High Blood Pressure

Last question, I swear! You have all been so informative and I really appreciate all of the input I've gotten on this thread. About how long does it take you to get certified? Do you have to have a certain number of dive hours before you can be considered "certified"? I work full time in the evenings and go to school full time during the day so I would only have one or two days a week to put in. I didn't know if it was a certain length or just like, a full day spent in the water.

I can imagine learning to clear my mask in a lake will be easier than learning with salt water in my eyes! But either way, thank you again for this thread. I'm so excited!

The PADI open water course I took was 5 weeks @ one night per week (classroom plus pool time each week), then four open water dives (typically over two days) after you've completed the classroom/confined water sessions. The course can also be taken in one week (e.g., at a resort) but I liked the pace of one class per week.

It is also possible to be "referred" to a different dive shop to do your open water dives so in theory you could do your classroom/pool sessions and then finish your checkouts the first couple of days of vacation (but this might not be practical on most cruises).

My certification was two weekends. (Plus like 8-10 hours of classroom preparation work we did at home.)

The first weekend was classroom and pool sessions. The other weekend was open water. So it could be finished in the course of a month, which is what my husband did. (I think it was like the first week and the third week of the month, not back to back weekends.)

However, even though I passed the pool sessions, I didn't feel I was ready for OW- so I waited a month, took the pool sessions again, and then did the OW- so I didn't actually finish up as quickly as I could have. Other people didn't pass (it isn't automatic, and shouldn't be) and had to retake either classroom or open water.

Our dive shop only has 1 session a month, but a busier area might have more availability.

Go back to post 18:

I got dd certified in 2 days in Key Largo a couple of years ago. With PADI you can do all the book work on line, then you arrange with a teaching facility and they give you the written test, pool skills and 2 dives one day, 2 dives next day and tada you are now open water certified!

You CAN do full Open Water in TWO DAYS ... with some advanced preparation ...

From: http://www.padi.com/scuba/padi-courses/diver-level-courses/view-all-padi-courses/open-water-diver/default.aspx

You don’t have to wait to get going. With PADI eLearning and the PADI Open Water Diver Course Online, you can start right now. The PADI Open Water Diver Course Online lets you learn the background information you need before each dive at your own pace through friendly, interactive learning. It even helps you choose the PADI dive shop where you’ll make those dives.

Open Water Diver certification is the recommended intro course and requires 4 open water dives under instruction, on completion you are good to 'dive on your own' within the sport diving limits

PADI also offers a 'SCUBA DIVER' certification course - this is even offered on some RCL cruises- but I do not recommend this course. Basically it is 2/3 of the Open Water course, requiring only 2 dives but leaves you need to only dive with a DiveMaster, AND there is no "second half" course to get to open water other than taking the full open water course . . . officially by PADI courses anyway....

Editorial comment - Open Water means you a 'ready' in the technical sense. A wise beginning diver will still make their dives with experienced divers or even divemasters until a comfortable level of experienced is gained. Passing downhill skiing 101 does not mean you should try a black diamond slope!

Please re-read Capt BJ's last post.... It's they way many (most) organizations in the South do it now. Here's a rough break-down of the schedule that Capt BJ mentioned. I'm a DM here in South Florida (not my day job.. just for fun and free diving), and here's the way just about every shop does it:

1.) Online book-work at home. 8 - 10 hours through PADI. Most, but not all, shops are PADI down here. Finish up and print out your certificate.

2.) Friday evening meet at the dive shop to do your paperwork (including that form from an earlier post that you checked the "No" box for everything) and get fitted for your gear. We'll actually go through the online course work to make sure you actually understand what you've learned. Some shops actually do this step early on Saturday morning. Note... any Yes boxes on the form and you'll need a note from your doctor BEFORE we'll even let you in the pool.

3.) Saturday morning - pool work to work on your skills.

4.) Saturday afternoon - 2 Open Water beach dives, primarily working on the same skills you just did in the swimming pool.

5.) Sunday afternoon - 2 more beach or boat dives. One of the dives is some more skills, the second dive is usually a play dive.

Boom... you are done and are now an Open Water SCUBA diver.

One weekend... and you are a safe and comfortable diver.

PADI online course I think is $145. Our shop (I do not work for them) is $199 for the "wet work", which includes all rental gear. $345 and you're done, and competant.

Florida is unique, and you're "up there" in NY, but you could do it on a weekend. I know shops all the way up to Virginia now do the certifications this way (I haven't lived North of the Mason Dixon line in a long time).

PADI also offers a 'SCUBA DIVER' certification course - this is even offered on some RCL cruises- but I do not recommend this course. Basically it is 2/3 of the Open Water course, requiring only 2 dives but leaves you need to only dive with a DiveMaster, AND there is no "second half" course to get to open water other than taking the full open water course . . . officially by PADI courses anyway....

 

Editorial comment - Open Water means you a 'ready' in the technical sense. A wise beginning diver will still make their dives with experienced divers or even divemasters until a comfortable level of experienced is gained. Passing downhill skiing 101 does not mean you should try a black diamond slope!

Our shop basically gave "Scuba Diver" certification to those who couldn't pass Open Water- they met enough of the requirements, but can't dive independently.

One of the great things about Cozumel is the marine park requires a divemaster with all groups. For us, it made it a great first destination (outside of going back to the local quarry to practice), since we knew we'd be semi-supervised (and we picked an op that caters to beginners, so we were actually pretty heavily supervised the first day, and got more freedom as the days went on.)

I originally was certified by SSI (am now PADI Divemaster) in 2009. There were two evenings of classwork, followed by the written test. Then we had two half-day pool sessions. Followed by that, we headed down to San Carlos, Mexico over the Thanksgiving holiday and were certified after our fourth dive, or in two days. I had one more day there so got in a couple dives as a certified diver. :)

My first C class was 1973

2 nites a week for 6 weeks, one hour of classroom, one hour in the pool

we had to learn many gas calculations .... we figured air consumption rates for depth by 'physics' and used Navy dive tables. (not the PADI cheat card ... the actual NAVY tables)

in the pool, we learned on both (new) single hose regs and 'Mike Nelson twin hose' single stage ones

we had to go to the bottom of the pool and remove all our gear and 'stack it' then surface. Then free dive back down and put it all back on.

We were doing the requirements for three different agencies ..... PADI, NAUI and YMCA

you kids today got it easy

after dd got certified I took her to Cayman for a week of 'my training'

then she went to Roatan as an intern on a research project surveying reef conditions and counting sea horses

6 weeks 4 dives (or more) a day ....

.... And you had to carry your gear for 2 miles each way.... Up hill.... In the snow.... while wearing your fins......

Just kidding Skipper.... You have me by a few years.... But you do remind me of a different time....

I will share that I am glad that the newbies don't have to go through what we (more you than me) did. Dive training today is more approachable that it was in the day, and for that I am thankful. I don't think newbies need to go through what you and I (more you) did. That said, I assisted a class to SDI (the recreational side of TDI) standards a few years back and I thought it was too easy/casual. We didn't even touch the Tables. Maybe I'm just a cranky old curmudgeon. I'm approaching 1000 dives and I still do the tables nearly every dive.... Even the shallow training dives.... just for the mental exercise.... I guess I AM a cranky curmudgeon.

I guess we've digressed a bit... but it is a fun trip down memory lane!

Back to our newbie seastars..... I suspect you'll do great, and thanks for putting up with the old timers around here. I think you'll do great in your class, whatever you choose to do. With only 5mg of Lisinopril (which I think is how this started), you don't have a medical disqualifier in the real world. If you need to say yes on the form, get a docs signature before the wet work. Or you can be like Nancy Reagan and "Just Say No!" (How's that for memory lane!)

I strongly encourage you to knock out your training pre-cruise. Your dives on your vacation will be significantly better.

There is a whole other world out there....one the snorkelers can only see from the periphery. Go get it....and you'll be amazed....

having led the thread off course I may as well continue

While I DID seem to play the "I walked 6 miles thru the snow" card, that was not really my intention. But back then a diver was expected to understand a LOT more of the physics. Back then there were not many 'sport divers' ... the entire sport was more technical.

I've actually done the Open Water PADI course 3 times. Since my 70's initial, I did it again in the 80's when the wife got certified. I'd been out of the water for a time so I did the course again and we became VERY ACTIVE divers, living 1 hour from Keys dive boats.

When dd decided she was interested I did 2 Discovery dives with her (Cozumel and Cayman SunSet House) and then all her check out dives {over protective Papa?}

TODAY ... IME ... PADI teaches 'dive by computer'. The test dd was given DID include A TABLES question .. but the topic was glossed over. I mentioned 'my training' for dd. On a week of diving in Cayman we dove computer ... but I made her plan the dives, and review the dives by the tables.

IME the PADI course can teach tables or computers at the discretion of the certifying Instructor/shop. The final exam I took had a tables section and a computer section and the student is intended to complete one or the other section. We were told to complete the tables section and ignore the computer section.

Back to the OP question of BP, I too have high blood pressure and take two different meds. I have a note from by doctor clearing me to dive. I answer the questions yes and provide a copy of my clearance. After review I've never had a problem with diving. I second having DAN, to me it's just part of my yearly cost of diving.

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Back to the OP question of BP, I too have high blood pressure and take two different meds. I have a note from by doctor clearing me to dive. I answer the questions yes and provide a copy of my clearance. After review I've never had a problem with diving. I second having DAN, to me it's just part of my yearly cost of diving.

 

 

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Always good to hear from another experienced diver that is dealing with hypertension. Thanks for letting me know! I am officially registered with DAN and am looking into a certification course up here, as my cruise date has been pushed back to April. This thread has been super helpful. :D

Always good to hear from another experienced diver that is dealing with hypertension. Thanks for letting me know! I am officially registered with DAN and am looking into a certification course up here, as my cruise date has been pushed back to April. This thread has been super helpful. :D

One more advantage of getting your certification at home first... When you're out in the local lakes doing your cert dives, you will be wearing probably a 7mm wetsuit (with a rather confining hood) for thermal protection. And a bunch of lead to counteract the wetsuit's bouyancy. Then, when you get to dive down there in those tropical waters, you'll be in a much lighter wetsuit (or none, possibly) and less lead so you'll enjoy it even more. :o

I got certified up here in Puget Sound, and most of the well-traveled & experienced divers (including our instructors) will echo the sentiment "Learn to dive up here in these conditions, you'll be able to dive *anywhere*"... :cool: You might even get hooked on cold-water diving :D

I certainly enjoyed the freedom from my usual gear when I went to Hawaii!

Jim

You've already received a lot of good advice, so I'll debunk a couple of myths and tack on a little personal note.

Myth: You have to be in superb physical shape to be a diver.

Truth: Nope! DH and I are middle-aged, fat, and have grey hair. He's HBP/D type 2, and we have a blast diving. Another buddy of ours has two artificial knees, and dives just fine, but does require carefully selected sites to get out of the water safely.

(note: this does NOT apply to commercial diving, which is something else entirely)

Myth: You have to swim hard to see everything.

Truth: Nope! The slower you go, the better the dive.

Myth: Girls can't dive.

Truth: Nope! I'm still down there cruising around while the guys are getting sunburned on the boat.

More than once, I've noticed the the look on the faces of divemasters that meet us for the first time. "Oh CRAP! not old fat idiots from a cruiseship!" Ten minutes later, they're having a ball right along with us as "they may be old and fat, but they can DIVE!".

And at the end of the dive, I play my favorite game... How much air do you have left? I can't resist that one when we have a young, super-fit male DM. There are a lot of guys that won't play any more, because it costs them too much beer. :D

Lady sharks RULE!

Wendy

 

And at the end of the dive, I play my favorite game... How much air do you have left? I can't resist that one when we have a young, super-fit male DM. There are a lot of guys that won't play any more, because it costs them too much beer. :D

I can play that game too, but only if I sneak up behind other divers and surreptitiously "borrow" their octopus regulator for a while... :D

I have high blood pressure and its controlled with medication, I have been diving for 10 years, there is no problem, and my doctor told me to make no on do you have high blood pressure, because I don't!!! Its controlled with medication. It is safe to dive.

I have high blood pressure and its controlled with medication, I have been diving for 10 years, there is no problem, and my doctor told me to make no on do you have high blood pressure, because I don't!!! Its controlled with medication. It is safe to dive.

However, you would then have to answer "Yes" to the question regarding whether you are taking prescription medication. Generally a dive physical is no problem, and you can then have your doctor's signature, on a copy, you can just travel with. For issues like controlled hypertension, hypothyroidism, and a host of other things, there is no reason your doctor won't clear you for diving, but since you have a "yes" on the form, you should have a physical. It is typically something you can just have your doctor sign while you're in for a routine check-up.

As an instructor, I'm required to have a physical annually, regardless of any issues. I'm fortunate in that my boss at work is probably the nation's best known, and best qualified dive medicine doctor; but for most people your regular doctor can sign off with no problem. It is not different than a physical that would be recommended before engaging in almost any sport.

Your dive shop can provide you with the physical form with the sign off page, and - if desired - several pages of instruction s for the certifying physician. If you have no dive shop, you can download the form on line, or email me by clicking the link below and I'll get it to you.

Harris

Denver, CO