Where and when did you get your basic SCUBA certification? Any interesting experience associated with getting it?

+2 votes
asked Aug 17, 2017 in Scuba Diving by richardehyman (2,630 points)

6 Answers

+1 vote
answered Aug 17, 2017 by George1224 (5,147 points)
I did my Open Water at a dive shop in Louisiana, Cert dives in a Lake in Ark. Interesting part was breathing under water for the first time. Ill never forget it. OW water was SSI, I have since changed to PADI for AOW, Nitrox, Rescue, and currently Divemaster working on my Instructor development course IDC.
+1 vote
answered Aug 17, 2017 by cquade7 (3,269 points)
I got certified in Dominica, and I had a great experience with it, I did all the class work online, and when I got there all I did was the hands on stuff. I had a great experience with it.
+1 vote
answered Aug 17, 2017 by frontbeast (2,220 points)
right here in aalborg, in Denmark. the open water divers wery cracy...cold and you coulden see two feet.
+1 vote
answered Sep 25, 2017 by Deanaguf (410 points)
I got certified in the springs outside of Gainesville while finishing college. The irony is that I've lived in South Florida all my life but chose to get certified in the cold water of the springs instead. Its the last time I went diving in freshwater!
+1 vote
answered Sep 25, 2017 by Cvet (3,369 points)
I had been diving the caves and Ocean of Florida ten years before certifications  were brought into effect. Moved to Texas and stopped diving, then moved to Calf. Asked my wife if she wanted to jump out of airplanes or take up SCUBA diving. So In the cold water of Monterey bay we got certified, that was 26 years ago.
+1 vote
answered Sep 26, 2017 by Boneyard (1,593 points)
I got certified many moons ago (1969), at the age of 16. Back then, teenagers just did not go through the rigorous training that was done by NAUI to become certified. The classes and in water training were done, in my case, by instructors who were former Navy SEALS, and were quite hard core. The first couple of classes dealt only with swimming skills, including treading water without using your hands while passing a 15 pound weight belt to each other. Needless to say, you were ready to move on to snorkeling and then SCUBA. One of the hardest parts for me was jumping into the pool holding all my equipment, putting it all on and clearing the snorkel and then regulator in one breath. Back then, while performing this checkoff with SCUBA, the instructors would harass you by tugging at your fins, pulling off your mask, and even turning your air off. This was to prepare you for the emergency that could happen. I was a very nerve wracking part of the course. I did pass though and enjoyed many years of diving.
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