Recommended training centres & e-learning

Pines

Hi All,

I'm new to this forum, and have read my way back through a dozen or so pages trying to figure out what to ask!

First things first, I'm planning to do PADI OWD course here in Ireland with a view to trying some warmer water diving on hols later in the year (without spending my holidays in a classroom).

I know advertising isn't allowed on here, so I'd appreciate any PMs with recommendations for dive centres for my training (and any ones to avoid).

Secondly, (and please post replies as others may look for the same info later), I see PADI allow the "classroom" portion of the OWD course to be done in as e-learning. Basically, you work through modules at your own pace and do exams online. I think this finishes with a test when you do attend your nominated PADI centre to begin dives.

Anybody have any experience with this? Does the idea of a newbie reading his training material and watching video on a computer at home rather than in a damp clubhouse horrify you? Whatcha think?

Thanks in advance.

Benny-c

What part of the country are you in?

juvenal

Hi,

Rather than start another thread I thought I'd also add my situation if that's ok.

I've completed my SSI Open Water certification, and have done 8 dives between Fiji and the GBR Australia. I've done a wreck dive, navigation training, but have no experience in diving in the colder waters of the northern hemisphere!

I've loved what I've done so far, and am well aware that it's not all warm weather exotic diving in 25C water with 20m+ visibility! I've invested quite a bit of time and money and would hate not to continue now that I'm home and it's more of a niche sport here.

Any advice on what the best way to go about continuing my education, websites to look at etc. would be greatly appreciated. I've been looking at the CFT site, and some of the dive clubs around Dublin (where I'm based). I'm home for the next five months anyway, and even some pool training and classes would be ideal so I don't fall by the wayside.

Thanks for your advice.

Benny-c

I suggest you e-mail the RDO (Regional Dive officer) nearest to your area and he/she will give you contact details for your local club.

Check the following page;

http://www.cft.ie/rdo.htm for the relevant details,

Good luck

Benny

Pines

Benny-c wrote: »

What part of the country are you in?

Dublin, but would consider travelling West for the open water dives, I heard it's likelier to inspire me than a dive in Dublin, not sure how true that is. Anyway, prepared to travel if necessary.

PiP 101

Pines,

I did my open water course and do most of my diving in Clare as im based in Limerick . Two great dive centres down here if your intending on going west to do the course - which id also recommend as the diving is great down here . I did a try dive in warm waters (Malta) with the intention of going diving on holidays once twice a year or that way and have not stopped diving since .

250882

I'm from Roscommon and I did my training in Dun Laoghaire in Oceandivers, My dads a diver and he trained in Kerry. He told me there was no point in training in Dun laoghaire as there is nothing to see. The course was in the NAC every tuesday evening and the dives were done in sandycove .The gear was all good quality and the instructers are great fun, its a real buzz when there are about 50 other people doing the same thing as you and I dont know anywhere else where you do your training in a 5m deep heated pool. The pool depth and size makes it a lot easier to practice boyancy control and hovering(2M and your just bobbing up and down, 1 mistake and your on the top.) When it came to the open water dives it doesn't really matter if there is nothing to see, your generally too excited to be under water breathing to pay attention to the instructer anyway, plus there is an option to do your open water dives in Killery harbour in Clare with the same people. I'd definately recomend them

Pines

Thanks for the replies, everyone, and for the PMs. Feel free to pm me further if you are reading this thread for the first time.

At the moment I'm inclined to head west (or south, maybe Baltimore) when the water warms up a little, but the Oceandivers (Dun Laoghaire) would look like the way to go if I can't take the time off.

Amazotheamazing

Went to Malta with Oceandivers and found them excellant.

Einstein

the elearning module is optional, it's been introduced to try and make the studying portion more effective and time flexible. As an instructor, personally I wouldn't be 100% behind it, as the natural questions that come up through classroom discussion and banter don't get asked and fall by the wayside. But I guess thats the way the world is evolving so gotsta roll with it I guess!

In relation to Juvenal's Q, any dive centre will do an orientation dive with you. You and a DM or instructor will bring you to a fairly enclosed spot to give you the ins and outs of diving in Ireland, low viz, cold water etc. You'll have no problems!

Einstein

tomcollins97

Hi,

I am living in the Dun Laoghaire area & Oceandivers was reccomended to me. I would like to do an OWD course which will enable me try some dives on holidays. Does anyone have experience with this school or are there any others you could reccomend?

Thanks,
Tom

juvenal

Thanks for all the replies, it's a bit handier having some actual experiences to relate to.

I've been in touch with the RDO for the Dublin area, and am currently in touch with some of the clubs around with a view to hopefully getting to do some stuff with them.

The only problem I think that's still outstanding is that I don't have any gear? When abroad I always rented the gear as it wasn't feasible to have a lot of stuff when travelling. I have my own fins, snorkel and mask, but that's it. Should I really have a suit and additional equipment before I even think about starting again or what's the situation with rental here in Dublin?

Also, I'm aware that some people have dry suits and others favour semi-dry. I think personally I'd lean towards semi-dry, but any opinions/experiences on the matter would be great?

Thanks again...

mossym

don't even think about a dry suit until you have done some diving in cold water and are sure you want to continue. dry suits are expensive, and require a lot of getting used to to get your bouyancy to the same level as a wetsuit. once you know you're ging to keep diving in irish waters then think about a drysuit.

chaotic

juvenal wrote: »

Thanks for all the replies, it's a bit handier having some actual experiences to relate to.

I've been in touch with the RDO for the Dublin area, and am currently in touch with some of the clubs around with a view to hopefully getting to do some stuff with them.

The only problem I think that's still outstanding is that I don't have any gear? When abroad I always rented the gear as it wasn't feasible to have a lot of stuff when travelling. I have my own fins, snorkel and mask, but that's it. Should I really have a suit and additional equipment before I even think about starting again or what's the situation with rental here in Dublin?

Also, I'm aware that some people have dry suits and others favour semi-dry. I think personally I'd lean towards semi-dry, but any opinions/experiences on the matter would be great?

Thanks again...

Talk to Willie in Oceandivers. He rents out equipment even if you are not diving with him. I know some people that rented out a full set of gear for a club long weekend last year for a good price. I reckon if you do a long weekend with a club or a dive centre you will know if it's for you or not and then you can buy what you need. Alternatively there is nearly always gear for sale in clubs around this time of year. Good luck!

juvenal

mossym wrote: »

don't even think about a dry suit until you have done some diving in cold water and are sure you want to continue. dry suits are expensive, and require a lot of getting used to to get your bouyancy to the same level as a wetsuit. once you know you're ging to keep diving in irish waters then think about a drysuit.

chaotic wrote:

Talk to Willie in Oceandivers. He rents out equipment even if you are not diving with him. I know some people that rented out a full set of gear for a club long weekend last year for a good price. I reckon if you do a long weekend with a club or a dive centre you will know if it's for you or not and then you can buy what you need. Alternatively there is nearly always gear for sale in clubs around this time of year. Good luck!

Good ideas; I suppose the smartes thign to do is to rent the gear and try a few dives with a club or group that go out to Dublin bay.

I'm waiting to hear back from some of the local clubs, but since I'm only going to be around until June it might be better just to do a couple of social dives; I'm just conscious of not wasting the experience of learning now that it's a bit more of a niche sport here!

Oilrig

Juvenal,

I'd suggest you stick with the PADI scene. Most Clubs are CMAS/CFT affiliated and have a different training structure to PADI. Typically their training would start in November with theory lectures and pool sessions leading to open water dives in March.

You seem to be more transient and I think a PADI outlet would meet your need better.

Clubs expect you to have your own equipment also.

juvenal

Oilrig wrote: »

Juvenal,

I'd suggest you stick with the PADI scene. Most Clubs are CMAS/CFT affiliated and have a different training structure to PADI. Typically their training would start in November with theory lectures and pool sessions leading to open water dives in March.

You seem to be more transient and I think a PADI outlet would meet your need better.

Clubs expect you to have your own equipment also.

Cheers for the input Oilrig;

I contacted a few clubs around Dublin and ended up going to one last weekend. They had a two hour theory session on Saturday and a one hour pool session on Sunday. I was impressed with the set-up; they were very welcoming and well-organised.

As I'm doing a cross over a lot of the stuff I've covered before, and it's actually refreshing to do things a bit differently. I'm pretty keen to get my CFT certification, but as you mentioned joining a club is both a time and financial commitment. I don't want to mess them about as they're a sound bunch and as it looks like I'll be moving abroad at the start of June it might not be the right time to invest a chunk of money in something I can't really give my time to at present.

I think I'll try and come to some arrangement with them to complete the training even though I won't be around for the majority of the season, and I can continue the resort diving etc. when I'm abroad.

RogerViking

im cft and TDI certified done many deep wreck dives and i like fishy things too .i dived in a lot of places bar the red sea but you should think about this place well worth it. irish too.

http://www.dive24-7tenerife.com/

RogerViking

Oilrig wrote: »

Juvenal,

I'd suggest you stick with the PADI scene. Most Clubs are CMAS/CFT affiliated and have a different training structure to PADI. Typically their training would start in November with theory lectures and pool sessions leading to open water dives in March.

You seem to be more transient and I think a PADI outlet would meet your need better.

Clubs expect you to have your own equipment also.

to be quite honest my club dives all year round and we dont expect trainees to have there own equipment ...usualy most divers buy equipment that they trust and maintain as i have been in many centers around the world and wouldent dive the BCs that they 'rent' out and you wouldent know when the regs were last serviced .i could tell some horror stories on this...but thats just my 2c ive only done abut 300 dives