Scuba diving?

54rndball · Sep 7, 2016

I have been out of diving for many years and am thinking of taking an open water scuba course to get back into it. Any good local dive shops to be recommended? I used to dive out in Hawaii and Australia. But I need to get some adventure back in life.

CroftonBilly · Sep 7, 2016

I've only had my gear serviced there, but Sea Colony in Severna Park comes highly recommended by many of my dive buddies.
http://www.seacolony.net/

K31 · Sep 7, 2016

You might want to see if the local REC department, Adult Ed or Community College has a program. It will probably be much cheaper. Unfortunately, the YMCA, which was the 2nd oldest certifying program in the world stopped it's program a few years ago. That would have been my first recommendation.

yellowsled · Sep 7, 2016

I did my advanced open water class in GTMO, best thing i could have done. Maybe get the refresher and then the advanced qual at the same time?

Melnic · Sep 7, 2016

I did my cert at Sea Colony and Advanced in Hawaii about 20 years ago.
There is a place in Columbia off Dobin also.
Had my regulators serviced there once
columbiascuba.com

Wife and I talked about getting my older 2 boys certified.
We may take them to the Splash Party at the Dobin place to gauge interest

K31 · Sep 7, 2016

yellowsled said:
I did my advanced open water class in GTMO, best thing i could have done. Maybe get the refresher and then the advanced qual at the same time?

Ok, so you suggest he wear some kind of bulky vest with wires sticking out of it, not shave for a month and go down to Pennsylvania Ave and shout Aloha Snackbar?

Applehd · Sep 7, 2016

I got my training through Sea Colony (been diving since 1981)and my equipment serviced there as well... Good folks, John and Linda Kiser... Haven't been by their shop in a while, and have no idea what courses cost, but I do need to get my equipment serviced. I spent much of the holiday weekend rekindling a love affair with my 10 meter Trojan flybridge that I mildly set up as a dive platform for a couple Ocean City dive excursions with my family some years ago. I miss diving... and yes... there are plenty of things to see and find off the coast of O.C... Bugs o' plenty... and when you spear fish, you take what you want... not settle for what you reel in... I've never been to the Islands or anywhere exotic to dive, but I have been in Gin-clear water a mere 2 miles from O.C. Inlet. Didn't mean to threadjack, but I'm gettin' the diving itch as well.

Dirichlet · Sep 7, 2016

I got my EAN training, have purchased a bunch of gear over the years, and had my reg's and bcd's serviced at Columbia Scuba. I have had nothing but positive experiences with them and their services.

Ganegrei · Sep 7, 2016

Got certified through Columbia Scuba. It's a hell of a fun hobby but not cheap. If you want to get back into it then I would suggest going and diving the Great Barrier Reef ASAP, as it is probably going to all be dead within 5 years.

yellowsled · Sep 7, 2016

K31 said:
Ok, so you suggest he wear some kind of bulky vest with wires sticking out of it, not shave for a month and go down to Pennsylvania Ave and shout Aloha Snackbar?

Why not, they get treated better than the Soldiers/Sailors there. :innocent0

sbmike · Sep 7, 2016

Op: if you are still certified, you might be able to just do a refresher course rather than taking the entire course over again. It's ok if you want to do the whole thing but not necessarily needed. Most scuba shops offer refresher classes. i was an instructor with Columbia Scuba until I finally retired last year so I'm partial to them, but there are others in the area that are well regarded and have been mentioned in this thread.

K.C.Dean · Sep 7, 2016

Got my certification from southern Maryland college back in 2002. Purchased and had all my equipment at Sea Colony. I still have everything including my teenage daughters equipment. The BCD,wet suit and boots.

54rndball · Sep 7, 2016

Ganegrei said:
Got certified through Columbia Scuba. It's a hell of a fun hobby but not cheap. If you want to get back into it then I would suggest going and diving the Great Barrier Reef ASAP, as it is probably going to all be dead within 5 years.

I did a Barrier Reef dive about 30 years ago. Probably looks much different now.

54rndball · Sep 7, 2016

sbmike said:
Op: if you are still certified, you might be able to just do a refresher course rather than taking the entire course over again. It's ok if you want to do the whole thing but not necessarily needed. Most scuba shops offer refresher classes. i was an instructor with Columbia Scuba until I finally retired last year so I'm partial to them, but there are others in the area that are well regarded and have been mentioned in this thread.

Sounds like good advice. I still have my NAUI and PADI open water ratings, but have not been diving since the '80s. So maybe it would be best to work out a refresher class and do some studying to get up to speed.

GunnerGunz · Sep 8, 2016

If you have the equipment already re-read your course books start back in the pool (shallow end first) to remember the stuff you learned. Go to quarry and do some 15' dives to get back up to speed. At this point if you feel uncomfortable take a refresher course. Scuba is truly a remarkable sport. Remember to check double check and check again.

Melnic · Sep 8, 2016

Anyone here ever dive off Ocean City?
I know its better further south which is where I used to go, its just that I"m over there all the time in the summer now adays
thx

Pushrod · Sep 8, 2016

Melnic said:
Anyone here ever dive off Ocean City?
I know its better further south which is where I used to go, its just that I"m over there all the time in the summer now adays
thx

I used to go spear fishing around Ocean City a lot. Diving is okay, usually cold water and poor visibility.

stan5677 · Sep 8, 2016

yellowsled said:
I did my advanced open water class in GTMO, best thing i could have done. Maybe get the refresher and then the advanced qual at the same time?

What year did you receive your cert in GTMO. I got mine when i attended WT Sampson back in 97

Applehd · Sep 8, 2016

Melnic said:
Anyone here ever dive off Ocean City?

See post #7

ToBeFree · Sep 8, 2016

Great

Brass Anchor in Frederick
Great shop

Scuba diving?

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