PADI OW Complete - St Croix, Cane Bay

[rmkrause]

Just got back from St Croix where I did my OW at Cane Bay. I did the eLearning so just needed the confined water and open water dives to do.

Had to do the swim test in the ocean which I was unprepared for - would have been a piece of cake in a pool but since I'd never done any open water swimming before the current and waves really through me off - ended up doing it with snorkel and fins where I found out I don't like my dry snorkel - the chop kept shutting it off and now figure I would have been better off getting a plain tube or semi-dry snorkel. 10 minute float was a piece of cake in salt water. Skin diving skills took me a number of times to complete but wasn't too bad.

Had no issue with any of the confined water skills or demonstrating them in open water. One check out dive went down to 60' at the Cane Bay Wall which was spectacular - in fact all my check out dives were spectacular. Saw numerous Sting Rays, got to swim along side a sea turtle and saw another rather large Green Turtle, Scorpion Fish, Sea Horse, a bunch of Yellowtail Damselfish that looked like something out of a jewelry shop, Garden Eels, Flamingo Tongues, Sea Cucumber and a ton more things I didn't know what they were.

[mitsuguy]

Originally Posted by rmkrause

Just got back from St Croix where I did my OW at Cane Bay. I did the eLearning so just needed the confined water and open water dives to do.

Had to do the swim test in the ocean which I was unprepared for - would have been a piece of cake in a pool but since I'd never done any open water swimming before the current and waves really through me off - ended up doing it with snorkel and fins where I found out I don't like my dry snorkel - the chop kept shutting it off and now figure I would have been better off getting a plain tube or semi-dry snorkel. 10 minute float was a piece of cake in salt water. Skin diving skills took me a number of times to complete but wasn't too bad.

Had no issue with any of the confined water skills or demonstrating them in open water. One check out dive went down to 60' at the Cane Bay Wall which was spectacular - in fact all my check out dives were spectacular. Saw numerous Sting Rays, got to swim along side a sea turtle and saw another rather large Green Turtle, Scorpion Fish, Sea Horse, a bunch of Yellowtail Damselfish that looked like something out of a jewelry shop, Garden Eels, Flamingo Tongues, Sea Cucumber and a ton more things I didn't know what they were.

HEY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Who were your instructors / what is your real name???

I'm Cody - one of the instructors there... Diamond is my wife, Nick, Lisa and Judy are the other main instructors, then John is a part time instructor!!!

Glad you enjoyed it!!! and congrats, by the way...

[Vercingetorix]

I'm jealous. I did my OW checkout dives in a Texas quarry (Clear Springs in Terrell, Tx). 47-degree water, 35-degree air, and murky-green viz of about 8 feet. We were fortunate if we saw a Perch.

[rmkrause]

Originally Posted by mitsuguy

HEY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Who were your instructors / what is your real name???

I'm Cody - one of the instructors there... Diamond is my wife, Nick, Lisa and Judy are the other main instructors, then John is a part time instructor!!!

Glad you enjoyed it!!! and congrats, by the way...

HEY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Name is Ryan Krause - Lisa was my instructor and she also took my wife out for a DSD. Cane Bay crew was a good bunch and were very happy overall.

Are you guys on tripadvisor.com? I was going to write a review for you guys there but didn't find anything for Cane Bay Dive Shop.

[rmkrause]

Originally Posted by Vercingetorix

I'm jealous. I did my OW checkout dives in a Texas quarry (Clear Springs in Terrell, Tx). 47-degree water, 35-degree air, and murky-green viz of about 8 feet. We were fortunate if we saw a Perch.

Yeah, originally I was going to do it earlier this year but just couldn't get excited by doing the check out dives at the cold quarry Dutch Springs in Pennsylvania. So glad I waited.

[awb]

Originally Posted by Vercingetorix

I'm jealous. I did my OW checkout dives in a Texas quarry (Clear Springs in Terrell, Tx). 47-degree water, 35-degree air, and murky-green viz of about 8 feet. We were fortunate if we saw a Perch.

Who was your instructor at ST

[mitsuguy]

Originally Posted by rmkrause

HEY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Name is Ryan Krause - Lisa was my instructor and she also took my wife out for a DSD. Cane Bay crew was a good bunch and were very happy overall.

Are you guys on tripadvisor.com? I was going to write a review for you guys there but didn't find anything for Cane Bay Dive Shop.

Ahhh! I figured that was you... I'm Cody, helped you all at Carambola, and was also there when you finished your confined water session...

Tripadvisor, unsure, actually... I'll look into it!!!

Glad you had an enjoyable experience over here!

Now, just need to get the wifey certified!

[Travelnsj]

Congratulations on your OW...i'll be there next month.

[rmkrause]

Originally Posted by mitsuguy

Ahhh! I figured that was you... I'm Cody, helped you all at Carambola, and was also there when you finished your confined water session...

Tripadvisor, unsure, actually... I'll look into it!!!

Glad you had an enjoyable experience over here!

Now, just need to get the wifey certified!

Lol, I'm terrible with remembering names. Thanks for helping us identify the Damselfish - we went out again later on and yup, that was it. You guys were great.

[rmkrause]

Originally Posted by Travelnsj

Congratulations on your OW...i'll be there next month.

Awesome!! Have you been to St Croix before or this going to be your first time?