Anybody here SCUBA dive?

[sharathpaps]

Hey, I have been dreaming of SCUBA diving for as long as I can remember and I have finally saved enough money to take a holiday+diving certification course this October.

Anybody here SCUBA dive before? Any tips?

[Paqman]

Anybody here SCUBA dive before? Any tips?

Consider getting your own mask. Go to a shop and get one that fits you well. Everybody's face is different, there is no "one size fits all" for masks, and a poorly fitting one will detract from your enjoyment of the dive. It doesn't have to be expensive, just right for you.

Other than that: find somewhere nice to dive! I've never understood why people dive in quarries. I was lucky enough to do my PADI Open Water course in Fiji and the reefs were amazing.

[rax_m]

Consider getting your own mask. Go to a shop and get one that fits you well. Everybody's face is different, there is no "one size fits all" for masks, and a poorly fitting one will detract from your enjoyment of the dive. It doesn't have to be expensive, just right for you.

Other than that: find somewhere nice to dive! I've never understood why people who dive in quarries. I was lucky enough to do my PADI Open Water course in Fiji and the reefs were amazing.

I second that!

A good mask is really important.
And cold water diving sucks(for me)!

Where are you holidaying?

[sdowney717]

Get into boat hull cleaning. My bottom is in serious need of a good scraping.

Considering the haulout costs, and repaint, hull cleaning is cheap.

[wojox]

Yes and it's Awesome. It truly is another world. I recieved my NAUI cert. back in Florida. You are going to love it.

Tips: Have Fun. Stay Calm. Dive with a Buddy.

[mips]

Other than that: find somewhere nice to dive! I've never understood why people who dive in quarries. I was lucky enough to do my PADI Open Water course in Fiji and the reefs were amazing.

Dunno what the ocean is like at Kerala India but only 700km away are the Maldives Islands and that is awesome! Normal snorkeling would even be a joy there.

[zombifier25]

This is OT (I don't scuba dive), but I have to post anyway:
Elite Hacker + Scuba Diver = Linus Torvalds.

[Gone fishing]

Make sure you learn at a good center (like a Padi 5 star) with good gear, learn in warm water diving in inch thick wet suits with 100kg of weight to pull you under isn't the best. The Caribbean beats Cape Town in this regard - at least in my opinion.

[sharathpaps]

@Paqman and rax_m: Will definitely look into getting good masks. The trouble is that in India, SCUBA diving is still a very rare recreation and there aren't too many places or people I can go to for help or buying gear.

@Mips: I will be going to Havelock Islands in the Andaman and Nicobar islands. I want to do the NAUI Open Water Diver certification course at the Dive India diving school

One of the things I am worried about is my eyesight underwater. I use prescription glasses for myopia. Something like -2.5 Dioptres. I either have to use soft contact lenses or do without them underwater. I hope it won't spoil my experience or my ability to function several feet below.

[mips]

@Mips: I will be going to Havelock Islands in the Andaman and Nicobar islands. I want to do the NAUI Open Water Diver certification course at the Dive India diving school

One of the things I am worried about is my eyesight underwater. I use prescription glasses for myopia. Something like -2.5 Dioptres. I either have to use soft contact lenses or do without them underwater. I hope it won't spoil my experience or my ability to function several feet below.

That should be really cool, close to Indo as well. Still wanna go surf Indo one day.

You have several options wrt myopia. You can buy a mask to which corrective lenses are fitted or you can get some soft daily disposable contacts. I would suggest the soft contacts, if you need to 'flush' your mask under water just close your eyes. They generally stay in your eyes if there is no violent water action, I surfed with them for a while so they wont come out. Many people dive with contacts.
Ended up getting LASIK surgery many years ago to rid me of glasses & contacts.

Also check with the dive centre if they don't have corrective masks if contacts are not a option for you but then you are back to using a mask that might not fit you so well. Maybe they have stick in lenses, you never know.

Make sure you learn at a good center (like a Padi 5 star) with good gear, learn in warm water diving in inch thick wet suits with 100kg of weight to pull you under isn't the best. The Caribbean beats Cape Town in this regard - at least in my opinion.

Anybody that sticks as much as their big toe into Cape Town water is mad! Water on the west coast is freezing. Now if you came to the east coast it's a completely different story. Been surfing in 26°C water lately, nice and warm.