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Scuba Certification Recommendations Near Hood River

 
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eric

Since 13 Jan 2006
1803 Posts

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PostSun Feb 20, 22 3:14 pm    Scuba Certification Recommendations Near Hood River Reply with quote

Finally going to get this done. Looks like closet shop is Adventure Sports in Troutdale (SDI not PADI). Any recommendations? 6/ 1/2 doz the other?

Thanks,
Eric
HR

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Gman

Since 11 Feb 2006
4907 Posts
Portland
Unstrapped



PostThu Feb 24, 22 11:03 am     Reply with quote

no scuba free dive Laughing

another option for no wind days - better stealth for spearfishing

my bro Dan Semrad runs this shop

http://www.oregonfreediving.com/

_________________
Go Deep!


https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=eu2pBpQolKE

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Wind Slither

Since 04 Mar 2005
2570 Posts
The 503
METAL



PostMon Feb 28, 22 11:40 am     Reply with quote

Same question for Portland. (for my kid)

I think PADI is generally preferred?

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eric

Since 13 Jan 2006
1803 Posts

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PostTue Mar 01, 22 7:46 am     Reply with quote

My sense is for a recreational diver, perhaps beyond too, it really does not matter. I think SDI is actually $100 cheaper. In my case it's more convenient as SDI is in Troutdale = closer to HR.

It's really hard to know asking shops as I am sure there are incentives, costs and so forth for each on the shop end. I have asked dive friends of mine, they all say PADI, but also mention that it is mostly because "that's what everyone does."

Eric

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Sasquatch

Since 09 Mar 2005
2053 Posts
PNW
Bigfoot



PostWed Mar 02, 22 8:45 am    Rule #1 and #2 when Scuba diving. Reply with quote

1: Serious about this one: Always exhale when ascending. Air under pressure expands when there is less pressure. . ."Pop goes your lungs."

2: When you see the Land Lord or any of his/her cousins (aka Great White et all), stab your dive-buddy and quickly swim the other way. Laughing Razz

I haven't done it for decades when I was diving on/in the Great Barrier Reef, but I love it. It can be so peaceful!

Enjoy Eric!

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eric

Since 13 Jan 2006
1803 Posts

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PostWed Mar 02, 22 10:26 am     Reply with quote

^^^

Yeah. The first time I dove was in Bonaire. Did a "Learn to dive deal" with an instructor. Loved it so much as soon as the dive was over I asked if we could do another class right then and there. It was at the start of the 2008 crash--a lot of stress ABOVE the surface. Below? Not so much. Just beautiful fish and coral going about their business of life.

Looking for more of that!

Eric

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it's_over_there

Since 12 Apr 2021
15 Posts

 



PostWed Mar 02, 22 12:24 pm     Reply with quote

Having gone through this over the last few years as a family in Portland, that also travels to dive spots in the Caribbean and Thailand, I have a couple of recommendations. For reference, my wife has her advanced open water cert, I have my open water cert, and my 13 year old has his advanced cert now, but got his open water cert at 10. My 9 year old will be getting his cert next time we travel after he turns 10. We all have between 25-75 dives each.

1. If you are going on a trip where diving is part of the trip (likely somewhere warm?), I would highly recommend just doing your cert at your travel destination. PADI initial training (as of late) switched to online classes that takes about 6-8hrs of study. You then have your in person learning, pool practice sessions, then open water sessions after you complete the online stuff. You can complete the online learning ahead of your travels. It is so much more relaxing and enjoyable to do your cert in a warm location with good water clarity.

2. We have found it is often cheaper to do the courses at your place of travel. Even in places like the Caribbean where you might expect it to be pricier, it wasn't.

3. Be weary of shops that tell you that you have to buy all your own gear. Almost all places you go diving, you will end up going through a dive outfit, and they will have gear for you. This is somewhat place dependent, but we have never traveled with gear, and never had a problem. Shops that do certs, have an incentive to sell you stuff.

4. #1 rule of diving, keep breathing.

If you want some more specific recommendations on portland places or other countries if you are traveling (or you want to know our own bad experience with starting a cert locally in pdx) PM me.

Cheers,
Dan

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tinyE

Since 21 Jan 2006
2004 Posts
not really an
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PostWed Mar 02, 22 1:27 pm     Reply with quote

it's_over_there wrote:
Having gone through this over the last few years as a family in Portland, that also travels to dive spots in the Caribbean and Thailand, I have a couple of recommendations. For reference, my wife has her advanced open water cert, I have my open water cert, and my 13 year old has his advanced cert now, but got his open water cert at 10. My 9 year old will be getting his cert next time we travel after he turns 10. We all have between 25-75 dives each.

1. If you are going on a trip where diving is part of the trip (likely somewhere warm?), I would highly recommend just doing your cert at your travel destination. PADI initial training (as of late) switched to online classes that takes about 6-8hrs of study. You then have your in person learning, pool practice sessions, then open water sessions after you complete the online stuff. You can complete the online learning ahead of your travels. It is so much more relaxing and enjoyable to do your cert in a warm location with good water clarity.

2. We have found it is often cheaper to do the courses at your place of travel. Even in places like the Caribbean where you might expect it to be pricier, it wasn't.

3. Be weary of shops that tell you that you have to buy all your own gear. Almost all places you go diving, you will end up going through a dive outfit, and they will have gear for you. This is somewhat place dependent, but we have never traveled with gear, and never had a problem. Shops that do certs, have an incentive to sell you stuff.

4. #1 rule of diving, keep breathing.

If you want some more specific recommendations on portland places or other countries if you are traveling (or you want to know our own bad experience with starting a cert locally in pdx) PM me.

Cheers,
Dan


man, all of this is spot on. i did the remote certification, and it worked out great. I did my pool and class work here (on barbur in portland), but did my open water cert in australia. water was warm, and the dive was fun while i was getting certified.

i'll 2nd on watch out to be sold a bunch of gear. I have nice goggles and fins because i like to snorkel at vacation spots too and don't want to hassle with the rentals, but even that, it's easy enough to just get gear wherever you are.

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Sasquatch

Since 09 Mar 2005
2053 Posts
PNW
Bigfoot



PostWed Mar 02, 22 4:36 pm     Reply with quote

tinyE wrote:
[quote=

i'll 2nd on watch out to be sold a bunch of gear. I have nice goggles and fins because i like to snorkel at vacation spots too and don't want to hassle with the rentals,


So I received my PADI cert. back in college (upper division non-graded credits!) I spent like $130 on snorkel and mask and to this day they are working perfectly--it might of been a bit more; like $180. They were top of the line back then. This was 1989.

I chose them for comfort, roominess, and ease of viewing. "This one time in band camp", ops, that is a different story Laughing Razz

This one time I went diving and somehow my goggles and snorkel where not taken. The dive place I rented from rented me a both snorkel and mask as well as everything else, but the mask sucked ass and didn't fit my face very well. The fit and uncomfortableness only got worse the deeper I went as the pressure on the mask dug into my face and head; very uncomfortable to say the least. Fortunately, we only did two dives that outing.

My advice is to purchase a good mask and snorkel setup, pack them well and travel with them carefully, and they will pay for themselves over your lifetime with your water adventures. You're not always going to go diving, but probably always going to go snorkeling. Handy to own some if you own a boat and need to inspect potential hull damage. I also purchased bootie and fins back in 1989. Booties died, but the fins are still holding out just fine.

A mask's fit is very similar in nature to a ski boot's fit for skiing. . .if it isn't comfortable, you're probably not going to be as functional and or enjoy the experience as much.

Lastly, my favorite defogging trick for the inside of the mask wasn't rub your spit inside and rinse (although it does work). It was a dab of minty fresh toothpaste and rinsing it off. Keeps things minty fresh and works like magic!

Last edited by Sasquatch on Thu Mar 03, 22 8:41 am; edited 1 time in total

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Ho-Toe

Since 30 Apr 2014
231 Posts
pissed-off science guy like Bill Nye
CO2 quantifier & upwelling specialist



PostWed Mar 02, 22 4:53 pm    +1 Reply with quote

Sasquatch wrote:

My advice is to purchase a good mask and snorkel setup...


I'd like to reiterate what Sqatch and tiny E have said. This is good advice.

Fins... meh. It's nice to have a good set of fins, but most scuba fins take up a lot of space. I often take my Churchills (smaller fins for boogieboarding & bodysurfing) if I am just snorkeling.

Re: certification, NAUI has always been a highly-respected program, particularly among research, technical, and cave divers: https://www.naui.org/certifications/

Have fun! Cool

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it's_over_there

Since 12 Apr 2021
15 Posts

 



PostWed Mar 02, 22 8:21 pm    Oh yeah, buy your own mask. Reply with quote

Oops, my bad. I should have specified buying a mask in my speedily written other post, and this is inline with what everyone else is saying. A mask is the one thing really worth purchasing and traveling with. Snorkel-up to you, mask-definitely. My whole family owns masks, and it is the thing we travel with.

Cheers
Dan

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Slappysan

Since 13 Jun 2012
308 Posts

Obsessed



PostThu Mar 03, 22 1:03 pm     Reply with quote

I got my Open Water cert with NAUI and then did Dive Master with PADI, I don't think it matters too much but when you travel you'll find much more PADI.

The biggest thing I would tell you is that SCUBA diving is pretty much two different sports:
- Warm water diving
- Cold water diving

If you plan on doing cold water diving, then do your cert in cold water. Cold water diving is 2x to 10x harder than warm water diving. I did all my certs cold and have assisted on many warm certs and it's night and day the difference.

After working as a dive guide in Thailand for a while I pretty much gave up cold water diving. While it can be amazing the effort required is substantial.

If you are interested in cold water diving it might be worth the drive up to Puget Sound. I'm not very familiar with Oregon diving but I don't imagine there are too many great spots.

When buying a mask consider a low volume mask if you plan on doing any freediving. Always best to try masks on before buying, not every mask fits every face.

Beyond a mask and snorkel a good Suunto dive watch would be a very worthwhile investment.

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