Any divers on here?

[Kyle]

I've been kicking around the idea of learning to dive. Any class or shop recommendations?

[Binky]

Been diving since 05. Will be in Bermuda in a few weeks to do some wreck diving.

Two schools, PADI and NAUI. I went NAUI but they are equally informative. My best friend is PADI certified and is much more experianced than i am (has over 1200 dives). Both courses are going to teach you so you dont get hurt and can be safe so you arent losing any knowledge from either one.

I went and did my cert at ScubaToys in carrolton as they had their own pool and were the best price for getting certified. Plus they gave me a discount on any gear i purchased if i got certified there.

I highly recommend it, its a great sport to be involved in.

[JC316]

Open water certified for a year now. I learned from Blue Sea Adventures out in Rockwall. They had excellent prices and a GREAT instructor.

http://www.scubagoo.com/dallas-scuba-class.html

[Baron Von Crowder]

I got open water certified in Cayman brac when I was in my teens. PADI never sent my card, and I need a refresher anyways, so I'd like to get certed again.

[Big A]

I've been muff-diving a few times, it's a blast.

[1carcrazyguy]

I've been muff-diving a few times, it's a blast.

Just watch out for red tide.....

[Baron Von Crowder]

I've been muff-diving a few times, it's a blast.

What was his name?

[JC316]

And back on topic, anywhere you go in Dallas, you will most likely get your open water out at Clear Spring Scuba park in Terrell.

Here are a few videos that I have made while out there. Visibility runs about 25 feet out there, lots of fish and turtles to see.

[Chas_svo]

Been diving since 05. Will be in Bermuda in a few weeks to do some wreck diving.

Two schools, PADI and NAUI. I went NAUI but they are equally informative. My best friend is PADI certified and is much more experianced than i am (has over 1200 dives). Both courses are going to teach you so you dont get hurt and can be safe so you arent losing any knowledge from either one.

I went and did my cert at ScubaToys in carrolton as they had their own pool and were the best price for getting certified. Plus they gave me a discount on any gear i purchased if i got certified there.

I highly recommend it, its a great sport to be involved in.

Actually, there are 3. SSI also teaches. I got mine in Tulsa, but I'm sure their is a class here. Good instructors and good information. I got mine in 02? I sold my gear not long ago, because it's too much of a bitch to carry mine and my wife's when we go. I've seen enough freshwater, and when I go somewhere in salt, it's easier to rent than to drag my stuff. I hope to dive when I'm on a cruise next week, but will have to look for that tomorrow.

It is a blast.

[JC316]

Actually, there are 3. SSI also teaches. I got mine in Tulsa, but I'm sure their is a class here. Good instructors and good information. I got mine in 02? I sold my gear not long ago, because it's too much of a bitch to carry mine and my wife's when we go. I've seen enough freshwater, and when I go somewhere in salt, it's easier to rent than to drag my stuff. I hope to dive when I'm on a cruise next week, but will have to look for that tomorrow.

It is a blast.

More than that, I am SDI. Gear has been a must for me. I got sick of renting real fast. Tank/BC/Weights/Computer/Regulator/Fins/Boots/Mask/Compass/3mm wet suit ran me right around $1200.

Considering that it's basically $80 to rent all of that and in the last year I have 15 dives, I have just now paid everything off and any dive after this is actually saving me money.

[hotrod66stang]

Which certifying agency you go with depends on what your ultimate goal is. So what do you want from becoming certified? A couple dives on a cruise? A weekend here and there of diving? Underwater photography? Volunteer to be on a county Search and Rescue team?

A lot of people will tell you that if you're just wanting to get "open water" certified to try a few times, or just dive on a cruise to maybe go with PADI. If you have any intentions of taking other courses like Salvage, Search and Rescue, Underwater Photography, etc., go with NAUI. The initial training is a little harder, and when you go to the next step of Advanced diver, you choose specialty dives to do to work toward your cert., and are included in the class, as opposed to PADI, where they're all separate courses. This is how it used to be anyway, and one of the reasons why people refer to PADI as "Pay Another Dollar In." Another reason being that PADI certifications must be renewed and fees paid to keep your certs. NAUI certs never expire. With NAUI you can choose the specialty dives you liked the most, then go through the certification class/dives if you want. There are quite a few certifying agencies now, and a lot of them recognize the others' "C-cards" (certification cards) and will let you come in for specialty classes. NAUI is more universally accepted than PADI. You can go NAUI to PADI, but not PADI to NAUI. There's also SSI, AUSI, SDI, TDI, ERDI, etc.

Check out the following link and spend a lot of time browsing. I don't like the way it's set up, but there is a lot of information there. www.ScubaBoard.com

The most important things are to take a class with good reviews, take your shit seriously, ALWAYS inspect your gear thoroughly, and always choose a COMPETENT and ATTENTIVE partner. Consider NAUI and the Rescue Diver course after your Open Water I. It will make you a much better diver and better equipped (mentally and skill-wise) to save your own ass or your buddy's. Just about every diver says this is the best class they've ever taken, regardless of instructor. I dive for work and we're all NAUI, and we take a much more intense Rescue course along with Search and Recovery. I've been a few dives short of my Master Diver cert for a year now (working like crazy, so is my go-to instructor), but I'm planning on becoming a NAUI instructor.

Post up what your questions/concerns are, what kind of diver you think you want to be, fresh water/salt water, budget, etc.. If I can help, I will.

Here's a list of the first few levels of what NAUI offers. Most people never go past these levels, but just take specialty courses tailored to their interests. http://www.naui.org/recreational_divers.aspx

Training progression: http://www.naui.org/training_progression.aspx

[hotrod66stang]

I hope to dive when I'm on a cruise next week

Where ya going Charles? I should be in Cozumel to dive in a month, and then Belize/Bonaire/? to dive in October-ish. I'm down for a local dive G2G!

[ram57ta]

I got my open water and advanced with Tuckers dive shop out of Grand Prairie back in 93 or so and we used Possum Kingdom for the standard cert and then had to go to Travis in Austin and Aquarena Springs in San Marcos for the advanced class in 95. I've dove P.K. several times, as well as Travis...and in 02' did a night saltwater dive in Kona, Hawaii (the big island). I would love to go saltwater diving again.

[Kyle]

...

Rescue and the search and recovery actually really interests me. That sort of thing is what I'm into especially with towing business. There are plenty of water recoveries every year! I wouldn't mind helping out where and when needed!

[JC316]

I got my open water and advanced with Tuckers dive shop out of Grand Prairie back in 93 or so and we used Possum Kingdom for the standard cert and then had to go to Travis in Austin and Aquarena Springs in San Marcos for the advanced class in 95. I've dove P.K. several times, as well as Travis...and in 02' did a night saltwater dive in Kona, Hawaii (the big island). I would love to go saltwater diving again.

Would love to dive Aquarena, but FUCK is that place cold. Would need a 5mm full wet suit minimum out there, probably a 7mm to be comfortable. Their $200, fuck you because tax isn't appealing either.