Beginning scuba diving

[fletch101]

We are going to be at Grand Caymen and Ochos Rios in Dec 2008. My son, who is 16, wants to scuba dive. Is there an excusion in either of these two ports that is safe and professional ?

[scubadiver888]

We are going to be at Grand Caymen and Ochos Rios in Dec 2008. My son, who is 16, wants to scuba dive. Is there an excusion in either of these two ports that is safe and professional ?

 

The easiest thing to do is book at shore excursion through the cruise line. Ocho Rios is not a great place to go scuba diving. Grand Cayman is a much better place to go diving. This is true for certified/experienced divers as well as people looking to try it out for the first time.

 

Most places call what you are looking for Discover Scuba. Carnival calls it Beginner's Scuba Diving. Have a look at: http://www.carnival.com/ShoreExcursionsSearchResults.aspx?region=CW&portcode=CAY&portname=Grand+Cayman%2c+Cayman+Islands

 

The last thing a cruise line wants is an accident. Even if they have you sign a bazillion waivers, a report of someone getting injured on a shore excursion could mean serious revenue loss for the ship. For this reason, cruise lines are very careful about who they pick for shore excursions.

 

If your son doesn't pay attention and take this seriously there is always the chance of serious injury. It is just like driving a car. If a child does not make an effort to obey the rules they can seriously injure themselves.

[IndyCruiser65]

Since you've got the whole summer before your cruise, I'd recommend finding a dive store near your home where he can take lessons and finish his certification dives. Or even take a Discover Scuba class in a pool to see if he's comfortable breathing underwater (not everyone is). His time in Grand Cayman will be much more fun if he doesn't have to worry about his certification dives, and it'll probably be a bit less expensive than the on-board lessons. We live in Indiana, and the only diving is in cold rock quarries with horrible visibility, but I've always made it a point to get my son out a couple times a year to keep the basic skills. He learned to dive when he was 12 and the constant repetition has made him a better diver.

[fletch101]

Thanks for your responses, Scubadiver888 and IndyCruiser65.

[foneguy]

i would deffinately finnish my cert, then the options are even better for you..and with more bottom time in the summer he'll have more experience with bouancy and be more comfy in the water....not to mention better ease of mind:D

my son is now certified at 12, we will be doing advanced this summer i hope.....:rolleyes: either way you both will have fun

[IndyCruiser65]

Foneguy, have you found a way to get your 12-year-old AOW certification? My son took PADI Jr. OW at 12, but they won't let him take AOW until he's 15, which we've been waiting for (just 2 more months).

[scubadiver888]

Foneguy, have you found a way to get your 12-year-old AOW certification? My son took PADI Jr. OW at 12, but they won't let him take AOW until he's 15, which we've been waiting for (just 2 more months).

IndyCruiser,

 

PADI does have a Junior Advanced Open Water certification. If you look at http://www.padi.com/padi/en/kd/advancedopenwater.aspx there is a note about:

Must be a PADI Open Water Diver (or qualifying certification from another training organization) and 15 years old (12 for Junior Advanced Open Water Diver)

.

 

This implies there is a Junior Advanced Open Water certification for kids 12 and older. You should inquire about this.

 

What are you hoping your son will get out of becoming AOW certified? Maybe talk to an instructor about what you want to achieve and see if there is something else your son can do to achieve the same results.

 

Darrell

[foneguy]

the padi jr advanced diver is basically the same as for an adult, except for 1 rule, the jr will be diving with parent and/or instructor and the depth limits to 60 ft( the depth i would have to read again ) again it is a jr aow

for my son his means better bouency, photography, night diving and better nav skills, his are allready better than mine:p , and next year he will be able to dive the better locations with the ease of MY mind him having more training

 

but our lds does offer such course

[IndyCruiser65]

We were hoping to get him some night diving and navigation skills, not to mention deeper water diving, which I believe has an age restriction on it. He's become quite a natural underwater, and I think it's important to keep learning new skills. Either way, he's about to turn 15, so he'll be able to get it all, now.

 

Thanks for the info on Jr AOW, though.

[foneguy]

thats what i want for mine as well deeper is in for him but only roughly about 60 ft thats the depth of most wrecks here on the lake

[scubadiver888]

We were hoping to get him some night diving and navigation skills, not to mention deeper water diving, which I believe has an age restriction on it. He's become quite a natural underwater, and I think it's important to keep learning new skills. Either way, he's about to turn 15, so he'll be able to get it all, now.

 

Thanks for the info on Jr AOW, though.

I'm not sure if you can get in anything like this. I think you could probably get some unofficial navigation training, i.e. he could get the training but it would not be officially recognized until he was 15.

 

The deep water is a definite restriction for him. That is the biggest difference between regular and junior certifications. I believe it is OW = 60 ft, Jr OW = 40 ft, AOW = 130 ft, Jr AOW = 60 ft.

 

If I was your son, I'd just work on my bouyancy more. I was in the Caribbean December 2007 and one of the guys diving with us had 30 years experience and a few thousand dives. When we were doing a 3min safety stop most people hung on the anchor line. I floated in open water but had to constantly monitor my depth gauge to insure I was staying at 20 ft. The guy with 30 years experience was reviewing pictures in his digital camera and doing some in camera editing. His body never moved; after 1 minute of watching my depth gauge I started watching him as well and realized it was NEVER rising or falling. That is what I am not continually working on.

[IndyCruiser65]

Now THAT'S something to strive for! Maybe I should take a buoyancy control class, too. Might learn something new after all these years.