hi guys, I have a question about SCUBA - I see that several of the dive websites offer "Resort Course" for around 150.00... does anyone know what this is? I have emailed 4 dive places to ask them but it has been over a week and no reply... figure i would give you guys a try.

Thanks

Its a course (short) that gets you a dive with the instructor.
The 'Resort Course' is a slang term for what The Professional Assoc. of Diving Instructors refers to as Discover SCUBA Diving.
PADI gives you credit towards getting certified with the course taught their way.

It's good for people who either have no idea what scuba is about, or do but aren't sure if it's for them. It isn't a certification course, but as Elbert says it can (subject to conditions) count towards the full certification course.

It takes around 1/2 a day, and starts with a chat with the instructor. Then there's a video to watch (which will be a different video if you think you'll want to go on to a certification course), followed by introduction to the dive gear you'll be using. Then it's into a pool or shallow sea to go over the basic safety skills you need before you venture underwater. Once that's satisfactorily completed then as Elbert says you go out in a boat and do a shallow dive at a proper dive site, where there'll be lots to see to take your mind off what you're doing!

You have probably heard the term "Open Water Diver". In PADI terms that is their principal entry-level course, and in our convenient and warm water can be completed in three days. It's common for it to take longer in colder climes.

In case that's still too long for you, PADI offer a shorter course called "Scuba Diver" which can be completed in two days. It only contains two open water dives compared with the four of the Open Water course.

PADI is the largest recreational dive training agency by far but not the only one. Other agencies represented locally include NAUI and SDI. Beware that terminology varies across agencies, so that "Scuba Diver" represents a lower-level and restricted qualification under PADI but is the full standard qualification with some others.

Correct me if I’m wrong but if you do the ‘resort course’ or ‘Discover Diving course’ isn’t your credit only good with the instructor you used and for one year?

I'm not sure of the rules, but a year is an awfully long time for such a basic level of information to be retained.

In general only the instructor you did the DSD (the non-certification 1/2 day experience) can recognise it when taking you on to a certification course. In any case, whether or not the DSD is credited is at the discretion of the instructor doing the certification course.

I'm not absolutely sure of the details and I await Elbert's correction!

im not familiar with discover scuba being credited to your certification process. i did that a couple of times before finally making the leap to scuba diver, then on to open water and beyond. my experience with discover scuba is you take the resort coursed which will earn you a dive with an instructor. from there you are certified to dive for 14 days with an instructor. once that 2 week window lapses, you are done with the program. you either do it again on the next trip or you move forward to permanent certification.

fish

My kids, and a whole bunch of extended family started with "resort" courses and went on to open water certs. I was able to tag along with my brother-in-law when he did his first dive at Hol Chan with Billy Leslie and he came out of the water with a level of exuberance suitable for a ten year old even tho he was early 60's. He got his cert the same year and is now my primary buddy and we've done lots of great dives in great places. Snorkeling opens the door to the other world, and the resort course can allow you to get right in there and see things you've never dreamed existed. Hol Chan is the best spot in the world to get your first taste.

yes, the resort course will put you in the water right now. i think it is a good thing, i know it was the hook for me. i had never done an open water dive in my life. i wore the gear underwater in a pool during my college days. once i did that dive, it was over. i was hooked and though i went on a few more trips doing the resort course, it was only a matter of time before i was certified.

fish

The "Resort Course" is good for 30 days and can be used as the first dive or fun dive of the open water course. Then you would only have the 4 skill dives required.

thanks, they must have upgraded that portion of the course, when i took it back in the late 90s, it was 14 days.

fish