Where to get scuba certified in GVRD?

[rishu_pepper]

The wife and I have booked tickets to Japan in March and we are planning to do some diving in Okinawa.

Since we are only planning to have 5 days on location, we would like to get certified locally for Open Water so we don't have to waste time there and can do some diving right away. I don't have any previous diving experience except snorkeling years ago, and wife is even less water-worthy than me.

We did consider just snorkeling at Japan but it seems that the experience will be much better if we are diving. (yes/no?) The initial investment is quite expensive so cost is certainly a factor.

Anyway, does anyone have recommendations for scuba schools in the GVRD area? And while we're at it, any good pointers regarding diving/scuba/learning in general for a newbie? Thanks!

[Myka]

I don't know much abut the reefs in Japan, but I am SO jealous!!! You're going to see some crazy stuff that can't (legally) be exported from Japan. The only advice I can give is to choose your dive company in Japan carefully, just like anywhere else.

Around here it's about $300 for the certification and you have some pool dives, some class time, and then you have to go to open water (a lake) and do the "Completion". When you do the completion you need to own your own mask, snorkel, and fins (about $200-300 for a decent scuba-worthy set). Here the lakes are freakin cold, so you also have to own wet suit gloves and boots (another $100). The rental for the gear for the completion (wet suit hood, 2 pc wet suit, tanks, BCD, weights, etc) is another $200.

I just did the Advanced Open Water a couple weeks ago. The deep dive we went to 86 feet (we're at elevation here, so it's an altitude dive and considered deeper), and it was 13C. Froze me arse off. I saw some big Lake Trout in the night dive too.

[mark]

It's not like you won't be seeing anything getting your open water overseas.

Did my classroom and pool work here then open water in the Philippines. Did the skills checks then swam around the reef, same on second dive.

[Ron99]

Closest to you would be Dive and Sea Sports. if you want to dive locally as well (I highly recommend it as we have some amazing life and diversity in our waters too) then I would add on the drysuit certification. The costs are actually more, about $500 to get your open water cert and another $140 or so for the drysuit cert I think? But check with the shop. I did mine with Ocean Pro in South Surrey and they had a Groupon so it saved me $150.

The cool thing about learning in cold water is that it is more equipment intense etc so when you do go dive in the tropics you will find it much easier.

[Myka]

Originally Posted by Ron99

The costs are actually more, about $500 to get your open water cert

That's a lot more than here! You'd think it would be the other way around.

[saltcreep]

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.

[Ron99]

Originally Posted by Myka

That's a lot more than here! You'd think it would be the other way around.

You guys are lucky then. But we do have the ocean We did have a very good instructor to student ratio when i did it too. There were two instructors and two dive masters helping. Basically one teacher per two students. They taught us really well.

[Myka]

Originally Posted by Ron99

You guys are lucky then. But we do have the ocean We did have a very good instructor to student ratio when i did it too. There were two instructors and two dive masters helping. Basically one teacher per two students. They taught us really well.

Yeah that's nice. When I did my Open Water there were 19 students, 2 instructors, and the completion had 8 students, 1 instructor, 3 dive masters. When I did the Advanced Open Water there were 2 of us in the class and pool, and I was solo for the completion. Just me and the instructor. That was awesome. He said I was one of the most advanced Advanced students he's had, so we burned through the skills and got to tour around a lot.

Another piece of gear that's handy to own is a flashlight so you can look into little crevices and caves.

[Ron99]

Originally Posted by Myka

Yeah that's nice. When I did my Open Water there were 19 students, 2 instructors, and the completion had 8 students, 1 instructor, 3 dive masters. When I did the Advanced Open Water there were 2 of us in the class and pool, and I was solo for the completion. Just me and the instructor. That was awesome. He said I was one of the most advanced Advanced students he's had, so we burned through the skills and got to tour around a lot.

Another piece of gear that's handy to own is a flashlight so you can look into little crevices and caves.

Cool. I haven't done my advanced yet. I think it's more a money grab by PADI for some divers. I've been diving lots and have gone out with very experienced buddies. And I'm pretty calm and comfortable underwater. Have now been down almost 90 feet and have done 1.5 night dives. I'm pretty comfortable navigating with my compass as well. The underwater photography skills are improving too

Guess the SCUBA police will be coming after me now :-D

[Ron99]

And +1 on the flashlight. Super handy even during the day. You can get decent ones on Amazon for $30 instead of paying $200 plus at dive shops.