1st time dive on PG? (Or better off just snorkeling and relaxing?)

[papeete]

We are going on the PG for our honeymoon and have never been scuba diving before. Is it worth doing the 3-hour scuba theory and training course in order to experience some of these dives? If so, which beginner dives would you recommend?

 

Thank you in advance! I have been so impressed by this board already. :)

[drifting_away]

Don't miss the diving!!! We were going to just "relax and snorkel", but wound up getting certified before we went and had the time of our lives. The reefs and animal life are amazing. They only do one tank dives so there is still plenty of time to relax. Do your class and pool work at home and open water dives in Tahiti!! I am so thankful that I was able to dive in Tahiti!! (thanks Rudy:D ). All the beginner dives are good! Just pick and choose.

[papeete]

I will poke around for scuba classes. :-) If we can't do them before we leave, do you know if we have to do the theory course before the beginner dives? Or do they include a quick tutorial?

 

Thank you again!

[RachelG]

My son took the classes on the ship. He loved them and did 3 dives, which he also loved. My husband was already certified and also really enjoyed the diving. Both highly recommend it.

[papeete]

Okay, then-- maybe that is where we will use our shipboard credit. Thanks again!:)

[cwc]

Highly recommend any dive in Tahiti. BUT learn the classroom and pool at home then do the open water when you on the ship will be the best. This allows you to have time to see the land (especially if you are on a 7nts itinerary).

If you just want to do one dive, and then there is a “discovery” dive program. You will spend 1-2hrs in the pool with the dive master to learn the basic skill, and when they feel confident on what you are doing, then they will take you out to the ocean, and they will watch you like a hawk when you are down there!

In worst case, you can do the helmet dive, not as free moving, but you don’t need any training and you will be in the bottom of the ocean walking J

Have fun!

[gazuccio]

Hi There....please please please get certified at home! Who wants to study on their Honeymoon?? We sure didn't and thus we got certified at home in a quarry no less, BUT it was well worth it. I recommend the diving to anyone who goes to PG (and yes I am Rudy who recommended Drifting Away to do it) and wants to dive. You will never experience better water and better Dive Masters than the PG has to offer!!! They take care of you. And if you happen to live somewhere where you can not learn to dive (all YMCA has it) then the worst is to learn on the PG and that is not so bad...the bguys there are tremendous and very willing to help!!! I don't know of anyone on our cruise that had a bad time! Right Drift?? In fact they are going back next year...we unfortunately will have to wait as we are taking our kids (previous marriage) on a "fun" cruise aboard RCCL which has a few more activities for them. So please make sure you take advantage of the Diving...the dives are NOT hard and you will enjoy any of them!!! Good Luck!!!!

[papeete]

okay, we'll give it a shot and make it happen, one way or another! thanks again! :)

[Misha]

HHmmmmmm, now you have me wondering about diving. We're taking our first trip on the PG next June. How difficult physically is it to be able to get certified? We aren't honeymooners by a long shot.... I'll be 59 and my husband will be 61. But we do live in So. Florida, are comfortable in the water, don't have any health problems and like to try new things. I thought the helmet dive was right up my alley.... but this could be exciting. Any thoughts from anyone? Where would I go to find out more information? Thanks in advance. Jan

[gazuccio]

I will offer you my advice on diving. I am 44 years old and my wife is 40. We took up diving last year. In my humble opinion you are NEVER too old to begin diving. when we were learning there was a man who was 75 years old learning how to dive and our dive master had just celebrated his 70th birthday with a shark dive at Sturat's Cove in the Bahamas. If you are healthy and can swim 200 yards then you will have NO worries. Look in the yellow pages for a dive shop near where you live and then go visit them. You will see its easier than you think. The toughest thing people have trouble with is breathing through your mouth rather than your nose. If you are a mouth breather (as I am) this will come very easy! If not (my wife) then it can take a 15 minutes to get used to it, which is no issue as you beginning your diving experience in a pool (most times). If you live near the ocean then you can complete your open water dive certification. If not they may have a lakle or quarry they will take you to complete the actual dive portion. If none are available you can complete your open eater on the ship (compplete all the textbook stuff at home before you go). If you choose to finish the open water part on the ship make sure that you take the PADI certification exams and not the NAUI as the ship is PADI certified. If you compplete everything at home there is no worries which course you do whether its NAUI or PADI as each is accepted all over the world.

 

Well I hope this helps. If you read about someone called Drifting Away they did the same thing this past June and they were glad they did everything before they left. Good Luck.

[Bahamma Mamma2]

I just returned from the PG on Sunday. I had never had a dive class before and I did the class on the ship. It was AWESOME! Pierre and Martin, the current dive masters are the best! I was so nervous about the whole thing and they walk you through everything on the ship and then again in the pool. I was very nervous about the open water dive off the ship. Martin held my hand the hole way down to the bottom and kept me calm. After about 10 minutes I had it down and had the time of my life! I even saw a reef shark sleeping and snuck up on him for a quick picture! Martin and Pierre stayed right with us and never let us out of their sight. I would recommend them to anyone. They are very patient and truly care about their guests! My class and dive count towards my certification if I choose to finish it now that I am home!

[scuba diver]

As an instructor, I highly recommend getting certified prior to the cruise if at all possible. You will enjoy the diving and the cruise more if you do not have to worry about taking classes. However, if you take the classes on the cruise the PG's dive instructors are top notch and I would recommend them to anyone. I am 58 and think that is still young. I have been diving for a number of years and in many diverse locations and still saw quite a few "firsts" on the PG cruise.

 

Here is a link to some of my dive photos from our June 14-25th cruise:

 

http://gallery.me.com/lottodiving#100029/Tahiti%20Diving&bgcolor=black

[Misha]

Your pictures are amazing and beautiful..... those sharks are awfully big and close though! I would definitely get certified before the cruise. I'd like to do this, but am really nervous about it. Years ago, when getting a life guard certification, I had to "rescue" a big guy in 12 ft of water....The depth and pressure freaked me; I started to panic and that was in a pool. Seeing sharks and barracuda while snorkeling also gets my heart pounding.... so I don't want to be terrified and end up drowning or have a heart attack either. It's mini lobster season here and the news reported two divers dying yesterday. Is that a sign? On the other hand, I've lived here 25 years and don't recall hearing about many diving deaths either. Would you recommend a "diving experience" where a trainer gets you ready and you dive in a day's time to see if I like it first? Or would that be rushing it and make it a less positive experience?

[Friscorays]

Misha,

 

If you are worried at all about panic issues, I would recommend doing a full course. That way, you have time to work through any issues which might arise. A one day course is a recipe for increased stress in my opinion.

[scuba diver]

Most dive shops have an introductory dive program that will enable you to do a scuba dive even though you are not certified. PADI's "Discover Scuba Diving program lets you experience the thrill of diving under the supervision of a PADI Professional in pool or pool-like conditions." (That's from their web page, but so does NAUI, WASI, TDI, SDI, SSI, YMCA .......) The intro dive will help calm any of the fears you may have and will give you a good idea as to just what you are getting into. If you like snorkeling you should love diving and diving doesn't get any easier than from the PG. (Except for Curacao and Bonaire)

 

As far as divers getting hurt, it is always possible. However, I read somewhere about a guy comparing the injuries attributable to bowling with scuba and came to the conclusion that bowling was more dangerous. (I can't vouch for his statistics) Safety is always a concern with any activity and good training and equipment are the best ways to avoid injuries.

 

Sharks do not like to get close to divers. My theory is that they do not like the bubbles. The chances of an injury from a shark while diving is not as good as your odds of winning the lottery and being struck by lightning while trying to cash in the winning ticket. The Barracuda in the picture is about as docile as any creature I have ever encountered. If you want to fear something, I would urge you to fear sea urchins.

 

Check around your area for a dive shop and pick one you feel comfortable with, then go for it.

[scuba diver]

I had not read Friscorays' post when I responded to Misha. Friscorays does have a valid point that, under some circumstances, anxiety can be heightened by a rushed encounter with a stressful situation. I am assuming that you are going to a reputable dive operation with which you feel comfortable. An introductory dive will not be "a one day course" by any stretch of the imagination. You will be given basic instruction and introduction to the equipment and its operation as well as the rudimentary skills needed to scuba dive. You will be in a limited depth environment which should not have any challenges. In other words a very secure dive situation with good visibility.

 

I have noted problems with introductory dives given to cruise passengers in various ports. These are rushed experiences. There is usually a lot of pressure to keep up with the group. There is also considerable cutting of corners on the issues that need to be discussed by the instructor. (in many cases a non-instructor) I have also seen good dive operations in many ports conduct this type of dive experience and do an excellent job. If you do the intro dive at home (So. FL) you should have no trouble finding a qualified and reputable dive operation.

 

The dive instructor will also discuss medical conditions and/or medications that may contraindicate your ability to dive. Additionally you should either receive a lecture or video presentation about the subject followed by a written exam. This should not be a rushed experience. A good instructor will discuss why you want to try this. She will want to know if you are interested in a complete course or just suffering from a mid-life crisis. You should also fully discuss any issues you have concerning your fears. As your instructor, she will help you work through those fears even on such a limited basis as the intro dive.

[Misha]

Thank you so much for your comments. I really appreciate your input. I'm going to do lots more research and check with friends for recommendations for a great instructor in the area and go from there. I'm not panicky, just stepping out of my comfort zone a bit. Another from our group said she would "take the plunge" with me. Her comment was that if we didn't do this, we would be missing most of Tahiti. We definitely will do all the preparation before we go. Living in So Fla makes that easy and it will be fun anticipating our trip. If we still need hand holding, I'm sure the dive staff on the PG will accommodate us. Are there any recommended web sites, or boards I can lurk for novice divers? Thanks again!

[Friscorays]

Are there any recommended web sites, or boards I can lurk for novice divers? Thanks again!

 

Scubaboard.com is a great resource and has a beginner / new to diving section.

[Misha]

Thanks, that's a great site.... I'll keep you posted as to how we are doing!