Resort Dives

This might be alittle of topic, but just wondering if anyone has done are resort dives as a beginner. I love to snorkel and was decieding on doing a few resort dives just to see how I like scuba diving.

First, depending on where you make your first "resort" dive, it could be a life changing experience. If you love to snorkel, you have already mastered some of the basic skills needed to become a scuba diver. I would highly recommend taking a course and getting up close and personal with the underwater world that you have been viewing from the surface!

Aurabest,

john

Do Something Nice for Yourself.....GO DIVING!!!

I did my only resort dive on my honeymoon in Tahiti (Rangiroa, actually). I was already a proficient snorkeler. I was matched with one dive master. He gave me a ten minute run down on the gear (no pool work) and we rolled off a zodiac into a coral garden. There was no current and vis was great. We went down to about 40-45 feet. Saw a shark or two, some moray eels, and a lot of fish. I was a little dissappointed (very little) because I typically swim down to 25-30 feet when I snorkel, so I didn't see much that I don't already see - but it didn't have to go back up for air, which I really liked. After surfacing, I took off the BC and floated it to get back into the boat.

I got certified the next year, prior to a Maui vacation.

It was a great experience and was not stressful. It showed me the potential of scuba diving. My wife is lucky that I wasn't scuba certified for our honeymoon - she would have never seen me, since she only snorkels and does not dive.

David

Resort courses are a fantastic way to find out if you would like to spend the time and money getting certified. There are some key things to know if you want to take one though.

1. there should be a 40ft depth limit imposed, most people stick to that.

2. you will have to be accompanied by an instructor at all times

3. it doesn't last forever.

But as a taster it works great.

My advice .. do it with someone you would be able to get certified with .. unless you have to do it in a hot tropical place it will be nice to test out the company you intend on doing the whole course with. Second try to do it when there are less people .. winter and or weekdays will help this. You will find some instructors hate doing these courses, i personally love teaching them, but be aware that some do treat them as very quick chip and dips ... i dont think this is right as it is a great sales point to help people enjoy themselves. This is another good reason to go with your local dive shop as divemasters in holiday resorts know you wont be around to take the full course so why do they have to make you enjoy yourself that much! (sad but true in a lot of big company cases)

Do not take what you see to be the verbatim for what you will always see. I did all my training courses in a lake that was 4ft vis at it's best .. maybe 10 deg C ... and the most common marine life was a 'Lesser Spotted Brick Fish' .... But i loved being underwater. Also if you learn to dive in less than perfect conditions in colder water you will find this makes your diving skills soooooooo much better in warm water.

Another good hint if you plan on getting certified if you do like it is ... if you have had enough of the cold water .. do your pool work .. and your academic work (the boring stuff) at home .. have your instructor sign it off .. ask for a referral ... go to a hot place with great water and easy conditions like the Cayman Islands (he he .. my sales pitch) and do your four final open water dives (in a day or a bit more if you want to be relaxed) in Paradise. happy bubbles ...

Also if you learn to dive in less than perfect conditions in colder water you will find this makes your diving skills soooooooo much better in warm water.

While I totally agree that divers who can handle cold water, low viz diving are going to be fine in warm clear water. I do think that tropical diving has its own set of skills.

Over the years I have dived with several hardcore/experienced UK divers on their first trips abroad. And invariably their buoyancy is lousy and they crash in to coral. Certainly in the UK you can spend a lot of time climbing through kelp where perfect buoyancy is not so essential. Furthermore cold water divers tend to carry loads of unecessary kit for tropical diving - that produces drag and also tired them out lugging it to and from the divesite.

I guess the point I am trying to make is that skills such as being streamlined, having mm perfect buoyancy and conserving energy and air are skills that can be refined in the tropical diving - and have less relevance in cold water. Where other skills are far more important. A diver's skills should be honed to his/her environment.

Alex

And of course overweighted...

While I totally agree that divers who can handle cold water, low viz diving are going to be fine in warm clear water. I do think that tropical diving has its own set of skills.  

Well pointed out Alex, You are very right that the two types of diving are very different and there are different things to be aware of I think my point was more vaigue than I stated where as I probably meant Cold Water Divers are given the gift of sense in warm water, they can feel and see stuff at long last in warm water. Sometimes this is used badly but more often than not it creates a diver out of someone wo has good common sense.

All Certified divers should be taught not to touch stuff, I remember being told not to touch kelp in case I get wrapped up in it and can't escape !!! old school man. And as for over wieghted, that would be another example of a non common sensicle diver. It is very clearly stated in most all courses that I know of that salt water and fresh water and sea's and oceans have different couyancy and that different wetsuits do too and all this must be taken into account when diving a new area. If in doubt ask your friendly Neighbourhood Divemaster and they can advise you. Mike is very right overweighting is a big problem in the tropics (so is over kitting) In warm water where a shorty or shorts are the norm you really should be minimal. Less weights (i use 0 or maybe 2lbs) small compact BCD, compact reg, nice light fins, low volume yet great vis mask etc etc.

But that all goes to add to my point that If you learnin cold water and can handle it bogged down by all the extra weight and equipment you will be so much better off when less burdened .. but remember to unburden yourself !

I thought I was going to get an earful for my comment!

I think the best advice is that if you build your experience in a range of conditions and appreciate the differences between them - it will make you a better diver. Something I strive to be!

Alex

I certainly agree with you both. I would not trade my cold water training, advanced through instructor in a balmy 45-48(8-9-10) for anything. I definitely believe that cold water with crap viz made me a more confident and accomplished diver than learning in warm would have. Currents in BC also set me up for the currents of Palau, Polynesia, etc.

But i tell you what, still learnin every day even after 4000+ or whatever i have (who knows)

The ocean can and will throw you a curve when you least expect, what an awesome and amazing thing is this ocean we call home (at least temporarily)

Still hate that overweighted thing though! Was such a nice relief not to have to wear so much freakin weight when i went tropical, now i look at my drysuit with fond memories and nary a chance in h**l that i am wearing it without getting paid!

MIke

ps 4lbs 7mm suit, jacket BC

Another good hint if you plan on getting certified if you do like it is ... if you have had enough of the cold water .. do your pool work .. and your academic work (the boring stuff) at home .. have your instructor sign it off .. ask for a referral ... go to a hot place with great water and easy conditions...

That's exactly what I did. Took the NAUI course here in NYC then did my cert dives in Lapu-Lapu City, Philippines. I was the only customer so it was one-on-one with the instructor for the OW dives...very nice experience. The only weird thing is that, though this place was supposed to be a NAUI shop, the instructor I dove with was a PADI instructor and certified me as a PADI diver. :shock: Not a big deal, though, IMO, as long as I'm certified.