I was certified at The Edge Diving in North Van, but it has changed ownership a couple of times and is operating under Sea to Sky Scuba. I'm not sure what it's like now as far as courses. Generally your experience will depend on the instructor(s) you end up with. If you can get into a smaller class, the better you off you are. Getting a little more personalized attention is not a bad thing. Karen and Otto who trained me and my wife are still as Sea to Sky and they were awesome.
The cost is a factor and it's something that if you aren't going to commit to diving locally afterwards, don't buy a lot of gear. Stick with a proper fitting mask. There is nothing more frustrating than having your mask leak constantly on a dive. All your other gear is easily rented and most shops keep it in great shape.
If you are planning on diving a great deal, especially if you travel, consider your own regs. That's your lifeline underwater and you want to ensure it's in proper working order and has been serviced.
Other than that, the only thing I can say is to relax. You don't need to swim marathons and you'll miss a lot of small or interesting things. In Hawaii in January, if I had kept up with the dive guide I would have missed an epic battle between an octopus and a moray eel, who won.
|