives to learn what you need to learn.

My son took a crash course. One intense day of class with a precourse test prior to the class to prove you read the book. Two days of 4 open water dives. 3 days total. Since he does his dives with me, that is fine. He loves diving and the quick course worked fine for him.

You can also do what is called a recreational dive at a resort. It is about 2 hours of training in the resort pool. You can't dive deeper than 30 feet, so it's pretty safe. That is the way to test to see whether or not you like diving.

As long as you are diving with a reputable dive company in Hawaii, you should be good. They take extra care to make sure they watch over you. Hawaii dive boats provide really good customer service.

As far as equipment goes, I wouldn't buy anything until you have 10-20 dives under your belt and you intend to dive a lot. You can always rent equipment. It can be very expensive to buy. However, when you are an experienced diver, there is nothing better than having your own gear, especially a dive computer. You will see that often times, groups will get separated between those who will dive with dive tables and those who will dive with computers. Computer divers get more bottom time.

I don't bother owing tanks or bringing weights. You can always get those in the local dive shops.

Try it. It's really fun.

[DeniseM]

Originally Posted by ScoopLV

See if you can find a SNUBA (not SCUBA -- sNuba) operator. For the price of a dive trip, anyone who can snorkel can SNUBA. It's an inexpensive way to try it out.

http://www.snuba.com/where.asp

I see snuba groups at Lawaii Beach nearly every day we are there and they float on the surface like snorkelers, so I haven't been impressed by snuba. I will have to see if there are any Kauai companies that actually let you go UNDER the water!

[wilma]

The snuba groups at Lawaii do go underwater, they must have been snorkeling out to where they would drop down. I have seen them on the bottom at about 15-20 feet, don't think they can go deeper than that. I would suggest trying snuba first.

[DeniseM]

Originally Posted by wilma

The snuba groups at Lawaii do go underwater, they must have been snorkeling out to where they would drop down. I have seen them on the bottom at about 15-20 feet, don't think they can go deeper than that. I would suggest trying snuba first.

Maybe some of the participants just preferred to float on top. I wasn't watching closely, but there were always a lot of people floating - the majority of the group.

We will definitely try it next summer!

[DeniseM]

Here is a PADI shore dive from Koloa Landing on Kauai, that is for first timers - http://www.kascuba.com/p43.html

Experience divers - what do you think?

[Stricky]

Call your local dive shop. Depending on their pool situation they would be happy to get you wet and let you try it to see if you want to take a class. Some places let you take the first class and drop out for a full refund if you hate it.

Yes rent gear. Buying gear (which I did) is great untill you travel with it. I used my locally for 2 years when I was in upstate NY but now I am not near any dive spots and it has sat in the basement for 6 years.

[DeniseM]

I actually want to try it in the ocean, for a more realistic experience.

[BocaBum99]

Originally Posted by DeniseM

Here is a PADI shore dive from Koloa Landing on Kauai, that is for first timers - http://www.kascuba.com/p43.html

Experience divers - what do you think?

I would do it. Such a beginner dive is safe because they do not allow you to go below 30 feet. Anything above 30 feet and you are at no risk of getting the benz unless you stay under water for well over 6 hours. You have to have really tiny lungs and/or a huge tank for your air to last that long.

They will teach you the key rules of diving for beginners which is always breathe (i.e. don't hold your breath) and don't go up faster than your bubbles (i.e. 1 foot per second). They will also teach you the hand signals of "okay", "ascend now to the surface", etc.

In addition, you will learn how to do an emergency ascent which is basically to dump your gear and head for the surface. Of course, they will set up all of your dive gear. One of the problems beginner divers have is that they forget to do simple things like turn on their air. Or, properly strap down their tank to their BC. None of that will be a risk because the dive instructor will do the check progression before you go into the water.

Once you know and follow those rules, a 30 foot dive or less is pretty safe with a dive instructor.

Believe it or not, just the stuff I've described on this post is easy to forget on your 1st open water dive without your instructor especially if it has been a few months or more from your last dive. I recommend going with a dive master or dive boat until you have at least 10-20 dives. Forgetting to turn on your air can be pretty embarassing. Forgetting to fill your BC with air before giant striding into the deep water with a current can be life threatening.

[DeniseM]

Thanks, Boca! We will be right up the road at Lawai Beach resort, so this sounds like the perfect opportunity to try it out!

[thheath]

Hello Denise,

Here is a place in Poipu that I have used and recommend:

http://www.seasportdivers.com/FirstTimeDives.php

They offer the PADI Discover Scuba Diving program that I think would fit the bill for what you are looking for.

[kapear]

We finished our PADI certification on Kauai 3 years ago. We used Fathom Five , out of Koloa. We were pleased with our checkout dive experience and went on to do both boat dives and shore dives with them.

[swift]

Denise I am envious. A big part of me wants to learn how to dive, I love to snorkel, but I get a little chicken when I think about being down with the "big fish". However, I think I would dive before I would snuba. Having someone else in control of my air on a long cord that something could happen to while I am below scares the boots off me. Too many movies.

[ScoopLV]

Depth has no real bearing on safety (up to a point, of course).

If someone goes to the bottom of a 6-foot swimming pool, breathes deep from a regulator, and then surfaces without exhaling -- it will likely result in an arterial gas embolism (and that's usually fatal).

No matter what you do as your "introductory dive," it's important to learn the basic rules:

1) If you're not inhaling, you had better be exhaling.

2) Nothing should be done "fast" underwater -- diving, surfacing, swimming around, nothing. SCUBA is like barbecue -- slower is better.

3) Scuba gear is life-support equipment. If anything fails, you can die. You must trust your gear with your life -- never scrimp on maintenance. Don't use outdated or obviously poorly maintained rental equipment. Check everything prior to getting into the water, at five feet, at ten feet, at 20 feet, etc.

4) Proper hydration will prevent so many problems it's foolish not to drink plenty of water. (And don't drink and dive. Don't dive with a hangover.)

5) Diving is a buddy sport. You must trust your buddy with your life.


I have a few more personal rules:

1) One tank is not enough. I dive with two tanks with independent regulators, always.

2) I won't even snorkel without a knife -- too many people have died getting caught in fishing line/nets/etc. A knife is mandatory in my opinion. I dive with two. One on my leg and one on a lanyard on my BC.

3) I keep laminated dive tables in my BC pocket and dive with a mechanical watch. Computers fail. The bends suck.

4) Diving is a risky sport. You can minimize the risk, but it cannot be eliminated. Never dive on rough seas, poor visibility etc. just because you want to dive.

[hibbeln]

I am a certified diver also. My husband went through the whole course with me (back home, in a pool) but then decided he really didn't like it that much (claustrophobic) so he never did his certification dive.

Once you try it out and know you want to do it (in Hawaii), take the actual courses AND the certification dive back home. That way when you get to Hawaii you are ready to go and have FUN! Your certification dives takes up 2 days (precious days of vacation) and it's not like you're diving for the fun of diving, or diving to see things. Most are done at Koloa Landing, which is pretty murky and yucky. For the certification dives you're going through a series of drills......flood your mask and clear it, take your weight belt off underwater and put it back on, go down to the bottom and sit, come back up to 20 feet.....etc.

A few trips back my dad spent the entire week on Kauai taking his class and getting certified. We literally didn't see him all week. We went and did our thing, and he went and did his scuba classes. He said the dives connected with the class and for the certification dives at Koloa Landing were dull dull dull. So might as well not waste your vacation and do them back home in a pool!

[timesharejunkie4]

I had a bad experience doing an introductory dive in Cabo some years ago. Now that I am certified, I realize it was just from inadequate instruction. I am so glad I didn't let that experience keep me from trying again. I got certified 2 years ago at 54 (you're never too old) and love it! I did my classroom and pool work at home and did my checkout dives in Belize. I'm glad I did it that way because I would have hated to waste vacation time doing the part I did at home.
In the 2 years I have been certified I have been diving in Belize twice, Playa del Carmen, Cabo, Puerto Vallarta, Hawaii and just got back from Curacao; 35 dives total. Each location has been great except Puerto Vallarta, which was cold, poor visibility and a lot of current. On my first certified dive in Belize, I saw a hammerhead shark about 30 feet from us. It was so cool.
Go for it!

[BocaBum99]

Originally Posted by ScoopLV

Depth has no real bearing on safety (up to a point, of course).

If someone goes to the bottom of a 6-foot swimming pool, breathes deep from a regulator, and then surfaces without exhaling -- it will likely result in an arterial gas embolism (and that's usually fatal).

You are extreme in your assessment. A person can drown with a tablespoon of water, but it is extremely unlikely. It is also extremely unlikely of dying breathing on a regulator at 6 feet and holding your breath. In fact, please cite one example where this has ever happened. Of the 90 or so diving deaths that happen each year, here are the causes:

In this same report DAN stated that the initial triggering event (which began the sequence of events that ultimately led to death) of scuba diving deaths for the year were as follows:

Insufficient Gas: 14%

Rough Seas/Strong Current: 10%

Natural Disease: 9%

Entrapment: 9%

Equipment Problems: 8%

Could Not be Determined: 20%

You can't seriously say that it's just as dangerous at 30 ft as it is at 120 ft. You can get nitrogen narcosis, pass out and drown. If you are breathing a nitrox mix, you can get oxygen toxicity and die. Not gonna happen at 30 feet and the bends is a non factor at that depth. And, for resort dives, they tend to stay in protected areas with no currents, lots of visibility and small groups with buddies and dive master. In addition, PADI has a certification level for diving less than 40 ft. Open water dive certification is up to 60 ft and Advanced open water diving is 60-100 feet. If depth didnt' matter, then PADI wouldn't need progressive certification levels for greater depths.

Also, visibility is much better at 30 feet. A person can easily see the surface from that depth and is less likely to panic than at 100 feet where it is much darker and the time to surface is much longer from an emergency ascent. I believe that a person who runs out of air at 30 feet is more likely to do an successful emergency ascent to the surface than someone running out of air at 100 ft. I think at 100 feet, they are much more likely to panic, rush for their buddy, and kill both themselves and their buddy.

Two tank diving is almost never used. I think that's too much of an extreme. If you want a separate back up, then spare air would do it. I wouldn't trust buddy breathing to protect me even though you should never dive alone.

I do agree with drinking a lot of water. The air your breath in scuba is extremely dry and dehydration is a danger and can be quite annoying. The safety limits are always surfacing with 500 or more psi of air remaining in your tank. I do dive with a dive computer and a separate dive watch. Also, I almost always wear a full wet suit and gloves except in the Cayman islands when the water is near 100 degrees at 100 feet in the summer. There are a lot of nasty animals that can sting you, like box jellyfish. I don't carry a knife, but I should.

[ScoopLV]

Originally Posted by BocaBum99

You are extreme in your assessment. A person can drown with a tablespoon of water, but it is extremely unlikely. It is also extremely unlikely of dying breathing on a regulator at 6 feet and holding your breath. In fact, please cite one example where this has ever happened.

From Scubadoc.com:

The other main mechanism for arterial gas embolism is by way of the pulmonary overpressure syndrome or 'burst lung'. This occurs from baropressure increases as the diver on compressed air ascends with a closed glottis or a free diver takes a breath of compressed air at depth and ascends. Because of Boyle's law, maximal changes in volume occur in the 4 feet (1.22 m.) closest to the surface and the diver sustains a tear in the pulmonary parenchyma with the escape of air into the pulmonary venous outflow. This can result in several outcomes: pneumothorax (collapsed lung), pneumomediastinum (air in the space around the heart), subcutaneous emphysema (bubbles of air in the fatty tissues under the skin) and air into the pulmonary capillaries.

As for your other points:

1) You can ABSOLUTELY get bent at 30 feet or less. It's a simple matter of nitrogen loading. Unlikely? Absolutely. But it's possible. I have many friends who have been bent searching for treasure in Key West around the Atocha site by diving too long in shallow water. It can happen. Know your tables.

2) Two tank diving, in my opinion, should be STANDARD. A total regulator failure at 30 feet or more is life threatening. Spare-Air (and I have it) will only do so much. I dive with an 80-pound tank, a 10-pound pony bottle, two regulators, four secondaries, and spare-air. (Yeah, I look like Cthulu when I have all my gear deployed.) I've had a total regulator failure - it's scary at 120 feet. I've had a buddy who has had a total failure as well. I've never regretted going down with redundant back-ups.

3) Bring a knife. If you're diving internationally, buy a cheap knife before you go. Give it away before you leave. You should always have one. Try to break even 5-pound test monofiliment underwater. It's near impossible. Bring a knife.

[Stricky]

Denise I would still think about trying it locally in a pool first. There is a lot of weight (compaired to snorkle) and some people just freak out from the feel of it. Kind of like claustrophobia. If you try it in the ocean my feeling is you would probably not really enjoy it. My wife did that type of dive and spent the whole time concentrating on the equipment and the 5 instructions the dive guy gave her. She has never done it again.

[Snorkey]

Originally Posted by ScoopLV

1) You can ABSOLUTELY get bent at 30 feet or less. It's a simple matter of nitrogen loading. Unlikely? Absolutely. But it's possible. I have many friends who have been bent searching for treasure in Key West around the Atocha site by diving too long in shallow water. It can happen. Know your tables.

Wow, that would be awesome.
Is there a boat or tour guide who takes you to the site? I would love to try to search for treasure. Have you tried this? I wonder if you can try it by snorkeling or is scuba required?
I wonder if it would be like that movie where they try to find treasure in Bahamas but find drugs instead?

[lvhmbh]

Years ago we were bareboat sailing in the BVI's and I saw an ad for a resort dive. I told DH and friends that I was going to try it. They all did. I was sitting on the bottom 30 ft. below just marveling at the view!!!! After ascending, while we were having our after cocktails we realized that the other guy with us didn't know how to swim!!! I only figured it out because he didn't let go of the anchor chain! Unbelievable! Anyway, we were then certified off the Palm Beaches in Florida doing drift dives, night dives, deep dives and advanced etc. Loved it!!! We haven't been diving in a while (we would take a refresher) because of health problems but I'm sure you would enjoy it. I would definitely try a resort dive in Hawaii first. JMHO< LInda

[ScoopLV]

Originally Posted by Snorkey

Wow, that would be awesome.
Is there a boat or tour guide who takes you to the site? I would love to try to search for treasure. Have you tried this? I wonder if you can try it by snorkeling or is scuba required?
I wonder if it would be like that movie where they try to find treasure in Bahamas but find drugs instead?

You need to be an investor in Treasure Salvors Inc. to dive the site. A share is running more than $10,000. Here's a link if you're really interested: http://www.melfisher.com/Investors/InvHome.asp