Where to scuba?

[Shelton11]

Hi there, i would like to get my scuba certs so I am free to forage.

I have googled tens of places that offer the courses in and around SG. I am a complete novice so would like some advice as to which course to attend so if anyone has experience of this I would be super grateful, such as where? Value for money, destination, quality of waters and instructors.

even horror stories will be joyfully received.

Thanks

[JR8]

Can you swim?

[ecureilx]

Can you swim?

Objection your honor. you don't need to be able to Swim to Scube .. I am a living proof of it ..

And if you are a follow the instructions, and you learn PROPERLY, you need to know zilch swimming ..

Back to the OP, why not venture out a bit away, so you can get better rates ??

[JR8]

Can you swim?

Objection your honor. you don't need to be able to Swim to Scube .. I am a living proof of it ..

And if you are a follow the instructions, and you learn PROPERLY, you need to know zilch swimming ..

Back to the OP, why not venture out a bit away, so you can get better rates ??

Well no if you want to borrow gear, and go and dive in the Johor Strait with a mate you don't need to swim. You might die, but let's overlook that.

If you wish to qualify for say the world's biggest certification agency, PADI, yes you need to swim. Being able to swim <> diving <> makes sense, don't you think lol?

p.s. I speak as somone jaundiced on Asian student divers turning up to do dive training who can't swim, or in fact 'go a bit panicky' if they have to stand in water above their waist. [many stories can follow if required lol]

[nakatago]

Can you swim?

Objection your honor. you don't need to be able to Swim to Scube .. I am a living proof of it ..

And if you are a follow the instructions, and you learn PROPERLY, you need to know zilch swimming ..

Back to the OP, why not venture out a bit away, so you can get better rates ??

Yes, PADI has a swim test for certification. Not sure about NAUI but I'm guessing they do too.

And from experience, I've seen people who don't know how to use flippers because the only way they know how to swim is with the breaststroke. Makes for a frustrating dive...or several.

[ecureilx]

Well no if you want to borrow gear, and go and dive in the Johor Strait with a mate you don't need to swim. You might die, but let's overlook that.

I have done a dozen plus dives, and I am still alive and am free of bends and everything

p.s. I speak as somone jaundiced on Asian student divers turning up to do dive training who can't swim, or in fact 'go a bit panicky' if they have to stand in water above their waist. [many stories can follow if required lol]

Yes, you win ..

My wife can swim excellent long distance, and when she donned her first scuba gear and went under water, despite all preperation, she panicked .. and it took a while before she could dip below 10 feet of crystal clear water ..

I don't swim, I can barely swim, but, I have excellent training on diving, and though I never followed through my certification, I have never felt panicked, as long as my training kicked in and knew what to do ..

Your call .. and over and out ..



My confidence to take up diving, was because of encouragement from a US Marine friend of mine, while I was in Palawan, 10 years ago, and I was skeptical, that, though I can struggle my way, I go into panic mode when thrown into deep water .. I never looked back, and don't regret ..

[Shelton11]

Thanks for the replies, yes I swim daily for about 30 minutes or so pretty comfortably.

Think I'm going to go for the Padi. Will look at all those places thanks

[ecureilx]

Thanks for the replies, yes I swim daily for about 30 minutes or so pretty comfortably.

Think I'm going to go for the Padi. Will look at all those places thanks

If you can spare a week plus, you may have a better exposure, by flying off to Philippines. Most of the instructors are qualfied Europeans, Americans and Japanese .. and they don't skimp on safety or standards ... may work out cheaper than arranging a locally fixed group ..

And the dive instructors I met in Philippines were doing it out of passion, and no rush and out to make money ...

PM me, if you are lost ..

[sundaymorningstaple]

Well no if you want to borrow gear, and go and dive in the Johor Strait with a mate you don't need to swim. You might die, but let's overlook that.

I have done a dozen plus dives, and I am still alive and am free of bends and everything

p.s. I speak as somone jaundiced on Asian student divers turning up to do dive training who can't swim, or in fact 'go a bit panicky' if they have to stand in water above their waist. [many stories can follow if required lol]

Yes, you win ..

My wife can swim excellent long distance, and when she donned her first scuba gear and went under water, despite all preperation, she panicked .. and it took a while before she could dip below 10 feet of crystal clear water ..

I don't swim, I can barely swim, but, I have excellent training on diving, and though I never followed through my certification, I have never felt panicked, as long as my training kicked in and knew what to do ..

Your call .. and over and out ..



My confidence to take up diving, was because of encouragement from a US Marine friend of mine, while I was in Palawan, 10 years ago, and I was skeptical, that, though I can struggle my way, I go into panic mode when thrown into deep water .. I never looked back, and don't regret ..

Don't want to burst your bubble or anything, but that statement smacks of pure ignorance. Sorry to be blunt, but that is the most asinine thing I've ever heard. There are only two types of diving where you DON'T have to know how to swim, Muff Diving & Hard Hat/Hose Gear diving. Anybody who jumps in the ocean with SCUBA gear on and doesn't know how to swim is a freakin' idiot. Remind me never to be caught on a boat with you. Period.

My qualifications? I've been NAUI certified since 1976. I've probably made more than 4000 dives from 2 meter pipeline walking through the rice fields of Louisiana to 150 meter Bell Bounce dives in the Natuna Gas Field. I'm also a certified US Federal Blaster as well. I spent the better part of 2 decades diving for Oceaneering International, both in the Gulf of Mexico and all over S.E. Asia. SCUBA diving world wide (but no European/middle east/red sea).

[ecureilx]

My qualifications? I've been NAUI certified since 1976. I've probably made more than 4000 dives from 2 meter pipeline walking through the rice fields of Louisiana to 150 meter Bell Bounce dives in the Natuna Gas Field. I'm also a certified US Federal Blaster as well. I spent the better part of 2 decades diving for Oceaneering International, both in the Gulf of Mexico and all over S.E. Asia. SCUBA diving world wide (but no European/middle east/red sea).

Not gonna argue with a seasoned professional diver ... and I know you are not making it up ..

But .. I stand by what I did, and am confident, that, at this age, and not to say with better equipment, knowing to swim is a good thing, but NOT a show stopper .. and enough dive masters ask, but not insist, but that don't mean they are lax in their standards. Plus their rigorous training in safety and not taking undue risks .. (well, life is about risk management right ??)

Well, I don't plan to go diving on my own, nor do I plan to be fully certified open water diver .. or be a rescue diver, lest I drag somebody down .. I know enough friends who went diving and came back regretting that they should have known that their dive buddy is not only a panic case, but also a liar ..

Not in my case though ..

I can list my references, in Boracay, Peurto Galera, and in Dos Palmas / Palawan ..

Then again, I don't plan to do any live aboard, to mess around with a group, lest I be left behind and be forced to swim my way around .. I always could afford the luxury of a private dive boat .. and my own dive instructor

PS: Hope we didn't scare the OP off with this bickering ..

And .. though I am a novice diver, I have enough safety equipment, to ensure my survival, hopefully ..

[sundaymorningstaple]

but NOT a show stopper .. and enough dive masters ask, but not insist, but that don't mean they are lax in their standards.

B*llsh*t. If I ever met a Dive Master who knowingly allow a non-swimmer OR a Non-certified diver, lift a tank over his/her head, I'd report them and have their license taken away. They, and you, bring disrespect to the sport. We don't need clowns in the water. Believe me, you are not nearly as good as you think you are. Sorry, but I take extreme umbrage at what you are saying and for some reason, seem to be bragging about when they shouldn't be.

[Shelton11]

@ecureilx

I think this is what I will look to do if it will take a week I may look to do it at the end of the year. Nothing quite like having the feeling of being harried and fleeced to turn you off a thing. Thanks

[JR8]

I think the clue is in that Ecu says he 'always does private dives with an instructor'.

Believe it or not you can do the PADI Discover Scuba Diving course (aka resort dive, try dive) 1-1 with an instructor, or a DM with DSD Instructor status - even if you cannot swim. I know many Pro's who find that (cough) a little surprising, but given the level of supervision being provided...

So I wonder if Ecu has done repetitive DSD's? There was a guy in Tioman doing this just last week. He probably didn't even realise, just thought he had a 'private guide'.

Other stuff mentioned is just so wrong on many levels, where to begin?
- Panicking in divers ... I'd say the biggest trigger in students is breathing with their face submerged. Most are naturally happy, but some just flip. Nothing to do with being able to swim.
- Task loading. You have a lot to think about while diving, and can only deal with so much before going nuts and killing yourself. Donning 30kg of gear and jumping in the sea and not being able to swim doesn't really help matters.
- Flipper was a dolphin. the things on your feet are called fins.

[JR8]

Hi there, i would like to get my scuba certs so I am free to forage.

I have googled tens of places that offer the courses in and around SG. I am a complete novice so would like some advice as to which course to attend so if anyone has experience of this I would be super grateful, such as where? Value for money, destination, quality of waters and instructors.

even horror stories will be joyfully received.

Thanks

Back to the OP [literally!]. Ok you can swim that is a good start, you would be surprised at the number of students who go on holiday planning to learn to dive who cannot because they don't meet that requirement.

- Which course?
The simplest and most popular way to do it is doing your PADI Open Water course. This certifies you to dive to 18m. There are shorter-cuts but they are restrictive in what they let you do. I'm not going to do a spiel on the format of the OW but it takes 3.5-4 days. Note you can do the theory in advance via e-learning so you don't have to sit and study on the beach.

- Where?
There is little point you going to Sipidan or Layang Layang just to get your cert card. Neither do you want to be doing your OW qualifying dives in Singapore harbour [aka Pulau Hantu!]. I'd suggest you do it nearby like Redang, Tioman, Phuket, or combine it into a longer holiday elsewhere.

- Value for money?
As an example: Tioman last week, the place I previously worked, is RM990 for the OW course. And the place we stay (me, the staff, and several other guests) is RM50 a night, or RM800 a month.
Note it is cheaper to do the OW in one go, than split the course up it with either a referral or e-learning.

- Water quality
The perpetual question. Any of the mentioned places will be fine. You mentioned the end of the year. Note that the end of year monsoon season closes diving on the east coat of peninsular Malaysia.

- Instructors
This can be subjective and quite a personal thing, as the instructor/student relationship is quite intense. You have other things to figure before you start planning at this level though!

Edit to add:
Knock yourself out researching more here...
www.padi.com

[ecureilx]

gee ... I never went DSD or went beyond 10 meter .. did I stir up the hornet's nest here ?? And I had my dives, with the dive boat barely 30 feet or so away .. and rarely out of sight ...

I think the clue is in that Ecu says he 'always does private dives with an instructor'.

I am far from being a certified diver, and not gonna head in that direction, no time in the near future ..

- Flipper was a dolphin. the things on your feet are called fins.

love it