Green newbie looking for OW cert

[MrMike]

My 18-year-old daughter and I want to get started in SCUBA diving. My dad showed me a few things when I was a teen (30 years ago ) while my daughter knows nothing.

I'm looking for a course in this area, east-central NC southeast of Raleigh.

Let me say first that I'm self-employed and far from made of money, so cost of everything is a big concern, but on the other hand I want some good experiences before I'm too old to have them ...

Looking and asking around, there's a bewildering array of philosophies out there, or to put it less diplomatically a lot of "gotchas" with requirements to buy/provide equipment and/or tons of nickel and dime fees that aren't included.

Anyone have any recommendations in this area of people that aren't out to separate me from maximum amounts of money?

[Geoff_T]

while I can't help you with a specific outfit there are others on this forum who are from NC and should be more helpful. If you are just starting out just buy your mask fins and snorkel these are considered personal gear like your underwear. A lot of shops will try to sell you a full rig going in but resist that for the time being. Every lesson package I have ever seen includs the rest of the stuff you need.

In any case you can usually rent the rest of your stuf on a use by use basis. This will allow you to decide if you plan on diving often enough to justify the investment in gear. Also you will be able to better judge what type of diving you plan on doing and what equiptment you will need to fufill these dives.

[rawalker]

You can look up dive shops in your area and instructor at PADI. The Way The World Learns to Dive

[reactive]

Originally Posted by rawalker

You can look up dive shops in your area and instructor at PADI. The Way The World Learns to Dive

Or here: NAUI Dive Center Locator

[MrMike]

Thanks guys. The PADI finder errors out for me. Interestingly the NAUI site lists NC State and ECU. Do universities offer certification for general public or do you have to be a student? How do they differ from the dive shops, any cheaper or better?

[Geoff_T]

Originally Posted by MrMike

Thanks guys. The PADI finder errors out for me. Interestingly the NAUI site lists NC State and ECU. Do universities offer certification for general public or do you have to be a student? How do they differ from the dive shops, any cheaper or better?

Depends on the university and the instructer. I have heard of some who will offer students first shot at these classes and let the instructer running the course fill it out with other students if there are openings, then again some don't. Also the cost is totaly up in the air some universitys don't charge students anything extra for the class and others charge lesson fees and class fees which is doubble what normal cost would be. Most do not have their own staff instructer but contract out to a local dive instructer and shop.

As for better that all depends on who is teaching the class. In general if you know any local divers ask a coupple of them they will probially know who the good local instructers are and point you in the right dirrection.

[fireflock]

Hi MrMike-

Are you looking only for places in Raleigh, or elsewhere too (ie. Wilmington, Greenville)?

Check out this thread on a local NC site for some more information:
NCDivers.com • View topic - New to diving

I would stop by at least two places (Gypsy Divers and Down Under for sure in Raleigh), explain your situation, and see what they have to offer.

The classes at NC State and ECU are top notch, but they are a semester long and geared towards students. I dive with a few folks from both programs and their divers are well trained.

Rich

[MrMike]

Raleigh, Greenville, Fayetteville would all be OK; Wilmington is too far.

I was just talking to an acquaintance in my motorcycle owners club from Greenville and found out he is a diver. He highly recommends Rum Runners, in fact he used to be one of their instructors and says he goes in there almost daily.

I asked him about internet equipment though, and he gave me the old you-can't-get-it-serviced, no-warranty, it-will-kill-you routine.

[reactive]

Originally Posted by MrMike

Raleigh, Greenville, Fayetteville would all be OK; Wilmington is too far.

I was just talking to an acquaintance in my motorcycle owners club from Greenville and found out he is a diver. He highly recommends Rum Runners, in fact he used to be one of their instructors and says he goes in there almost daily.

I asked him about internet equipment though, and he gave me the old you-can't-get-it-serviced, no-warranty, it-will-kill-you routine.

if we were talking about leisurepro.com or scuba.com, I'd agree with him. However, with scubatoys.com, everything you buy is backed by the manufacturer's warranty. It's as good as buying from a local dive shop. In fact, I consider scubatoys my local dive shop and i'm a couple hundred miles away out here in new orleans.

[MrMike]

I want to get snorkel, mask, fins and start playing with them in the pool. My diving acquaintance told me not to get a "dry" snorkel because the instructors want you to learn on the old fashioned ones. Is this true?